# Mad River Glen, 2/7/11



## billski (Feb 7, 2011)

This was a day that will long stay impressed in my memory.  The only thing as good as  skiing Mad River Glen was spending time with Betsy Pratt.  She and her husband bought the hill in 1972 and 20 years later sold it to the Co-op after rejecting several other proposals.  To say Betsy is opinionated would be an understatement.  I stayed at her Mad River Barn last night, which was  a Sunday.  I wasn't expecting a private audience with one of the great pioneers of Vermont Skiing, but with only three guests in the Inn, there was no other option.  Betsy has incredibly great business acumen. She and her husband were very well educated, and took a chance.  At the time she and her husband moved to Mad River in the 50's, there were only four official ski areas in VT, not counting the rope tows.  Betsy must be in her mid-80s, fit as a fiddle and roaring with energy,   







This morning, she was setting herself to do a little skiing, but first had to get to a ski shop and see about new bindings.  Some people had been telling her that her bindings were "too old".  Betsy, being the frugal Yankee woman, scoffed at the idea, but resigned to it, when she could not get anyone to work on them!

We talked about so many things, including why the Barn was for sale and why it's taken so long to sell.  Like MRG, she is hugely selective in selling it to just the right people, for just the right purpose.  Which is the biggest reason why it's been on the market for so many years.  






The barn is the funkiest, most meandering structure I've been in save for castles.  You can get lost finding the dining room, or the beautiful fireplace with bear, elk and moose on the walls.  The bar really rocks on the weekend, and a traditional dinner is served on Saturday night.  






Betsy has been known to throw customers out if she didn't like their behavior, she is diminutive in stature buy tall in intelligence, business sense and hospitality.



So I sat there and listened to her.  I really didn't want to go to MRG but after an hour, I did.  the mountain will always be there, but Betsy will not.  I would encourage each and everyone of you to spend a night at her Barn.  It's not the Hilton, and it's not a B&B with a mint on your pillow, but it works.  She expects a pile of people in each room.  I believe the total number of rooms exceeds thirty.  There is so much more I could tell you about, but the day left me weary. I am unskilled with my  new cell phone camera, and most of the pictures did not turn out, better luck next time!

As I said good-bye, Betsy looked me square in the eye and said "I hope you enjoy *my mountain!*" 

Read more about Betsy and her love affair with MRG.

The skiing, ah the skiing.  Just as Betsy left it, MRG stands unchanged.  A beautiful day, the clouds socked in the top and flurries danced around all day.  Beautiful snow, great trail conditions.  The day before had been a powderfest.  I'm told cars parked way, way up the road.  My legs were still weary from Sugarbush but MRG is just such a lovely place to be.  The all natural trails are the best, and the woods were great.  I had to keep re-calibrating my trail ratings: green is blue, blue is black, black is double+ black.  I could only stay a half day, just as I was getting into a groove, it was time to leave.  Enjoy the photos.  This boy is gonna crash real soon.





Those MRG lift lines at 11AM are just horrendous!





Too many peeps on the trail!





The Single Chair reigns over its subjects.  As I took this shot, a fellow shouted down from the single, "you've just taken a picture of history!"  So right. So right. 





My favorite trail was the one of the most beauty





No straight shots here.  You never know what's around each corner.  I love old style narrow winding trails.


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## spring_mountain_high (Feb 7, 2011)

great report...beautiful shots...never been and it's at or near the top of my 'to ski' list


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## snowmonster (Feb 7, 2011)

Nice! Looks like MRG is filling out pretty well. I've only heard stories about Betsy Pratt and your encounter with her seems to confirm all those stories.


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## mlkrgr (Feb 7, 2011)

Great TR; I want to go to MRG of course on the right day too, but just can't get cut loose with other resorts especially that bus trips don't go there because of the snowboard ban and when I go otherwise, I'm almost always redeeming vouchers.


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## salsgang (Feb 8, 2011)

very nice! Thanks for the report. One of those got to get to places...


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## powbmps (Feb 8, 2011)

Great write up.  Love the history.  Looks like they avoided the crust Saturday night?


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## billski (Feb 8, 2011)

Zero crust. Creamy and heavy pow.
Ski anywhere you like. The cook at betsys says you can find pow hip to waist deep in the woods.


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## ScottySkis (Feb 8, 2011)

Nice going billski! Its got to be a blast sitting and chatting with someone who means so much to skiing eastcoast wise


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## billski (Feb 8, 2011)

Scotty said:


> Nice going billski! Its got to be a blast sitting and chatting with someone who means so much to skiing eastcoast wise



You said it better than I.  This trip was no accident.  I had wanted to meet Betsy ever since I read Michael Finkel's book.  She even remembered him.  I set out to stay at her place and meet her.  Little did I imagine I would have so much undivided attention.  For a while we sat at the table, for a while in the kitchen while she made coffee, and later at her "office."  There was so much said (I mostly listened) and much of it would not be appropriate to write about either online or in publication.  This, as I've said before, is another piece in the "fabric of skiing".


p.s., I did ski on a voucher both days.  And, lots of people stay there for cheap, putting three in a room.  I got more bumper stickers too!


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## kickstand (Feb 8, 2011)

billski said:


> ... you can find pow hip to waist deep in the woods.



I can vouch for that one.  It is deep in the woods between Chute and Fall Line.  Also extremely tight in there.

One mote about MRG and the kind of customer service that sets it apart from some of these other cookie cutter places.  I showed up there around 11:30 on Friday morning and bought my ticket sometime around noon.  Friendly enough staff in the ticket office.  I didn't think much of it at the time.

Fast forward to Saturday morning when thousands have descended upon MRG.  I happened to get the same guy (Noah) who help me on Friday.  I asked for a one day adult ticket and handed him my credit card.  He looks at me and says "You should have bought a two day ticket yesterday, would have saved you a few bucks."  I know I was there two days in a row, but with the number of people who had been thru the ticket office that morning, I was surprised he remembered me.  I don't have any unique physical characteristics and I usually just sort of blend with the crowd, so I was definitely impressed.  I don't think that's something that would happen at a larger place unless I were a regular.  And it may not seem like much to some, but that's the sort of thing that makes me want to go back somewhere.

As for the ticket, a two day would have saved me $10, but I don't mind forking that out to a place like MRG.  It's worth it for the experience, and I'm sure - even though it's only $10 - MRG will find somehow to use it effectively.


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## Warp Daddy (Feb 8, 2011)

Great report Bill - the pics are awesome and the conditions looked primo -- well done


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## billski (Feb 8, 2011)

*Today's snow report from MRG*

If you've never been, get out this week.  Conditions are as good as they get - everywhere.  Green, blue or black skier, you will have an awesome day.  Here's their report:

Updated on *Tuesday, February 8, 2011* at *07:45:00*​ *The Mad River Glen snow globe has  been given yet another shake resulting 3-4" of new snow and it continues  to snow and blow.  What was already exceptionally good skiing is  getting down right silly. It will be a truly awesome today!  *We  picked up a bunch of snow in the recent storms and the entire mountain  is skiing superbly. Bumps, glades and groomers alike are all skiing  about a good as they get and believe it or not the *forecast is calling for more snow throughout the day  today*..  So call in sick, grab your partner in crime and head on up the  mountain! It just keeps on getting better and better, so if you have  been waiting to ski MRG with optimum conditions your wait is over.
 Today we will be skiing 100% of our legendary main mountain terrain.  The Single Chair and Sunnyside Double will run 9 AM to 4 PM and the  Callie's Corner handle tow will start at 10 AM.


Source: http://www.madriverglen.com/conditions/


I can attest for this report - nothing marginal here!


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## RootDKJ (Feb 8, 2011)

Great pics and story billski!


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## Grassi21 (Feb 8, 2011)

Nice write up Bill.


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