Outside the lodge, the wind carried a bitter winter chill. Inside, the bartender carried over a chilled glass filled with house-infused bacon bourbon. Each smoky-smooth sip thawed my fingers and soothed my sore feet still cramped inside ski boots.
I
lounged back and watched out the window as some skiers whistled by, while
others came to a crunching halt and clomped into the mid-mountain lodge to join
me at the bar for a well-deserved mid-morning breather.
The
scene was appropriately reminiscent of a sign I saw earlier hanging in the base
lodge that read: “Ice belongs in cocktails, not on the slopes.”
A short
while later, after my glass was drained, I geared back up and returned to the
trails relaxed and refreshed. As my ski tips fell over a rise, I thought of the
sign again and realized it was more than just a cheeky marketing slogan. It was
a communal motto and a precise description of life at New England’s only
private ski resort – The Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain.
Located
in Vermont’s Deerfield Valley, adjacent to Mount Snow, The Hermitage Club is
the ambitious venture of Connecticut businessman Jim Barnes, who began
purchasing area property in 2007. He ultimately combined a faltering ski
resort, Haystack Mountain, with inns and other properties to create The Hermitage
Club, a four-season private club community that is the only establishment of
its kind in the East.
Modeled after the Yellowstone Club in Montana, Hermitage
brings the feel of the high-end mountain community getaways that abound in the
American West, over to this side of the country.
“He [Jim Barnes]
wanted to create a unique, hassle-free luxury ski experience for families,”
said Meridith Dennes, Senior Director of Marketing, Advertising and PR for The Hermitage Club.
The
Hermitage caters to high-end fantasies, but not only in the sense of luxuries,
service and extras. The club also expertly straddles the line between a family
and an adult destination, offering guilt-free vacationing that provides
something for everyone.
“It works really
well having that balance; the time you spend together as a family and the time
you spend individually,” said Dennes.
During
my weekend visit, it all amounted to a noticeable sense of contented freedom,
an unwinding of tension and an elusive level of relaxation.
The Offerings
Like any
high-end private club, be it country club or yacht club, luxury is the norm for
Hermitage members. And with an $85,000 initial membership fee (plus annual
dues), that should be expected. But they offer members numerous guest passes,
and the infrastructure and amenities are lavish and high-end without being overly
ostentatious or gaudy. The rustic atmosphere, while gilded, manages to be as
welcoming as it is impressive.
The main
base lodge offered valet parking and ski valet services, along with member
locker rooms and other conveniences. But the real attraction there was the
lodge itself – a soaring, stunning wood and glass chalet, complete with an
outdoor stone fireplace just as grand as the centralized one indoors. Besides
the multiple bars, food options and stage where weekend acts the likes Huey
Lewis and the News come to play, the main lodge also featured a relaxing spa,
modern fitness center, pools, game rooms and more.
“The lodge was very impressive,” said Jaclyn Pare, a Reading,
Massachusetts native who now lives in Connecticut. Pare and her husband were
visiting Hermitage as guests. “Sitting at the bar, looking up at the mountain
and the fireplace in the background was a great way to spend the
afternoon.”
Members and
their guests can opt to stay at condos near the base of the mountain, or at one
of the partner inns owned by Hermitage a short drive away. I stayed at the Snow
Goose Inn, which embodied a quaint country B&B. But the rooms were sleek,
with the same balance of updated and bucolic that is exhibited across the
Hermitage properties.
The
options will only be growing, as Hermitage recently received the green light
for its long-term expansion plan. Over the next ten years, they plan to add 550
units over the face of the mountain, in the form of townhouses, single-family
homes, condos and a hotel slated for opening in 2019.
Although
the Hermitage properties have an exclusive feel, the resort’s location within
the small mountain enclave of Wilmington, Vermont, and adjacent to the larger
and more bustling Mount Snow ski resort, ensures guests have options. One downtown
eatery, the Cask & Kiln restaurant, drew us in immediately with its mix of
sheik décor and rustic, casual charm. The dishes and drinks were expertly
prepared, to the level of most big city fine dining.
The
Mountain
For all its other offerings, the
mountain is the center of Hermitage’s appeal.
Throughout my weekend visit, the
snow conditions were superb, especially in the morning when we were among the
first skiers, cutting through virgin corduroy on several trails.
Quality conditions lasted for the
duration of the day, despite bitter cold and strong winds that kept part of the
mountain closed part of the day. The wind had little impact on the main lift,
though, with its bubble cover and seat warmers to ensure you got to the top in
utmost comfort.
Around midday the more expert
section of the mountain, called The Witches, opened up and provided a more
diverse array of trails. And it shortened the already short lift lines, which
is a boasting point for Hermitage.
“Our terrain is
versatile and can accommodate both expert and novice skiers,” said Dennes.
“Furthermore, no lift lines means more daily vertical.”
There was also a snow tubing
park, outdoor skating rink and snow mobile rental center on site, all
surrounding a bonfire pit.
“All ages are
entertained,” said Pare. “The atmosphere is friendly towards the whole family
and offers something different for everyone.”
When the snow melts, Hermitage
presents an abundance of reasons for members to remain engaged.
Their 18-hole championship golf
course recently underwent a facelift, resulting in updated rolling greens. They
also sport a private lake with paddle boats and paddle boards, as well as
access to a larger lake with speed boats for water skiing and tubing.
But the mountain again is the
main draw, especially for outdoor enthusiasts. Haystack is crisscrossed by a
variety of hiking trails, including a ridgeline trail that runs from the summit
of Haystack over to the adjacent Mount Snow.
The Cocktails
During
our initial tour of the main lodge, I first noticed the poster with the slogan:
“Ice belongs in cocktails, not on the slopes.” Shortly thereafter, we were told
that the mountain opens from 9:00am to 4:00pm, but most people ski more like
10:00am to 2:00pm, with a few Bloody Mary breaks in between.
The
embracing of cocktail culture was admittedly surprising at first, but soon
enough we found ourselves planning our day around a stop at the mid-mountain
lodge (as it was suggested to us by numerous employees and patrons).
The
mid-mountain lodge was hard to ignore. It sat looming on an outcrop, in full
view halfway up the main chairlift, luring skiers in like a timbered siren. The
bartenders here crafted expert cocktails, like my bacon-infused bourbon beverage.
A small bar menu offered filling fare, like cheese fondue with soft pretzels
and juicy grilled steak tip bites. The atmosphere inside was warm from the
fireplace, from the libations and from the friendly conversation erupting
amongst strangers. New skiers consistently streamed in, tore away their layers
and took a break. Because it was halfway down the mountain, you had to earn
that craft beer or spiked hot cocoa, which made it all the more satisfying.
Ascending
the mountain all the way affords slightly smaller and more curious bar options.
At the Haystack summit, a small lodge houses a large table, a waffle chef that
sends fresh-baked aromas wafting out the door every time someone enters, and of
course, a small bar. With kids joyfully piling whipped cream onto fresh made waffles,
and parents sipping cocktails off to the side, this scene was Hermitage in
microcosm.
If
you’re in the market for a pricey private club membership, Hermitage offers you
something unique in our region; but it also offers something for everyone. If
you want to melt away under the soothing hands of an expert masseuse, tune out
in the spa. If the ski conditions are at the top of your list, then get out
there to the short lift lines. If you’re an avid hiker, explore their loosely
travailed mountain paths. If the kids want to tube in the snow or the lake,
bring them up any season.
Or if,
like me, you crave a finely crafted cocktail, they have that well covered too –
just make sure the ice is in your glass and not on the slopes.
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(Note: A version of this story ran in the November 2017 issue of Northshore Magazine)
