The perfect Vermont Fall Watercolor.
Killington Peak last weekend with snow and fall colors.

The perfect Vermont Fall Watercolor.
Killington Peak last weekend with snow and fall colors.

As the fall season approaches the last gasp for 2015, and with the 2015-2016 ski season already underway, it is nice to be able to sit at my desk for a few quiet moments to write down my thoughts.

Fall colors this season were late by historical standards. Usually in Killington the peak colors occur sometime between the 3rd and 7th of October. This year, with out a doubt, they occurred almost a week later, peaking on Columbus day weekend. Why the delay...who knows. The climate in Killington this summer was very benign. Not too hot, not too cold, and plenty of rain fall at points across the summer to keep the forest thriving. Combined with a warm early fall with no frost, and the trees just kept pretending summer would never end. I am sure some scientists somewhere are scratching thier collective heads on why foliage was late. But it does not really matter much for this season, as Mother Natures transition from summer to winter at Killington is still one of the greatest shows on earth.

While fall colors were slow to transition, the Killington Resort made a very rapid transition to winter operations. A shot of cold air came thru the region late last week allowing the resort to make snow on the upper reaches of Killington in the North Ridge trail pod. This past Sunday, Killington became the first ski resort in the US to open for the 2015-2016 ski season with lift serviced skiing and riding. While fall colors were a week late in changing, the ski resort opened about a full week early, versus the last several years. I am sure that the resort will need a little bit of luck, and a lot of compressed air, to keep the resort open every day...but the change of seasons is on their side. Each day at Killington right now is a little colder than the last as winter approaches.

At the inn, we are very much attuned to the changing seasons. The restaurant at the inn will be undergoing it's planned seasonal shift closing this Saturday for a few weeks before we resume our winter operations in early November. We have a full list of chores around the inn to complete before winter sets in, as we usually do. And there is some early season skiing we need to do so we are positioned mentally to enjoy the winter (and to help us find all of our ski kit that was hidden away late last spring.)

To all of our guests who visited with us during this fall season, Mary, I and the staff say "Thank You". We hope you enjoyed staying with us as much as we enjoyed meeting you and having you as our guests. Innkeeping is a rewarding profession. People from all over the world come to Killington to stay with us and dine with us at the Birch Ridge Inn. For that we are truly grateful.

Wherever you may be... enjoy the change in seasons. If you are out golfing, hit them straight... keep it in the fairway... and remember the fall leaf rule. Otherwise, dig our your winter skiing and riding kit... and think snow!