Cries (of ‘epic’) heard at a small ski hill near Plainfield, Mass.

By Tim Fater

A monster nor’easter ravaged interior New England Saturday night, delivering an unprecedented pre-Halloween treat for East Coast skiers. Coming on the heels of a mid-week system which deposited the first measurable snow in the region, the weather–and the cold temps that came along with–allowed both Vermont’s Killington and Maine’s Sunday River to open for the season on Saturday on a base of natural and man-made snow. While the prospect of heading north for some lift-accessed skiing was tempting, there were rumors of big snow further south.

As ghouls and goblins haunted streets, bars and house parties Saturday night for the holiday’s unofficial party night, the storm was peaking in intensity. By then, most weather outlets agreed the sweet spot for the highest snow totals would be northwestern Massachusetts and southern Vermont and New Hampshire. After an anxious day of following the weather, a few friends and I–caught up in the festivities late Saturday night–had finally decided on a mission to southern Vermont’s Magic Mountain.

Checking the weather one last time, at 1 a.m., I set the alarm for 5:30 a.m.

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