Appalachian hiker Lew Coty from Vermont makes an annual pilgrimage to Western Newfoundland in August to spend a month exploring the mountains and coastlines of Newfoundland’s Long Range Mountains, North America’s northern terminus of the Appalachian-Caledonian Orogeny. Some might wonder what he does at home in winter, besides tend to trees on his maple syrup farm. Answer is, he waits for a sufficient blanket of snow so he can head out to the backcountry slopes around his home near the famed ski resort village of Stowe. Below, Lew recounts one such sunny day in December!
“We glide out on our lightweight backcountry skis and 3 pin boots, under a cold blue solstice sky to explore the Worcester Ridge that flanks the east side of my home town, Stowe, Vermont. Cold air is flowing in from the north, and the sun is on a tight leash not rising far above the southern horizon.
The light coating of weightless snow has a radiance that only this time of year can produce. It stings my uncovered eyes on the southern aspects.
We traverse the beaver swamps under the summit cone of Mount Worcester, and crest its north side ridge.
Behold the crisp luminescence of low angle light where golden hour lasts all day.
And skis dance on the solstice sun.
Descending, we figure ski over the glades below
following the proper etiquette of leaving nothing but the eights.”
Lew Coty 12/21/23
