tips for fly-in ski areas
There are many uses for your plane, from the $100 dollar pancake run, to hauling your friends and family to the relatives. Some pilots elect to haul golf clubs to green fields, and some drag their scuba gear to seaside airfields. My pleasure is downhill skiing, that is, right behind flying, and during the winter months I have found a way to combine both loves: put the skis in the plane and fly to the slopes. Try it. I bought my plane in Colorado some years ago, and I became addicted to flying in the mountains; their beauty is intoxicating, and it sure beats driving. In Colorado, you can fly right into Steamboat Springs (KSBS), borrow the airport junk heap or catch the free town shuttle bus to the slopes but two miles away from the tiedowns. Time from ramp to ski lift is about 15 minutes. Hard to beat, but wait…..there’s more!
Flying into Telluride (KTEX) is almost as easy: land, have the FBO folks flag a waiting cab, and you are at the lift base in ten minutes flat; rental cars are always an option, but then you have to worry about the parking. The runway at Crested Butte ski area is but two miles from the base area, and a friendly local will give you a ride most of the time. Of course, when you fly into Aspen (KASE) there is free town bus service to all three ski areas right from the airport FBO. But it gets better still!
In New Mexico, the Angel Fire (KAXX) airport is again only two miles from the ski lifts, and there is a free shuttle bus with direct ramp to chairlift service. Taos ski area is a bit too
far from the airfield (KSKX) for convenience; a rental car recommended. On the East Coast, no place is more convenient than Ski Bryce (VG18) in Bayse, Virginia, where you land, park, and literally walk over to the lifts. Even with your boots on!
I’ve found it easy and fun to fly directly into the Windwood resort (WV62) in WV, within two miles of the Canaan Valley and Timberline ski areas. You can hop a ride to the slopes in the resort heap or rent a car. Many times I have flown into the Seven Springs resort (K7SP) in PA, and they have a free resort shuttle upon request (five minutes) from the tiedowns to the resort lodge and adjacent ski slopes just steps away. The Wisp ski resort is serviced by Garret County (K2G4) airport across Deep Creek Lake in western MD, but it’s a bit too far to walk; best to call a cab or a friend.
In Vermont, I hear Morrisville airport (KMVL) will get you close to the Stowe ski area, and the Warren airport (0B7) will get you close to Sugarbush ski area. In NH, the Whitefield airport (KHIE) will bring you near to Mt. Washington (watch the weather!), and the West Dover airport services the Mt. Snow area. All in all, skiing and flying are good uses for your plane. The benefits: beats driving by hours, no motel stays required, and the scenery is usually spectacular. Oh, by the way, take a non-pilot friend and make an instant convert to general aviation.
Mike Sullivan
COM SMEL, CFI, MEI, INSTRI
Msull77554@aol.com, KHEF, C-177RG