The wooly bear caterpillar can predict a bad winter if it’s black in the front or if the middle is wide. Or is it black in the middle and brown in the front? Wait, I think it’s squirrels with bushier tales and low nests! Thick shells on the acorns and birds heading south early are all signs of a big winter ahead! Ahh yes, it’s that time of year again.

The time when we all speculate about the winter ahead. Those of us spending our time on the mountain can find signs of a good winter to come around every corner. We pour over the Farmer’s Almanac and if it says the winter will be warm, we know they don’t know what they are talking about. If they say a big winter ahead then by golly, those farmers know their stuff. Incidentally, the Almanac is predicting one heck of a nasty winter. I told you they know their stuff! In the end, we are keeping our fingers crossed and our snow guns ready because whatever Mother Nature doesn’t give us we are surely going to make on our own. And though I may not be qualified to do so, I am going to make my own prediction. This winter we will have snow on our mountain no matter how it gets here. We will have yummy food in our lodge and cocktails at our bar. We will have events galore and our tubing park will be filled with laughter. We will have skiers and riders young and old. First timers and old timers and as always we will be keeping it real!!!