Indiana? Isn’t that flatlander’s paradise, full of
flat-as-a-pool-table cornfields? Well yeah, much of Indiana is flat but the
state’s southern reaches are a pleasing jumble of hills and valleys. Nestled
deep in these hills is Paoli Peaks, a friendly bare-bones resort that attracts
a near-cultish following. Other than the namesake town of Paoli, a tiny
settlement of about 3500 people, Paoli Peaks isn’t really close to any cities.
But that doesn’t deter the faithful. On the weekends, snow-starved skiers from
as far away as Alabama and Florida join the usual crew of skiers and boarders
from Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. While many residents of the lower Midwest and
Southeastern states load up for a multi-hour drive to the mountains of West
Virginia, savvy snowhounds skip the road trip and hit Paoli. Instead of
spending numbing hours eating up the Interstate, they’re carving tracks through
Paoli’s snow.
About that snow. Southern Indiana could hardly be
considered to be in the heart of ski country, what with the Kentucky border a
mere fifty miles away and the nearest thing resembling a real mountain hours to
the east. The snowbelt ends two hours north in the central part of the state so
Paoli is pushing the envelope as far as skiing goes. A lot of your time will be
spent on manmade snow and as long as it’s cold enough, the machines are
blowing. Your best friend is a telephone to check snow conditions before
loading up the truck for the trek to the slopes.
And
trucks are what you’ll see in the parking lot; this is, after all, farm
country. In the lower Midwest, you don’t have a lot of resort options so the
lot is usually full. Area skiers try to pack a full winter of skiing into the
relatively brief December-to-March season. Paoli maximizes the season by
staying open 19 hours a day on weekends--in addition to the normal daytime
sessions, the resort runs midnight to 6AM “Midnight Madness” weekend sessions.
This
borderline geographical location was what had area residents shaking their
heads when a local physician, Dr. Richard Graber, began construction of the
resort. The prevailing opinion was that this was a fool’s fantasy. That was in
1978 when the resort opened with 15 acres of trails and one lift. Twenty-two
years later, Dr. Graber’s daring dream has grown into fifteen slopes, five
chairlifts, a modern lodge, and slopeside condominiums. Dr. Graber died a
couple of years ago, but not before he saw his vision succeed, drawing steady
and devoted crowds every season..
OK,
so it’s not Vail, but it is an appealing little gem with an amiable,
unpretentious feel. Talk to skiers around the huge fireplace in the airy 45,000
square-foot top-of-the-peak day lodge and you’ll hear the words cozy and
friendly used to describe the resort. The resort’s clientele is just as
affable. The slopes and lodge are sprinkled with endorphin-pumped novices,
wide-eyed midwestern innocence showing in the broad grins plastered across
their faces. Reminds you of the first time you hit the slopes, none of that
worldly been-there-done-that swagger that pervades many ski resorts. The crowd
is an easy mix of unsteady beginners clad in Levi’s and camouflage hunting
outfits as well as smooth experts sharpening their skills for Western trips.
Typical
of the latter is Nancy Clark Pickrell from nearby Louisville, carving her way
down the PowerLine Racing dual-slalom course, posting a respectable time and
beating her husband, Tim. Nancy is keeping in tune with the Louisville Ski
Club, participating in the Blue Grass Challenge races. Like many who ski here,
Nancy has been coming to Paoli practically since its opening over two decades
ago.
The
slopes are full of these homegrown skiers who have matured with the
resort. Strike up a chairlift conversation
and the odds are good your seatmates learned to ski here. Maybe one reason USA Today recently named the resort as
one of the ten best places to learn to ski.
Paoli’s
runs fit perfectly with the crowd, offering enough variety (25% beginner, 55 %
intermediate, 20% expert/advanced) to keep a visit from becoming too
repetitious, no matter what your skill level.
Ski out of the lodge and you can drop off to the right to the
intermediate runs of Hoosier Bend or Indiana Jones, or cruise left to Walnut
Alley, Beech Grove, Mind Bender or Haywagon.
Before
you get the idea that this is some cuddly clump of hills that caters strictly
to novices, check out the boarders tearing over the jumps and carving through
the quarter pipe over at Jurassic Snow Park. Then cruise over to Graber’s
Express and watch the experts exploding down the bumps. These two runs are
where the hardcore gather and, as the sun settles behind the hills, the tempo
seems to pick up. Boarders catch bigger air off the rollers at the Park and skiers
bomb down the tree line a little faster. Margrit Wurmli-Kagi, Marketing
Director and part owner sums it up;
“Paoli is mellow during the day, more charged—yet peaceful--at night.”
Ah,
night skiing—the real attraction of Paoli. The slopes rock after midnight with
serious skiers tearing hell bent through the blowing snow and glaring white
lights. Margrit says, “The sun always
shines at midnight at Paoli.” I don’t know about the sun coming out, but a
different breed of skier definitely takes over. I mean, you have to wonder
about anyone who pulls on boots and skis when everybody else is pulling covers
up in bed. The pulse definitely quickens after midnight. The crowd thins out
and the bunch that is left is intent on getting in max slope time. The runs are
a collage of shadows and surreal light, a blur of skiers hurtling through
sparkling crystalline clouds of driving snow. The roar of the snow guns and
whooping and yelling nightriders breaks the silence of the crisp night air. Dr.
Graber’s dream definitely lives on in Indiana.
Skiable Terrain: Sixty-five acres, fifteen
runs, a 300-foot vertical drop and a 2400-foot-long expert slope may sound
small but Paoli’s layout makes the skiing feel bigger.
Lifts: One double, three triples
and a quad chair.
Season and Snowfall: December through March.
Southern Indiana’s borderline temperatures and an annual snowfall of about 6
inches mean snowmaking is critical. Paoli’s facilities are up to the task. Over
100 snow guns can layer the entire area with 12 inches of snow in 12 hours. The
week between Christmas and New Year’s can be crowded.
Getting There: One hour from Louisville
and Indianapolis, four hours from St. Louis, and four hours from Nashville,
just north of Interstate 64
Lodging and Eats: Best bet for lodging,
dining, and after-ski activities is the huge 470-room French Lick Springs
Resort and Spa (800-457-4042), eleven miles down the road. The elegantly restored century-old resort was
once a thriving outpost for the rich and famous (Clark Gable and Bing Crosby
were visitors). You can’t go wrong with the steaks and seafood at Jack’s
Steakhouse in the hotel. The in-house Le Bistro and Kentucky Derby bars are
hangouts for skiers on weekends.
No comments:
Post a Comment