Happy Birthday to Okemo!! The first day of operation was January 31, 1956! At Okemo, all 119 trails are open!! 13/19 lifts are open and ready to go. The forecast today is to have mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching a high near 6 at the summit and 15 at the base around noon. This mountain boasts the top snow quality in eastern United States. You can’t go wrong when planning a trip here.

Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont has one of the best combination packages around for you and your family to enjoy. Book your stay here and take advantage of rates starting at $79 per night per person (plus tax), includes room and full-day lift ticket!

*Package requirements are a two-night, two-person minimum. It includes one two-day lift ticket per person and must be booked in two-night increments.

New this year, the Okemo Ski and Stay package is also available on peak weekends and holidays, though rates are subject to change based on availability. Click through on the booking link to check rates and availability for any date, or call the hotel at (802) 885-4516.

*This rate includes a complimentary hot buffet breakfast, use of our indoor pool and fitness center and free parking. The package requirements are a two-night, two person minimum and it includes one two-day lift ticket per person and must be booked in two-night increments. Call the hotel at (802) 885-4516 for more information or to reserve.

GALLERY AT THE VAULT – A Vermont State Craft Center
(Visual Art Using Local Talent)

The Gallery is a nonprofit organization. It serves the community as an educational resource with a schedule of workshops and lectures, and serves the artist community by providing a venue for their work. Both the gallery and the gift shop carry only original, juried, handcrafted local and regional artwork.

They will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary. Join them on February 4th, 2011, at 5:00pm in their Annual Meeting. RSVP by February 1st, 2011 by calling 802-875-7111.

There will also be the 2nd Annual Chocolate Tasting February 5th, 2011 at 12:00pm until 5:00pm. How can you resist?! Come spend the day in Springfield! Lunch at 56 Main the Restaurant & then stop in VAULT for a delightful chocolate dessert!

Website: http://www.galleryvault.org/
Location: 68 Main Street, Springfield, VT
Dates and Hours of Operation: Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm year round
Days Closed: Sundays and Mondays
Phone: 802-885-7111
Email: galleryvault@vermontel.net

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Book your stay at Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont.

All 45 trails are open at Bromley Mountain! There are lots going on! Best of all, Family Friday is back!

Family Fridays: Combine Bromley’s $44 midweek/non-holiday ticket with Bromley’s fantastic Family Friday deal, where each paying adult pays just $15 per kid for up to three teen or junior lift tickets, the savings positively snowballs. Family Fridays are good to go every Friday this winter season except during the holiday periods – mom or dad can take their two kids and one of their friends for a whole day of skiing or riding for the outrageous price of $89! A family of four skis for just $118!

THIS WEEKEND

Wounded Warrior Weekend: The Bart Center for special needs will host the sixth annual wounded warrior weekend at Bromley Mountain. This weekend is dedicated to our service veterans who have been wounded in action. It gives them an opportunity to experience the sport of skiing with some of the best instructors in the business. Reservations for dinner are needed, please contact the Bart Center for more information.

Only 25 minutes away from Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont, Bromley offers top skiing and snowboarding, plus plenty of shopping and other activities for a memorable family ski vacation at a great value. Ski Magazine agrees, voting Bromley #1 for Family Programs and #3 for Value in the East!

Book your stay at Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont today with the Bromley Ski & Stay Package!

A participant in the 2009 Paintball Biathlon lines up a shot.

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Snow snow snow! Get out there and try something new!

The Mountain Top Inn & Resort, in partnership with the Mountain Top Nordic Ski Club, Tippmann and TOKO, will host the sixth Annual Paintball Biathlon on Saturday, January 22 and Sunday, January 23 at the Resort’s Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Center.

This is the 6th annual Mountain Top Paintball Biathlon. The high school and adult division will take place on Saturday, January 22, 2011. The race begins @ 11 AM. The range opens for practice @ 9:30 AM. Bib pick-up begins at 9 AM. The BKL division will begin at 10:30 AM on Sunday, January 23, 2011. The range opens at 8:45 AM. Bib pick-up opens at 8:30 AM. The youngest divisions will race in the morning and the 2 older divisions (5/6 grade; 7/8 grade) will begin racing at 12:45PM, following an older division range practice. Registration information will become available in the next couple of weeks.

Pre-registration is required and the deadline is Thursday, January 20, 2011. For additional race and registration information call the Resort’s Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Center at 802-483-6089 or Mary Anne Levins at 802-775-0779.

Book your stay at nearby Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont.

Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont is on Twitter!

Get the latest and greatest reports from Okemo Valley and our fabulous Specials!

Don’t forget that our ski packages for Okemo and Bromley are still going on. Being the favorite packages of our guests, we hope that you take advantage of it also!

Okemo Ski and Stay Package — Starting at $79!*

Bromley Mountain Ski and Stay Package – Rates starting as low as $69 weekday, $89 weekend!

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., join us at Billings Farm & Museum for a Sleigh Ride Weekend!

Climb aboard the horse-drawn sleigh and enjoy a scenic ride through the frosty farm fields. Warm up with a visit to the operating dairy farm and learn more about the Jersey herd and calves, Percheron draft horses, oxen and Southdown sheep. There will be all kinds of things to do in the farm house, the education room, and the theater.

Sleigh ride admission includes sleigh rides, the operating farm, restored 1890 Farm House, plus activities and programs.

Admission:
adults: $12.00
over 62: $11.00
children ages (5-15): $6.00
ages 3-4: $3.00
2 & under: free

When you stay with Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont, ask your innkeeper for more information and directions.

We know it’s winter, but that doesn’t mean you bundle up and hibernate! There are plenty of things to do so get out there!

January 29, 2011
30th Annual TD Bank Craftsbury Marathon
The Craftsbury Marathon is the largest nordic ski event in the east: a twenty five kilometer loop course, classic technique ski marathon or tour, traversing Vermont’s spectacular Northeast Kingdom on Saturday, January 29, 2011.

The marathon offers 25 and 50 kilometer races (the 25k point to point touring event has been given its own date – March 5th). This event is part of the prestigious American Ski Marathon Series and the New England Marathon Series. Again this year, it has been named by the State Chamber of Commerce as one of the “Top Ten Winter Events in Vermont”.

Race Details: The 50k or 25k race offers competitors a mass start, timed challenge over a 25k loop course. Racers will be grouped in waves according to 2010 time to allow for a less congested start to the racing. Feed stations every 4 to 7 kilometers dot the well-groomed route. After the finish, all participants are treated to a hearty post race meal and awards. The top 3 racers in each 10 year age/gender class are awarded a locally handcrafted pottery bowl. Special pins will be awarded to all skiers finishing within 25% of age class winners. Don’t forget the Friday night Onion River Sports Dash for Cash under the lights on the Common, a 200m sprint competition to determine the winner of a $1000 purse! Registration is open. The registration website contains many more details about the seeding process and race details – check it out. Watch for more details here on our website as the event draws closer.

Keep these dates in mind for this event!

• Mon, Nov 1 – Online Registration Opens. The cheapest time to register is the month of November! Prices increase every month until the Day of Race!
• Sat, Jan 22 – Online Registration Closes for Marathon
• Fri, Jan 28 – Onion River Sports Dash for Cash night sprints and prerace pasta dinner
• Sat, Jan 29 – 30th Annual Craftsbury Marathon, 25k/50k Classic Race. Post-race meal, prize drawing and awards.
• Sat, Feb 26 – Last day of online registration for the 25k Marathon Tour
• Sat, Mar 5 – 25k Tour

Register Here!

Take advantage of the Okemo Ski and Stay Package at Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, Vermont when you want to visit Okemo Mountain.With a recent delivery of snow from Mother Nature, Okemo Valley Nordic Center opened for the season with 15 kilometers of tracked and skate-groomed ski trails, and 11 kilometers of snowshoe trails.

Okemo Mountain Resort will recognize National Safety Awareness Week, Jan. 15-23, 2011, with the launch of a new Park Safety Program (PSP) and a host of fun events and activities to help educate skiers and riders about on-mountain safety.

Make sure you get in on the action!