Snowsports - Skiing, Snowboarding And Ice Skating In And Around Boston -

Author: Abhinav Bountra

What to do ......when there is snow all around you.....have you done skiing before....or snowboarding.....today I am going to share something....

When I first came to Boston I had trouble finding things to do while snowing.☃❆ I always felt that I was trapped in my apartment and did not want to embrace the extreme cold. Since I love sports and like to explore places, I had a tough time in finding a place where I could play some sports or roam around😞, since most of the fields and places were covered with snow or it was extremely cold outside❄❄. Also, to mention that, the indoor sports places were either very far or too expensive😟. So, I thought and researched about what could I do. 

I thought and thought....and then suddenly I got an idea. What do people here in Boston do ....Why not think like a person who is from here....like a Bostonian......umm.... thinking like a Bostonian.....why not  become one ....."Become Bostonian"....i thought more and there were exactly three words which came flashing to my mind 1) Skiing 2) Snow Boarding 3) Ice skating.

I had done ice skating before in India a couple of times. And the winters in which I came to Boston, there was a skate night event organized in my University. In the event, the ice hockey ring of our university was made available for the students and there were free rentals (ice skates) provided to the students. Since I had done ice skating before in India so I could manage not to fall and had a lot of fun. So I researched and found out about a very famous place to go ice skating in Boston - "Frog Pond"

Frog Pond 
38 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108

This ice skating ring is located in the heart of Boston Commons. This is a perfect place to go with a group of friends or take somebody on a date. While ice skating, the atmosphere is fun and electric, as they play music and you are surrounded by the Boston historical buildings and monuments. Afterwards, you can take a walk around and take a look at the ice sculptures. This is open during the day and at night with rentals available for $16 for Adults which is a very good price. Commuting to this place is very easy since it is walking distance from multiple train stations.  

I have shared and spoken enough about myself in my previous blog, so lets hear about one of my friend Ryan's skiing experience in his actual words:

"Few weeks ago I went to Pats Peak Ski with some of my friends to play ski. It was my first ski experience. At the first ski attempt, I moved downwards so quickly since I kept my foot straight. Then, I fell down straight when I reached the lowest point. The second time I learn how to stop by spreading out my leg to make me move slower. On the third attempt, I finally can moves slower by continuously moving to left and right. I went to Pats Peak again to try snowboarding. It was an unforgettable experience too, since I fell so many times. Even though I still cannot my balance but I have learned how to stop."  

So, that was my friend Ryan's story- first time experience of skiing and snowboarding. I can authenticate his experience since I was also there and saw all this happening. It was a fun trip. We enjoyed a lot. 

Since I have little experience with snow sports like Skiing and Snowboarding, I asked my very close friend Tom for his personal experiences about how to have fun in the snow. Tom is the first soccer friend I made in Boston. He recently graduated from UMass Boston. He has been snowboarding since 12 years old and goes out every year snowboarding and skiing and is an excellent snowboarder🏂.So After having a long conversation one day with Tom, we came up with the below mentioned place......

  Blue Hills Ski Area -                                          4001 Washington St, Canton, MA 02021

It is the most local place to ski around Boston. Its like around 30-minute drive from Boston, and is one of the easiest mountains to ski and snowboard. Since it is not a very big area and is more of a hill than a mountain, so this makes it a great place for beginners. This place is also a good place in the summer to go hiking. 

 Wachusett Mountain                                         499 Mountain Rd, Princeton, MA 01541

Wachusett is still a simple mountain but with a little challenge to it. It has all trails from the easiest to the hardest. So, it’s a great place to learn and practice skiing and snowboarding. Still Located on the borders of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. This place is open all day and night. The best part is that it has rentals available to all age groups and sizes and that too at a pretty reasonable price of approximately $100, which includes lift tickets and rentals as well.

Sunday River Mountain 
 97 Summit Rd, Newry, ME 04261

Now, the best for the last. Sunday River is the best mountain in New England Area. Located about three hours away in Maine, this mountain has great snow all season and has five different mountain peaks. It takes about two days to ski every trail. This is the best place to go for weekend trips with friends and family. If you make it down, make sure to check out the funky red barn. It’s the best nightlife around and is surrounded by friendly locals and is a great place to have beers🍻. Now coming back to the mountain, this has the best snow making and terrain park with all levels of difficulty between their jumps and their rails. `

Here are some tips before you go snowboarding and skiing. The first and most important is: Keep a positive attitude. The beginning will be tough but the reward in the end will last a lifetime. The next tip is to bundle up. The last thing you want on the mountain is to be cold, so wear multiple layers. Don’t forget to take your gloves and beanie. Last but not the least, be safe at all times. My friend Tom, has been snowboarding for eight years and still wears a helmet  every time he shreds the slopes.

Lastly Tom suggests, if you are unable to make it out at any of the events or places, the best way to spend a snow day is to grab a couple of friends and start a snowball fight, or toss around an American Football in the snow.   - #Become Bostonian