In an age where ski resort ownership has turned into a duopoly defined by an arms race to gobble up as many resorts as possible, it is refreshing to see a community band together in support of the little guy. Don't get me wrong, I love Vail Resorts and their epic pass in nothing short of genius, and whatever the Aspen KSL partnership is calling itself these days owns some of my favorite resorts in North America. However it is always nice to see the underdog succeed. That is exactly what is happening a little old Magic Mountain in Vermont who since having been purchased by a group of passionate locals is well on the road to bringing the Magic back.
With a slew of volunteer days and some fun festivals, such as last weekend´s Ullr Fest, Magic Mountain´s ownership and patrons have their low key resort back on track to becoming one of the best in southern Vermont. So far this fall, there have been three where the Magic Mountain loyalists have shown up in droves to do anything from refurbishing the lodge, to giving the lifts a fresh paint job, to actually clearing the glades. This kind of effort from their passionate community is great in so many ways and in the process keeps costs down for a little resort not fueled by a huge injection of cash.
To celebrate this type of solidarity, this past weekend's volunteer day culminated with Magic's annual Ullr fest. Nothing short of awesome, Ullr Fest, an event devoted to the Norse god of snow, was filled with good food, good drink and good times.
Amidst a full pig and lamb roasting on a spit, plenty of beer and bourbon and some late night stargazing, Magic Mountain loyalists made sacrifices to Ullr in hopes of another snowy winter. Oh yeah, there also happened to be 200 people partying at a western themed birthday party hoe down at the Black Line Tavern. Talk about knowing how to party.
If you'd like to help Magic Mountain continue to grow and get back on track, keep your eyes peeled on their social media pages for the next volunteer day and head on up. I am sure the reward will be worth it.
