A big Yahoo for Yawgoo Valley Ski Area in Rhode Island - the only one in that state.  One of my goals for the winter was to ski at least one ski area in each of the New England states and a tiny little heat wave (daily temperature rose from 10 degrees to 25 degrees for a couple days) got me nervous about some of the areas in the Southern New England states.  So off I went after church on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to southern Rhode Island – driving through the highly developed Providence area to a lovely, almost rural part of the State.  Watch out – I almost drove past this gently sloping ski area but once in the jammed parking lot I knew I was at a popular young family ski area.  I was greeted by Patty who owns the mountain and this four-season recreation area with her husband Max (their son runs the Blue Hill Ski Area in Massachusetts – see that entry later).

 

I felt like I had returned to the 60’s when I noticed the chair lift named Proud Mary and the other Conan and then stepped into the bar to hear a live band called Honeymoon playing Beatles tunes.  The cozy lodge had two real back-to-back fireplaces, snack bar staffed by eager local teenagers and the manager’s office stuffed away in the corner.  The snow was soft, the four or five trails were well groomed and there was a steady din of excited children and bossy parents.  This is a great ski area with a friendly local feel – and a lot closer skiing or Rhode Islanders.