By Phil Caracci

I’ve been a part of Miramar since 1997. Still the anticipation of the trip ahead gripped me as I met the group on West 23rd Street in NYC. I looked around – there were MANY new faces.  I learned this trip included 17 first time guests… G1’s as we call them. That’s a lot!

Saturday followed the traditional schedule… breakfast, skiing at Sugarbush, happy hour, dinner, dancing and chats by the fireplace. As I type this sentence it sounds outstanding without hearing any details. But the details make it even better!

We have a new chef who recently celebrated his one year anniversary with the club. Chef Mathew is amazing, turning out French Toast, eggs, bacon along with yogurt, muffins, fresh fruit and so much more. When you hear that breakfast is included, you don’t necessarily expect this!

Now let’s talk about skiing.  Vermont is experiencing one of it’s best winters in a very long time.  No giant blizzards but instead frequent snowfalls and more importantly no thaws. Freeze/thaw is what produces ice and I think it’s been below freezing for 6 consecutive weeks.  However, Saturday was also a day of total sunshine and no wind from start to end! And if you stuck to the singles line, no waits for the lifts either. If you didn’t enjoy a day like this you are probably in the wrong sport.

When I’m on a trip I always offer what is often called the “Uncle Phil Tour”. After skiing I take first time guests to Bridge Street to see the shops and I tell a few stories along the way. About a dozen trippers signed up for the 20-minute walk with me through the historic covered bridge with some returning with purchases from the Artisan Gallery or the beer cave (awesome craft beer selection in the gas station!)

At 6PM we kicked off the evening’s activities with the Happy Hour featuring some more of the chef’s creations and open bar. It’s a LOUD room!  More than 40 people riding a high from our sunny day on the slopes and meeting people for the first time. As an old-timer in the club, I often go to one corner of the room and just soak in the scene and it warms my heart to see the interaction.  It’s a warm welcoming community.  Nobody is staring at a cell phone!

I doubt I’ve ever ordered cauliflower soup before but I wasn’t surprised at how good it was.  Everything that comes out of our commercial kitchen has been top notch.  The Salmon Florentine was killer!!!

The Miramar  lodge setup is really ideal.  Nobody is going out into the cold night. No driving anywhere.  After dinner you join the party downstairs by the fire or on the dance floor until fatigue tells you it’s time to get some sleep because tomorrow is another day of skiing or riding.

On Day 2 at Killington, I decided to ski with two G1’s which eventually expanded to a group of 6. I enjoy taking photos on the slopes and I found a group on the same wavelength.  One benefit of group trips is that you can probably find a compatible partner regardless of how you choose to attack the mountain; fast, slow, steep, mellow, breaks, no-breaks, bumps, trees, etc….

I was sipping cocktails on the bus ride home, enjoying a tasty meal from Panera Bread and chatting with all my new friends and feeling so happy.  It was an amazing weekend.  This is why the Miramar Ski Club has been part of my adult life for this long and hopefully for many more years to come.

If you have never been on a Miramar trip, what are you waiting for???

By Karen McFarlane

On the bright, cold early evening of January 10, 2025, 24 hearty souls boarded the Miramar luxury limousine (aka bus) for a wonderful trip up to the lodge. 6 equally hearty souls were already ensconced in the lodge. At the helm was our driver, Mike, filling in for Al, who had the nerve to be spending the weekend working in sunny, warm Florida, instead of freezing his patooties off with the rest of us. Our trip leader was Blythe, ably assisted by Kaz as staff and SIT’s Laura and Alan – on his first trip as an official member!!.

We woke up Saturday morning to a balmy temperature of 15 degrees, plus the sight of beautiful snow, drifting down upon the trees, meadows and mountains. We all had a lovely day of packed powder skiing, followed by a fabulous happy hour, during which Bill Bernsten stopped in directly from his world tour to say hello. As usual, our chef, Matt, prepared a spectacular dinner of vegetable soup, salad and rolls freshly warm out of the oven, followed by giant sized slabs of delicious chicken parmesan, creamy pasta, succulent squash (I’m guessing a lot of butter and garlic,,,???!!!) and chocolate pudding cake for dessert. The evening’s entertainment was a rousing game of left, right, center with 14 participants and a lot of spectators. Ethan Strell emerged as the victor, coming home with $39, which he generously decided to donate to… oh well, maybe I got that wrong…!!!

As is lately sometimes the case, Miramar apparently did not shtup the Killington overlords enough, so we were not granted a parking pass for our bus for Sunday. Instead, after another 4 star breakfast by Matt, we had dropoffs/pickups at both Sugarbush and Mount Ellen. Everyone had a great time in the frosty 18 degree weather, which included gale force winds at Mt. Ellen (note to self: next time, check the weather conditions before saying, “oh, it doesn’t seem windy, so I won’t wear my facemask…!!!”). With everyone safely packed up on the bus, we proceeded home. At our happy hour, we had a Miramar innovation (so hard to come by sometimes…): Janice decided to eschew making the usual bottle of screwdrivers and, instead, surprised us all with Tequila Sunrise, which went down very handily and was much appreciated by all!! This was followed by our delicious dinner, carefully curated by chef Daniel Boulud at the gourmet kitchens of Panera.

A lovely time was had by all and it was discovered by some (and secretly known by others) that when the bus parks on 24th. St. to avoid the cops, we can actually enter through the 24th. St. door to get to our locker. Thanks again to Blythe and her crew for a great weekend!!

By Evelyn Konrad

FIRST 2025 MIRAMAR WEEKEND

My son Robert drove us up to the lodge a few days before the bus trip on empty highways until we got to the mountain road, at which time we would have loved to have someone’s red brake lights to follow. The road was icy and lousy. Snow came at our windshield horizontally in a thick, white-out blizzard. I was panicked. Rob was thrilled. In fact, he even took pictures of the snow coming in wind-speed assaults on our car. “It’s snowing,” he said, cheerfully, as the car lurched dangerously close to the snow-covered ditch alongside. “How beautiful,” he added. “How dangerous,” I said.

Others, who had also had the misfortune of hitting the mountain road in the storm, agreed with me, but we were all thrilled to pieces to see the full cover of Sugarbush Mountain the next day. But, the snow was sticky, and I was unsteady after my three-week trip to Thailand, Lagos, Cambodia and Vietnam. My lengthy trip was terrific, but how the hell do you get back down to earth? The first day on skis, I didn’t, except for an embarrassing fall, due to lousy skiing.

My friend on the mountain sharpened my edges and wiped hot wax on my skis. The next day, the snow was packed and no longer sticky, but I was heading downhill like a bat out of hell. Didn’t know where I was going nor how to get there, but boy, my skis were fast.

Over the weekend, we had the usual number of terrific guests, who introduced themselves at dinner. They were a cheerful lot and took part in all the club activities, from bussing their tables, to skiing or snowboarding, to drinking at our cocktail hour, and inhaling our wonderful new chef’s terrific hot appetizers. I seem to have been done of my usual crudité-cutting chore by his generosity, one of my rare domestic skills. (The other is packing and unpacking extremely well and fast, which came in handy in Southeast Asia, where we did not stay in any hotel more than three nights, and a couple of times, just one night. I kept remembering with gratitude the years of training for efficient group activities that I have in 25 years of Miramar membership. P.S. Guess what? One of the Southeast Asia groupies was a former Miramartian! We do get around.)

On our last day, the snow was especially fast and terrific. Nonetheless, I wimped out because I can’t take the wind when I’m on skis. I was blown up the mountain one windy day and have never forgotten it. Anyhow, no apparent injuries to members or guests on the weekend, except to my pride.

A mandatory tribute to one of my favorite Miramar skiers, a very pretty lady. Lo and behold, she had a knee replacement at the start of last summer and has been skiing for several weeks already. She showed me her knee with its vertical scar, and she bent and stretched the leg like a ballerina. I was particularly impressed because I’ve seen other knee replacement folks who could barely bend their knee a year and more after their operation. Yes, I know that there have been immense improvements in knee surgery, but I raise my hat to determination and will power.

My friend did intensive physical therapy and urged me to go to her physical therapist, who, she says, isn’t very nice, but is damned good. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So, I’ll keep on skiing with my trusty knee brace! We have had some 25 years together, and I hope for a few more.

By Jodi Garner

26 members and guests gathered at our lodge in Waitsfield, VT for an
unforgettable New Year’s midweek holiday trip. With three full days of
skiing, delicious chef-prepared meals, cozy evenings by the fireplace, and
plenty of fun activities, this trip had it all.

We couldn’t have asked for better conditions at Sugarbush, which offered up
a variety of runs for all skill levels. Whether you were carving down the
mountain, exploring the tree trails, or just taking in the stunning views,
the slopes were perfect. With three full days of skiing, there was plenty
of time to enjoy everything the mountain had to offer.

After a long day on the slopes, it was time to relax and indulge. Our
talented chef prepared mouthwatering meals each night.

Evenings were just as memorable as the days. We gathered by the fireplace
in the lodge, enjoying cocktails, stories, and laughter. Our Après Ski
cocktail party was a hit, with drinks flowing and everyone sharing their
favorite moments from the day’s adventures.

Of course, no trip would be complete without fun and games. We kicked
things off with a raucous round of Left, Right, Center—an always-popular
Miramar game. The dice rolled and fortunes were made (and lost) in an
instant.

To ring in the New Year, we hosted a dance party that was the perfect way
to celebrate the season with great friends and new faces. With tunes
blasting and everyone in high spirits, we danced the night away,
celebrating the year gone by and the exciting adventures ahead.

It’s safe to say this trip will go down as one of our best yet. Whether you
were hitting the slopes or relaxing by the fire, the camaraderie and fun
atmosphere made for a truly unforgettable experience. Huge thanks to
everyone who joined, and we can’t wait to do it all again next year!

By Maureen Cavanaugh

Miramar Ski Club’s first ski weekend of the 2024/2025 season was a great start! The weekend of December 13th-15th was filled with excitement and camaraderie. Blythe Austin leading the trip showed the strength of the club’s leadership, and with Maureen Cavanaugh as Staff and Elizabeth Ernish as Staff-in-Training, there was plenty of support to go around. Al, the Hampton Jitney bus driver, was an invaluable part of the team, always ready to help.

Matt and Maddie were key players in making the weekend even more special! Matt, as our fantastic chef, kept everyone well-fed with delicious meals, adding to the overall experience. And Maddie, our new trusty dishwasher, played an equally important role in keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes—her help made the meal times easier and more enjoyable for everyone. It’s great to see such a supportive and hardworking team behind the scenes, contributing to a memorable weekend for all.

Saturday at Sugarbush was a fantastic day for the Miramar Ski Club. The conditions were solid for mid-December, and skiing with a group makes the day even more enjoyable. Ending the day with apres-ski drinks at Rumbles was a great way to unwind and reflect on the day’s adventures. At dinner, the surprise birthday celebration for Gail Tuzman added a fun, personal touch to the weekend, and her win at the ‘Ugly Holiday Sweater Party’ was a highlight, especially with her creative, hand-decorated sweater.

The White Elephant Gift Exchange was a blast, with plenty of surprises and plenty of laughter—especially with popular items like the bottle of Bourbon, the 1000-piece apres-ski puzzle, and the ski boot dryers – a hit for anyone heading into winter’s chill. What a wonderful way to bond as a group and kick off the ski season.

Sunday at Killington wrapped up the weekend perfectly, with great conditions to keep the momentum of the trip going. Big kudos to Blythe for organizing and leading the trip—her leadership clearly set the tone for an enjoyable weekend. Elizabeth Ernish also deserves a shout-out for staying on top of all the communication via WhatsApp, ensuring everyone was in the loop for each day’s activities.

With 21 people at the lodge, including six guests (four of whom were first-timers), the newcomers integrated seamlessly with the group. They were friendly and cooperative guests who respected ‘The Miramar Way’. A harmonious group dynamic always adds to the experience, and it seemed like everyone had a wonderful time from start to finish.

Lauren Haegele’s work on the mural in the lodge dining room was a wonderful addition to the weekend. Her industrious effort over both Saturday and Sunday, especially with the intricate details of the lodge doors and ski-fence and her Renoir-esque landscape – has brought a unique and creative flair to the space. It’s always special when someone contributes their artistic talent to a shared space. Lauren’s mural not only enhances the dining room but also adds to the overall vibe that the lodge is our home and Miramar is a family. Lauren’s hand painted mural is a thoughtful and lasting touch to the lodge.

Here’s to a fantastic ski season ahead!

Quote of the weekend: ‘Pro tip: Don’t follow Hildingur.’ By Ethan Strell.

From Phil Caracci on April 11 2024

April 5-8, 2024 Trip : What can possibly Eclipse this weekend???

Sorry but I had to get that word in the title… This 3-day car trip to our lodge was offered for skiing and for viewing the solar eclipse from within the Path of Totality. The day would become night and night would become day all in a 2-minute span. That’s rather unique by itself but combine that with excellent spring skiing conditions and you really have something memorable!

This is Miramar’s 75th year and it’s most likely the first time that a total solar eclipse would occur in the Mad River Valley. What should we expect? How should we manage the lodge usage? The wise leaders decided a bus trip would not be best since there might be multiple options for experiencing the eclipse and thus a car trip gave everyone an opportunity to do it their way. We wanted to have our cook on duty as the small local restaurants would never be able to handle the crush.

March of 2024 was very kind to the Green Mountains. There were several major storms measured in feet of snow in the weeks leading up to the eclipse, the last storm ending Friday morning.

Over the three days we had various groups skiing Sugarbush, Mad River Glen, Stowe and Killington. That’s one heck of a lineup! In addition the nordic skiers enjoyed the Von Trapp trails and some hikers found hills to conquer too. (and others went snowshoeing)

Spring skiing for those unfamiliar is a bit different. Generally the snow starts off firm and gradually softens to the point that by 2:30pm, most people would rather sit out in the sun with a beer than ski or ride on the “slush”. The cold winter wind is replaced with a gentle 50 degree breeze.

As the eclipse day approached the frenzy (everywhere) grew. Lawsons was even brewing a Path of Totality IPA just for this occasion!!! Every bed in the Miramar lodge was spoken for. A full house…. 53 people. Wow!

What may not have been completely anticipated is the number of cars to get all those people up here might exceed the number of parking spaces. We have more land but it was all covered in snow and blocked by the barrier created by the snow plow one day earlier.

The weekend was a sunny one… except for the actual moment of the eclipse! OK, not to overemphasize this…. But there were thin clouds following 2 days with no clouds at all. Some members & guests watched the eclipse from the lodge. Some “chasers” raced north and east to outrun the clouds and view it in clear skies.

I decided it was a ski day and decided to watch it halfway down from the summit on a completely empty trail. I was set up with a zoom lens and a tripod waiting for totality listening to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album played by a live band at the Sugarbush base off in the distance.

… And if the cloud bursts thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you’re in starts playing different tunes
I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon

By Emily from Mar 27, 2024
This week’s trip began as always.  Us Manhattanites met at the large green doors of the Masonic Temple in Manhattan. I’m curious what goes on in there, but basically, it’s just a meeting spot and a place for Miramar members to store their skis. I’m still curious what goes on in there. Shortly after the bus ride begins, we’re offered little plastic cups of brandy by David, carrying the brandy around his neck and wearing a miner’s headlamp.  The bus ride to Vermont was jovial and fun.  We got into a conversation about the history of Miramar, and it’s rumored that in the 70s it served as a swingers’ club. Needless to say, it’s no longer a swingers’ club but a good number of members met and married on a Miramar ski trip. Just saying. 

Saturday morning, we got up bright and early and had a sumptuous breakfast of pretty much everything you could ask for– yogurt, toast, eggs, pancakes, muffins, peanut butter, etc. etc. We hit Sugarbush by 9am.  Conditions were, well, northeast ice, but not a skating rink and could have been worse. Sun was shining. I skied with a lovely group of talented skiers who were all a lot more elegant on ice than me, and I was beyond happy to ski with them. Lunch at the main lodge with a bunch of Miramartians.  Several more skiers joined our group in the afternoon, and we did more skiddy blues. I bailed after that and met the après ski group at Rumbles where we drank and compared ice experiences.

Big gap in my note taking but suffice it to say that that Saturday dinner was lovely. A whopping 13 first timers and second timers introduced themselves at dinner, and there were a bunch of new members as well. After dinner people lingered and socialized. I took the down time to do some work and went to bed early.

Sunday at Killington. Not too crazy icy. Again, I skied with a group of lovely, ice proficient and elegant skiers. I geeked out on ski technique, tried to understand ice and just chilled with the friendliest skiers on the Mountain. Total lack of recall on the rest of the trip, but I got home Sunday evening feeling physically tired but energized by a weekend of skiing and connected to my ski-loving brethren.

By Phil Caracci from Mar 26, 2024
Spring skiing is special. The days are longer, the biting winter wind & cold has subsided and the snowpack has deepened. Yes, you heard me… deepened. Often March is the snowiest month in VT. Certainly this year!

As the forecast picture started to form, the trip registration started to grow until we had nearly filled our 50-bed lodge. NYC was looking at a drenching rain but colder air up north indicated a very different picture. The snow started shortly after our arrival on Friday night and continued for about 24 hours! Every turn on Saturday at Sugarbush was leaving fresh tracks in the powder. Yep, real like-you-see-in-Utah powder!

The best of the best found their way to the Slide Brook Wilderness for some tree skiing which leaves you on a road between the two peaks where you can flag down a shuttle bus to get back to base. This was a first for most in that group. Truly an epic day of skiing.

Another unique aspect of this trip was that 3 of our members invited their adult daughters to join them adding to an already unusually youthful group. This is Miramar’s 75th season and if you wanted a glimpse into the future I think you might have seen it right here with an outstanding group of new members and guests that bonded almost immediately.

Our new chef Matt made sure we were well fed and ready for the following day. His crème brûlée french toast at breakfast is amazing!

A day of nonstop snow is great but for me, the day after that when the sun is out is even better. And so it was on Day 2 at Killington where 24” of new snow blanketed their 7 peaks. We woke up an extra 30 minutes earlier to get here and savor every minute of this amazing day. Wow!

As you might imagine, the bus ride home was LOUD. There was so much joy and excitement. How could we top this? There was one idea…. A Flash Mob dancing in the middle of the Thruway rest area!!! Crazy fun! And when we got rolling again it was time for some bus ride karaoke! “Sweet Caroline… good times never seemed so good, SO GOOD, SO GOOD!”

Every trip is different. You won’t always get fresh powder and a flash mob but when you do you know you’ve reached the pinnacle of weekend skiing in VT and since 1949, nobody does it better than the Miramar Ski Club.

By Phil Caracci from Jan 21, 2024

There’s cold and then there’s damn cold! What else could you call a weekend that stayed consistently between 0 and 10 degrees.

But we’re eastern skiers so we know there’s no bad weather, just bad preparation for it. But still…..

Northern VT was getting snow (finally) after a few weeks of warm air and rain closed a few trails. But I think we saw about 4 feet of new snow in the two weeks leading up to this weekend. I’ll take it!

While I am not a tree skier, it seems that is where the best snow could be found. A few folks headed into the Slide Brook Wilderness area and found their way down to the road where they were scooped up by the Sugarbush shuttle that runs from Mt Ellen to Lincoln Peak. Someday I’ll try this.

Besides the cold weather, the other thing that stands out in my mind was the relative quiet of this group. I’ve been in Miramar more than two decades and this stands out as perhaps the quietest bus ride ever! And even the after dinner party was less rowdy than most. And no game of Left/Right/Center either!

Continuing on this theme, it was easy to talk at dinner but I attribute that to the sound absorbing panels that Richard, Chris and John installed in our dining room 2 weeks prior on a Work Weekend.

2023-4 continues to be the season of try-outs to be the club’s new cook. This weekend’s kitchen team is certainly a strong contender! Stay tuned to see who lands this coveted job.

Day 2 was still all about the cold. The mountain was cold, the bus was cold and someone said their pajamas were cold too. Should I explain?

I went to Mt Ellen, a.k.a. Sugarbush North, for the first time this winter. It started out sunny with no wind at the base. But halfway up the GMX the wind kicked into high gear and in a matter of minutes all lifts here were shut down. Brrr! Fortunately a short time later I was gliding down the slopes at Lincoln Peak and there was no wind at all. Only 2 miles apart but very different conditions!

Our ride home did involve a mechanical failure that left us with a cold bus. But that too was fixed as we crossed paths with a much warmer bus and arrived home on time and had the chance to make new friends too.

And as for the cold pajamas….. well maybe I’ll leave you guessing! LOL