Past NASJA Events, 2019-2020
Feb. 11-12, 2020 – Ski Vermont Media Day –
On a recent media tour hosted by Ski Vermont and the National Snowsports Journalists Association, a group of 16 media visited Bolton Valley Resort and Trapp Family Lodge in northwestern Vermont.

Here’s a behind-the-curtain look at how some ski resorts promote themselves using the age-old “media fam tour.”
The first day of the media tour was dedicated to backcountry skiing at Bolton Valley where there is a growing program on thousands of acres of backcountry terrain with trails and powder laden gladed mountainsides. Adam and Lindsay DesLauriers, who are the children of Ralph DesLauriers, the original developer of Bolton Valley, are now in charge of the resort operation, and they led the group on the tour.
Bolton had about two feet of fresh snow on the ground despite the fact that this year the snowstorms

that have been consistently mixed with rain. When it comes to snow the 2,000 foot elevation at the base of Bolton Valley is an advantage that the resort has over other destinations in New England. Some of the media folks were experienced backcountry aficionados so they set off on an alpine touring trek while other media were equipped with backcountry gear and given an introductory clinic.
Later in the afternoon, some of the media folks hit the lifts and enjoyed the slopes at Bolton Valley and afterward the group met in the lodge and talked about their backcountry skiing experience. A reception was held and the media listened to representatives from Bolton Valley and a few other ski areas who talked about their respective resorts.
The following day, some of the hardier members of the media group set out at 6:30 in the morning with guides to ski the backcountry trek from Bolton to Stowe. The rest of the media met at Trapp Family Lodge to gear up for a tour of the trails guided by Sam and Kristina von Trapp, who are the grandchildren of Maria and Captain von Trapp (featured in the movie The Sound of Music). Sam and Kristina run the Trapp Family Lodge operation, which features the lodge, villas, the Outdoor Center and the von Trapp Brewery.
The cross country ski tour at Trapp’s started at the Outdoor Center as the group was led up to the

Slayton Pasture Cabin, which is a destination on the upper trails at the ski area. This rustic and cozy log cabin is the perfect rendezvous spot for lunch with family and friends to enjoy a seat by the fireplace or savor homemade soups, snacks, and sandwiches.
On the way back from the cabin (mostly downhill, which was a bit challenging for some of the media skiers), the group made its way to the Bierhall where everyone was treated to a selection of von Trapp beers and lunch. Johannes von Trapp, (Sam and Kristina’s father), who is the last remaining child of Maria and the Captain (they had three additional children after they escaped Europe with the original seven kids) stopped by the Brewery to meet and chat with the media.
It was a busy and tiring two days in Vermont but the fresh snow and camaraderie were well worth the visit to Bolton Valley and Trapp Family Lodge to collect story ideas and memories.
Clips from Ski Vermont Media Day
Snowsports Media Visit Bolton Valley And Trapp Family Lodge by Roger Lohr
Topnotch At Stowe: Ski, Relax, Recharge by Tamsin Venn
What you Need to Know About Trying Backcountry Skiing by Nicole Feliciano
Alpine Backcountry Touring Primer In Bolton Valley by Tamsin Venn
Trapp Family Lodge: Some Favorite Nordic Things by Tamsin Venn
Meeting Video by Don Burch
Jan. 31, 2020 – NASJA Meet & Greet During Outdoor Retailer Snow Show – NASJA members and their guests meet for libations at the Denver Press Club on the closing day of the Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show in late January. Founded in 1867, the DPC is the oldest press club in the U.S. and displays autographed photos from almost every president since then, along with historic front pages and vintage typewriters. The organization’s fundraising banquets have honored such Fourth Estate legends as Tom Brokaw, Ted Turner, and George Will.
Jan. 26-31, 2020 – NASJA Western Winter Summit –

Clips from the 2020 Western Winter Summit
A New Yorker Discovers New Mexico Resorts, by Mike Roth
Meeting recap video, by Peter Hines
Exploring Willamette’s widespread wonders, by Lee Jullerat
Enchanted skiing in New Mexico, by Bob Cox
Ski Santa Fe – #SKIBEUNO, by Peter Hines
Eastern Skiing vs Western Skiing, by Mike Roth
A Magical Tour of New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle, by Dan Giesin
Jan. 12, 2020 – Windham Mountain Resort –

Clips from the Windham Mountain Resort Meeting
NASJA Meeting in Boston November 15, 2019
Boston Meeting Includes Professional Development Session on Pitching Editors
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Eric Wilbur says editors want big, original story ideas. (Photo by Martin Griff)
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The Nov. 15 meeting during the Boston.com Ski & Snowboard Expo was well attended by members from predominantly New England and Middle Atlantic states. The session included pitch tips from broadcast journalism teacher and Boston Globe sportswriter Eric Wilbur. He is also newly appointed digital editor of the New England Ski Journal.
Wilbur polled several Boston area ski editors for tips on snowsports stories they are looking for. Wilbur has solid New England credentials: He grew up skiing at Black Mountain, a place that is still largely unchanged from when he learned how to ski 35 years ago. What do editors want? Eric explained:
Follow Eric at: www.facebook.com/GlobeEricWilbur/
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