Vertical Valentine

Hey guys, its Valentine’s weekend. What are you planning for your favorite ski gal?

She doesn’t want boring roses or a box of mystery chocolates again. If she’s like me, she wants to go skiing. No kids, no knucklehead friends, just the two of you making tracks in the snow.  Why not surprise her with a ski getaway? Plan a day trip or an overnight to her favorite mountain.

To score extra points, offer to buckle her ski boots (if she’s core she will decline but think you are gentlemanly for the gesture). Give her hand warmers for her mittens ($2 a pair, worth their weight in gold). Have chocolate in your pocket for the lift ride.  Let her pick the trails, her self-esteem (and likely your ego too) will thank you. Treat her to a sit down lunch with a view of the slopes.

And remember to plan for the most amorous part: après ski – whether it’s dancing in ski boots, a hot tub, or a hot toddy by a fire.

For the height of romance, whisk her up the Chondola at SundayRiver for candlelit on-mountain dining at the Peak Lodge. Stowe’s Summit Series Dinner includes an evening gondola ride to the Cliff House and a chef’s prepared menu. At Sugarloaf, you can snuggle in a snowcat on your way to Bullwinkle’s for a six-course meal in the secluded on-mountain lodge.

These are just a few vertical Valentine’s ideas. Just be sure to carve out some time to carve some turns with your sweetheart.

Heather Burke is our family ski guru, who occasionally enjoys making turns without the kids. For more of her tips, go to www.familyskitrips.com. Photos by her husband Greg Burke.