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| A still from a YouTube video by Pat Moore shows this summer's destruction around Okemo Mountain in Ludlow, Vermont. Repairs were made in time for this winter's ski season. |
Due to this past summer's horrific floods, the snowmobile season for the winter of 2023-24 could have been curtailed quite a bit. However, volunteers saved the day, er, the winter.
The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers reported at least $2 million in flood damage to parts of its 4,500 mile network of trails.
As WPTZ reports, however, at least 90 percent of the damage has been repaired in time for winter. Jim Fay, president of VAST's board of directors, told the television station:
"Volunteers are spending hours on end, during the week, on weekends, getting stuff brought back up, and we're in good shape."
Fay said volunteers are using personal equipment and hiring local construction companies and paying out of pocket to fix trails "They're going above and beyond," Fay said.
Two VAST suspension bridges over the Winooski River, one in East Montpelier and the other in Waterbury, were severely damaged and will remain out of commission through this winter. VAST is working with FEMA to obtain funding for those repairs.
Some Vermont ski areas suffered flood damage, but it wasn't enough to disrupt this winter's ski season.
In hard-hit Ludlow, Okemo had to close for summer activities for a couple weeks due to damage, mostly in town and not so much on the slopes.
Okemo's slopes did suffer some minor erosion damage, but that has long since been fixed. Some buildings suffered water damage, but that, too has been repaired.
As of Thanksgiving, only 12 of Okemo's 129 trails were open for skiing and riding, but that's only because it's early in the season.. As snow making and natural snow (hopefully!) pile up, Okemo will expand its offerings.
Killington, the "Beast of the East" also suffered some flood damage in July, and was forced to curtail some summer operations for awhile.
Two base lodges, Bear Mountain and Skyeship, were heavily damaged, WPTZ reported. Those buildings weren't used in the summer, and have since been repaired for winter. Some ski trails were also damaged, but have since been fixed and will be used as usual this winter.
Infrastructure in hard hit ski towns - like roads, sewers, electricity and such - have long since been restored and won't be an issue for people visiting during ski season. However, some favorite restaurants and shops have not yet reopened.
All these tourism-related businesses are of course completely tied to Vermont's economic health. If tourists are discouraged from visiting Vermont because of flood damage - or fears that the destruction would harm their experience - we all suffer.
I haven't found data on how the summer flood affected the autumn foliage tourism season. But I do know the floods dented Vermont's summer figures.
Vermont Business Magazine at the end of August reported tax revenue in most categories fell short in July, the first month of the state's fiscal year.
The target for rooms and meals tax revenue in July was $14.3 million, but actual revenue was $13.5 million. That's not a crash, but it fell short. Other revenue streams that were less related to the flooding also fell short.
So, bottom line, we'd better hope we see a lot of winter visitors to Vermont. We'd also better hope for big dumps of mountain snow this winter. That's a tall order in a winter in which El Nino is raging and climate change isn't helping.
I'm among legions of Vermonters who don't like shoveling snow in the winter. But I don't know about you, but I"m completely willing to take one for the team.
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