Do You Believe in Magic

With frozen, firm, and un-fun ski conditions in the backcountry and eager to earn some early December turns we found ourselves at Magic Mountain, in Londonderry, one of the most uphill-friendly ski resorts in the country.

Getting dressed in the warmth of the lodge we do our best to blend in with the other skiers getting ready for a day on the hill. Not every mountain is as tolerant of uphillers as Magic is, and we’ve learned to keep a low profile, the only thing differentiating us from the surrounding skiers is the packs we’re wearing.

Stepping outside the cold is biting—we quickly attach skins to our skis, click into touring bindings, and begin the ascent up the outside (skier’s right) of the mountain. In spite of the single-digit temperatures and moderate pitch of Lower Magic Carpet, it’s not long before the first trickles of sweat appear on our faces. In no time we fall into the rhythm of ascent—sliding one ski in front of the other—only the occasional thumbs up or  “way to go” breaks our trance.

The pace slows at the intersection of Lower Magic Carpet, Upper Magic Carpet, and Wand. Catching our breath we can’t help but have it taken away again by the fantastic view afforded to us, as Bromley looms to our right and Mount Mansfield towers behind us on the horizon. Lingering a little too long, we shimmer in the sun’s rays, as its light reflects off the small beads of sweat beginning to freeze to the outside of our jackets and hats.

It’s noticeably colder on the upper mountain than it was at the base which is all the motivation we need to move quickly towards Magic’s Summit. As we climb we pass under the iconic red chair’s of Magic’s summit lift—where we started roughly 1,700-feet below—and follow the lift a short way to the summit.

On the summit, we pull puffy coats from our packs and head for the lift shack where Daryll, a liftie, bestows upon us tokens for a lift ride back up the mountain. Returning to our packs, we stow skins, put on helmets, pull on goggles, and depart downhill.

Normally the descent is rewarding enough for the effort of skiing uphill, but it’s hard not to love Magic’s policy that doubles the descent. Back at the base of the Red Lift, we redeem our tokens, hop on the lift, and settle in for another run.

Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow on other uphill friendly resorts in Vermont.

By Doug Martland and Tim Peck