Marshmallow roasting in Reid’s stove
Not many places can do it like New England can! The BKL Festival was an amazing experience this year, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it may possibly be the best event on skis in the country. There was a snowstorm dropping plenty of new snow on an already-good base, perfect temps in the upper-20s, bright sun on Sunday, an impeccable venue with the perfect layout for hosting, and 600+ young skiers all taking it in.
We’re often used to Craftsbury utilizing their deep resources of lodging, snowmaking, grooming, buildings (“campus”), and extensive trails to put on the highest quality races around. But when all of those resources are leveraged toward a giant party on skis it’s quite the scene.
In fact, it reminds me of our weekly BKL practices at MNC, but on an hugely expansive scale. Games? Activities? Jumps? Races? Maple Syrup? Nature experiences? Radar speed trap? Parade? Often on a weekly basis the trails at the Range are abuzz with different groups of kids playing and cruising around on skis.
This festival was no different, and my challenge for future years is for more of our own members to get out and experience the vibe of this thing! There was plenty to do for families and skiers alike, and racing isn’t even a prerequisite to participation or enjoyment.
You can check out some great photos from the event, spanning all the age groups and various activities/race happening all weekend, via Phillip Belena’s album here. If you choose to buy a print, 25% of proceeds will go to NENSA! Here’s a couple “action shots” from MNC’s end:
Astrid in the 7/8 classic race!
Isaiah in the classic race
It doesn’t matter if it’s a race or a casual ski…if you see a tutu on the trails, you KNOW it’s Bella!
Be sure to keep an eye on the NENSA calendar and announcements from them, and MNC, as the location and details for next year’s festival come out! Here’s a great video recap from NENSA themselves:
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