Laps with Locals
FOR THESE STOWE LEGENDS, SLOPE-TIME IS MORE THAN A WINTER HOBBY, IT’S THEIR LIFEBLOOD.
By Molly Triffin
If you love to ski Stowe, you may recognize these familiar faces. Micheline (“Michy”) Lemay, junior program director of Mount Mansfield Academy, is known for her daily pre-dawn tours up the face of Mansfield. John Stafford runs groomers by night and tears up the backcountry by day. Head of ski patrol Karen Wagner keeps the trails running smoothly. And beloved ski instructor Dave Merriam has helped countless people hone their technique.
We sat down for a chairlift-style chat about how the mountain has shaped them, life lessons they’ve learned on the slopes—and where to find hidden powder stashes.
Micheline Lemay
Mother, alpine junior program director for Mount Mansfield Academy, cofounder and leader of Rugged Adventures Camp, lover of adventures, mindfulness mentor, sunrise seeker, photographer
Where are you from?
Gilford, New Hampshire—I grew up skiing at Gunstock Mountain.
How long have you lived in Stowe?
22 years
What was the first time you skied Stowe?
As a racer for the University of New Hampshire, I raced on Northslope and Slalom Hill during the University of Vermont carnival in 1997.
How often do you go touring?
I went for the first time about 20 years ago and immediately fell in love with it. Now I barely miss a day all season long. Last year I finished up on May 17th with 162 skins and 325,000 vertical feet.
What are some of your most memorable moments on the mountain?
When I get a breathtaking sunrise—it's just me, the mountain, and the awe of the colors. I also treasure my stays in the Stone Hut with friends and family, and watching my children grow up and improve their skiing. In addition, it’s a very special experience to see the kids I work with at Mount Mansfield Academy grow up and compete as young adults. Many have even come back to work with me as coaches!
Where’s the best place to find powder stashes?
Out in the woods by the bench, an open untouched Main Street, and pretty much anywhere you get to draw on the blank canvas—hard to come by these days!
Was there any time when you felt humbled by the mountain?
I have had a handful of pretty significant injuries, which has been challenging. Mother Nature is the boss and you need to be prepared.
What’s your favorite trail?
It’s so hard to choose, but I would have to say the Bruce Trail and Nosedive. I love the history of those first trails, and I ski up Nosedive every morning. I have so much respect for the rich history of this town and mountain.
What does skiing teach you about yourself and the world?
It has taught me pretty much everything that is important in life. I find so much serenity in the early mornings, I do work that I love on the slopes with children, and I get to spend precious moments with my beautiful family. Passion, purpose, peace.
John Stafford
Husband, father, snowboarder, builder, fixer, laugh maker, laugh taker, golfer
Where are you from?
I was born in San Diego, then moved to Norton, MA.
How long have you lived in Stowe?
I’ve been in Vermont for 22 years, the last 16 in Stowe.
What have you learned about the mountain through grooming?
People tend to think that the mountain goes quiet at night. In reality, there is activity all night long: animals, snowmakers, groomers, skiers. You never know who or what you are going to see.
What are the most exciting areas to explore on Mansfield?
It's hard to pick just one. If I’m not out in the Notch, I’m probably somewhere above the lifts on the ridge or across the street dropping in from the top of Spruce.
What are some of your most memorable moments on the mountain?
At least once or twice a season I arrive at work to discover that ski patrol is looking for someone who is lost. I have spent my life exploring mountains in the winter and have gotten lost in the woods myself, so this always hits home for me. One time while grooming Chin Clip we were informed that a man was rescued after he slid down the icy trail. They asked us to keep our eyes out for his missing dog. Sure enough, we spotted a labradoodle in the woods, howling at us. The hill was covered with half a foot of solid ice on top of the snow, and the dog had been trapped for hours in sub-zero temperatures. We set up a rope line and used our crampons to carry him into the passenger seat of my snowcat. The first thing I did was feed him some of my Fritos!
Where’s the best place to find powder stashes?
When everyone else is on the quad, sometimes it pays to go across the street to Spruce and poke around for sneaky pow. There is more tree skiing than people realize if you know where to look.
How do you deal with potential risk when in Stowe’s backcountry?
There is some sort of side country/backcountry off almost every lift at Stowe. Typically these areas tend to be steep and involve navigating around or over cliff bands. There are plenty of zones that have serious consequences if you were to fall or slide. My advice? Know your ability level, go with a partner, study the topography, and always carry a backpack of supplies. Although pretty much everything funnels downhill to the Notch road, some areas cliff out. There is no shame in climbing back out the way you came.
What’s your favorite trail?
Definitely Goat, followed closely by Starr. They both have a double fall line; you’ll find me on the skier’s left.
What does snowboarding teach you about yourself and the world?
Especially when it comes to backcountry snowboarding, no matter how much experience you have, you are going to mess up: take a wrong turn, miss an exit, break a piece of gear far from help. It’s a lot like life. In these moments, it pays to be prepared. If I am exploring, even in an area I know well, I have a backpack with snacks, extra parts, bailing wire, a headlamp, and duct tape.
Karen Wagner
Mother, former director of ski patrol, nature and animal enthusiast, biker, hiker, lover of good cocktails and old boats
Where are you from?
I grew up the youngest of three in Woodbridge, Connecticut. I attended Colby College, where I really fell in love with skiing at Sugarloaf. I'm afraid that my grades might have reflected that!
How long have you lived in Stowe?
I’ve been in town for 30 years. I moved here after college to be a ski bum for a year. Like so many others, I stayed on, meeting my husband at the mountain and raising our two kids in Stowe.
What was the first time you skied Stowe?
I was about four—we’d come up on vacation every year to ski with friends. I have cherished memories of riding the old double chair with my mom, cuddling under Johnson Woolen Mills blankets.
What do you love about working ski patrol?
I love how dynamic it is. When we're not interacting with guests in myriad ways, we always have a very mixed bag of tasks that need to be completed. And to get everything done involves often unspoken teamwork, which is a precious thing.
Where’s your favorite place in Stowe to find powder stashes?
It seems funny to say, but now that so many folks head into the woods on a powder morning, at times the best stashes can be on some of our mainstream trails. High winds typically follow big storms, and we can have incredible drifting right in plain sight.
Was there any time when you felt humbled by the mountain?
I am humbled by mountain wind. At the summit, winds can be incredible. I've been stopped by wind while skiing downhill several times, and been blown over when walking! The little spruce and fir trees that grow near the top of Mansfield are tough as nails.
What’s your favorite trail at Stowe?
I love the Goat. When it's in great shape, it's fantastic. When it's challenging, it can be a relief to make it down without putting on an embarrassing show (even if it's just for the ravens and chipmunks)! Either way, it's twisting and narrow but offers amazing, variable views and fall lines. It's got a lot of character!
What does skiing teach you about yourself and the world?
Skiing has taught me to be adaptable. We can't control the weather, but we can change our outlook and technique, and make the best of all conditions. That's probably true in life, in general.
Dave Merriam
Dad, husband, pizza maker, ski coach, woodworker, dog lover
Where are you from?
I was born in New Hampshire and raised in Maine.
How long have you lived in Stowe?
My wife Eva and I moved to the area in 1989.
What was the first time you skied Stowe?
The Toll House slopes in 1961
Why do you enjoy teaching skiing?
There’s nothing like sharing my love of the sport and being there to witness the elation of a breakthrough in performance.
What are some of your most memorable moments on the mountain?
I remember Eva and I watching our kids make their first turns on Spruce. Selfishly, powder days when Mountain Road closes and I’m already up there are the best.
Where’s the best place to find powder stashes?
Big Spruce and the Sensation Quad
What’s your favorite trail?
Smugglers is a classic eastern old school trail. And on GS skis I like Perry Merrill. Sunrise and Tyro are my two favorite warm-up trails.
What does skiing teach you about yourself and the world?
I wrote the following poem for a project while I was an editor at Ski Magazine:
Skiing
When the cold autumn winds blow, a fire deep within me is rekindled. With winters’ first flurries this passion remembered starts to burn.
Skimming o’er the frozen white, I leave life’s ails behind in a cloud of icy smoke. I’m free for a moment in time, free.
I dance the dance called skiing. I fly this wingless flight. Sensations abound, nourishing and vitalizing my body and spirit.
I ride the wind, I fly, I ski.
It is a dialogue, a colloquy. On the white canvas I paint and etch my every mood. The shiny slope mirrors, and I know myself better.
I share this passion with those I meet. I give this gift, I pass on the joy. Oh skiing, oh skiing, oh skiing. I love it so, for it makes me who I am.
I ride the wind, I fly, I ski.