For outsiders, skiing and snowboarding might just look like a lot riding the lift up and sliding back down. For those who partake, it is so much more than this. Yes, riding the lifts and schussing around the mountain are obviously primary parts of it, but it is really more about the entire mountain experience.
Subaru WinterFest Offers a One-of-a-Kind Music Festival
The notion that skiing and snowboarding are more than just winter activities is the very premise of the Subaru WinterFest Tour. Founded to provide a uniquely Subaru experience while making everyone's day at the ski resort better, they have created a one-of-a-kind concert and mountain lifestyle tour for skiers and riders to come together and share their passion for all things winter.
To say this is up my alley would be the understatement of the year and this weekend my family and I had the opportunity to take in Subaru WinterFest at Jack Frost Ski Resort. With a multitude of displays, free hot chocolates, s'mores and an incredible Bluegrass concert by Old Salt Union, Subaru WinterFest was, as advertised, resulting in a ton of fun for my entire family.
Subaru WinterFest is More Than Just a Concert
Up until last year, it had been about 20 years since my last visit to Jack Frost Ski Resort, but having been twice in two years, I can honestly say that they are doing an excellent job for a tiny mountain in the Poconos. Rolling into Jack Frost Ski Resort this past Saturday morning I wasn't entirely sure what to expect other than a day of skiing capped off by a concert. However, as we approached the lodge area, I realized instantly that Subaru WinterFest was going to be so much more than that.
My head began spinning in every direction as if it were on a swivel. It was tough to decide which display to check out first? Choices abound, my wife and I went with the free coffee. Duh, it was 8:30 in the morning and we still needed our fix.
My daughters? They took off instantly, free swag and fun demos has that effect on young children. It was tough to keep track of them as I drank one delicious La Colombe cold draft oat milk latte after another. Talk about a basic white girl drink. It was delicious though and I have no shame in admitting it. Our girls wandered around from tiny house to tiny house inevitably always popping back up, each time with a new Subaru buff on and sipping hot chocolates from their new Kleen Kanteen tumblers. Proudly rocking their ski bum name stickers that they created (check out the video to see what yours is) we headed out to make a few turns prior to the free S'mores setup at noon.
Jack Frost is All About That Base
As previously stated, up until last year, it had been a while since I had skied at Jack Frost. However, having been twice in the last two years, I have been truly impressed with how well their operation runs. Sure, the lodge looks the same as it did back when I was in high school, just with a few more layers of paint, but that is just part of Jack Frost's OG charm. What is really impressive is how good the snow is for a tiny resort in the Poconos. We don't get a ton of natural snow out here these days (wait, what's global warming) but they make the most out of what they do get and what they produce on their own. Their base is always well maintained and the talk among my family, friends and I was how great the snow was all weekend long. That and how little we had to wait in lift lines, an added bonus that allowed us to get several laps in a short period of time before making our way back up for a hearty lunch of s'mores and craft beer.
S'mores Pairs Perfectly With Craft Beer
S'mores just might be the greatest snack ever. It is hard to even think of ways to improve this decadent delight. That is until you are given gourmet chocolates and yummy Smashmallows as your primary ingredients. Boom! A next level explosion of flavor that our appreciative taste buds basked in as we indulged in the Subaru WinterFest S'mores station at high noon.
Done with coffee as our primary beverage, the adults washed them down with a couple of pints from the ski resort bar. Sidenote, if you have not been to après ski at Jack Frost's E2000, then you are missing out. It is one of the most underrated ski bars you will ever find. They really know how to get after it there and the people watching is off the charts.
Old Salt Union Caps off an Excellent Ski Day
Fluctuating between the bar, the Subaru WinterFest concert area and the ski slopes the remainder of the day was an absolute blast. Coincidentally, I randomly ran into two old friends from high school that I hadn't seen in years. This turned the Old Salt Union concert into a high school reunion, of sorts. Après ski never seems to disappoint. Throw in family and friends dancing around fire pits while listening to live music at a mountain festival and you really can't go wrong.
Bluegrass music seems to be aligning itself in recent years with mountain culture and after listening to Old Salt Union, it is easy to understand why. They were damn good and an excellent ambassador of the genre, surely attracting many new fans after rocking the yard. Fluctuating between their original music and après ski music covers, Old Salt Union had the crowd dancing and singing while putting a exclamation point on an excellent Subaru WinterFest at Jack Frost Ski Resort.
