Ski resorts don't cool down for summer

By Felicity Long, Globe Correspondent, 06/23/02

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Ah, summer. Time to grab a towel, round up the kids, and - hit the slopes? If you never have ventured north once the snow melts, take notice: New England ski resorts keep the welcome mat out all summer with attractions designed to appeal to the active set.

"Many ski resorts operate their lifts in summer, which means you can do alpine slides, mountain biking, and a whole lot of other fun activities on the mountain," said Stacy Gardner Stoutenberg, spokeswoman for the National Ski Areas Association. "Lodging prices are generally cheaper than in winter, and the resorts themselves, while located in beautiful, rural areas, are a close drive from major metropolitan areas."

The trend to luring sports buffs to the slopes in summer began in the 1980s with the golf boom, Stoutenberg said, with each resort offering its own approach to the sport. Killington boasts some 20 courses within an easy drive, for example, while Okemo Mountain Resort owns its own course, which it operates as a cross-country skiing and snowshoe center in winter. Using ski resort facilities to draw golfers makes sense, Stoutenberg said, because the lodging and restaurants are already in place, and "it's a logical way to transition the staff to summer employment."

But just as ski areas have expanded their menu of winter sports, so, too, has the list of summer activities grown.

When the mountain biking craze kicked off in the '90s, resort officials realized they could offer great mountain trails that are - thanks to chairlifts - all downhill. Alpine slides, which involve sitting in a plastic sled with wheels and shooting down concrete composite half-pipes, soon followed. At Attitash Bear Peak in New Hampshire, one of the first to install alpine slides, the attraction was a hit from the outset, said spokeswoman Katherine Gadman. To accommodate a range of ages and comfort levels, Attitash offers an easy run for children and novices and a faster run for older youths and adults.

Also new on the scene at a number of resorts are mountain boards, which look like snowboards with wheels; cross-skates, a kind of all-terrain skate; and digglers, which resemble oversized scooters.

Since half the fun in summer is getting wet, many resorts are adding water parks, which can range from simple waterslides to fullfledged rides that rival those at theme parks - but without the long lines.

"At the Bromley Mountain [Vt.] Thrill Zone, you don't have to worry that the kids will get lost in horrendous crowds," said spokeswoman Laura LeMarche. "It's selfcontained and safe, so Mom and Dad can have a cocktail on the open deck and watch the kids having fun."

Bromley's water ride, called the Big Splash, simulates white-water rafting with twists and turns without getting riders drenched. As to its appeal: "Let's just say that when we need a volunteer to check the water temperature, there's never a shortage of staff volunteers," LeMarche said.

Other Bromley attractions include an inflatable bouncing playroom for toddlers, a gentle Volcano Peak ride that lifts riders 15 to 20 feet in the air accompanied by lots of warm wind, alpine slides, and a basketball shooting game that douses losing teams with water.

And if you can't find the 20- to 40-year-old males in your group, chances are they are barreling down the slopes in DevalKarts, which LeMarche described as a kind of motorless go-cart that you can take on the chairlift and use to ride down at your own speed.

DevalKarts are designed for ages 10 and older and are equipped with steering wheels and brakes.

Other activities popping up at ski resorts include Trampoline Things, which support jumpers in a harness; in-line skating; horseback riding; and various kinds of boating.

But while rides draw the crowds, summer in the ski mountains is not just for adrenaline junkies: Music and dance festivals, culinary events, and art exhibitions are increasingly on tap. "It's all part of trying to maximize value for customers," Stoutenberg said.

Taking advantage of the boom in family travel, resorts are creating supervised camps and outdoor nature programs for children. Smugglers' Notch in Vermont, considered a leader in this field, draws so many families with its children's programs, swimming pools, and waterslides that summer slightly outpaces winter in number of visitors, according to spokeswoman Karen Boushie. In fact, the resort is so confident of its family programs that any guest who tries one and gives it a thumbs-down gets a full refund.

Waterville Valley in New Hampshire also draws kudos for its Recreation Camp, for ages 4 to 12, with activities from arts and crafts and reading programs to nature walks and an open gym. Families who want to play together can opt for pedalboating, swimming, or kayaking.

Even elegant hotels like the Mount Washington and The Balsams - known for offering a family-friendly ski experience in winter - offer summer camps with age-appropriate activities. The Balsams has a Camp Wind Whistle for children 5 to 13 and Camp Wee Whistle for 3 to 5. Children can visit with a staff naturalist, participate in music and culinary programs, play tennis, swim, and hike. A signature program at the Balsams, called Doing the Right Thing, teaches little ones Miss Manners-style lessons in deportment in the dining room, public rooms, and pool areas.

At Mount Washington Hotel, which is celebrating its centennial this summer, children 5 to 12 can participate in a supervised King of the Mountain Kids Kamp. Activities include tennis, arts and crafts, hiking, picnics, and indoor games. In addition, there are evening programs at both resorts if parents want to dine solo.

Felicity Long is a freelance writer who lives in Norwell.