WAITSFIELD, Vt. (WCAX) – Stowe and the Mad River Valley are getting ready for April’s total solar eclipse.
“I think we have a unique opportunity to pair up awesome spring skiing and the celestial event,” said Eric Friedman with the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce. He says the region is perfectly positioned because of its focus on outdoor recreation. “Being able to view it from the top of the mountain, going up on the ski lifts at Mad River Glen or Sugarbush — I think it would be really, really exciting.”
The Mad River Valley is right on the edge of the path of totality, with Waitsfield in the dark for one minute, 38 seconds. Stowe will be in the dark for two minutes and 48 seconds. Friedman says the views visitors get in the area are like nothing else. “The valley is such a beautiful place to begin with and you throw in an event like this and I think it really is a lot better than a lot of other options out there,” he said.
Friedman says his organization is helping with the logistics of lodging visitors but he is excited to witness the eclipse himself. “I really love just being outdoors and I’m planning on being up on the mountain because I think that’ll be a really truly unique experience,” he said.
And if you plan on heading to Stowe, the Trapp Family Lodge — while fully booked — also has big plans. “We’re going to have a great party on April 8 and it will include parking, live music, solar viewing glasses,” said the resort’s Sam von Trapp. Although he can’t predict the weather, he hopes to embrace one of the main reasons why people come to Stowe – skiing. “We may still be open for cross-country skiing with many many kilometers of trails, so skiing and snowshoeing.”
The towns of Stowe and Waterbury are also getting ready for potential crowds. “We don’t have one set, you know, big event but we do want to make it clear that we’re open for visitors, open to our residents,” said Waterbury Recreation Director Katarina Lisaius. “For us that means keeping all of our roads open, making sure that fire and ambulance know that there will likely be more people in town.”
Click here for complete WCAX eclipse coverage.