About Windblown's Base Lodge

Below is an assortment of emails and comments from skiers who are fans of Windblown. We'd love to add yours.

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If you have a question to ask or wish to make a reservation, please give us a call.

Hi all,

Just had to thank everyone for an amazing day at Windblown. Literally everyone was amazing from the folks helping you park, to the office folks taking your paperwork and getting your skis, to the instructor. My first time cross country skiing and can’t believe what a beautiful place you have to be filled with such amazing staff. Thanks very much. I can’t wait to come back!!

--Tracey

3/2/08

Hi Irene,

I have no questions for you........I just wanted to say thank you for providing a place to Cross Country ski....a place that is right in our backyard. My husband, Kevin and I skied for the first time at Windblown today. We had an absolute wonderful time. Because you are busy running the shop, I'm sure you don't get an opportunity to ski when there are others out skiing, so I'd like to share this with you...........the others skiers all had great big smiles as we skied by and said "hello" too. We met people from Conn, Boston, and other out of state places. Everyone was so friendly....including your staff!!!! The lodge is a beautiful building too!!! We loved all the maps that were on the trails....it made it very easy to check out all the trails!!!

Anyway.....thanks for all you continue to do for others...........

Fondly, Kevin and Pat Little

Hi Al,

It was great to see you yesterday! George and I had the best day of classic skiing we have had in over twenty years. Thanks for the grooming, weather and ambience. As a Windblown customer since 1973, it has been great to see the growth of your facility into one of the best in the East! Keep up the great work.

Bob Fitzpatrick

1/24/08

Irene - your style, wit, and candor brings a smile with every update! And Al's 'experience' always shows - that's why we go nowhere else.

Best -

Jeff & Susan

Dear Windblown Staff:

I had visited your trails just once 3 years ago in very marginal snow conditions and have enjoyed your winter snow conditions updates ever since. Your last email got my mouth watering and I made the drive from Boston... Wow! I was supremely impressed with your operation. The trail grooming is spectacular. I've been Nordic Skiing off and on for 30 years and these were the best trails I have ever seen. My favorite was the open run/Zig Zag combo. If it weren't for heel blisters, I could have been on that all day. The snow surface was outstanding! So soft!!! Windblown is a class act!

Jean Dunoyer

What a little slice of heaven Windblown is! You are masters of creating the best ski conditions regardless of the weather and have a perfect mix of challenge in your 40K of trails. There are enough beginner trails to make the experience enjoyable for novices (both my kids started skiing at Windblown) as well as the steepness and challenge us advanced skiers like. Best of all, you have designed your trail network so that even if your parking lot is full, you get the feeling of having the trails all to your self. All this, when combined with your wonderful customer service, great food, and friendly ambiance, makes for a great skiing experience. Why go north when there’s a little slice of heaven nearby?

Sunday was the first time I have ever skied at your wonderful area. Within the first hour, Windblown became my favorite x-country ski area. I just wanted to thank you all for the wonderful job you do and I want to wish you the best of luck with the weather gods for the rest of the season. I hope to have the time to make it back very soon !!!!!!

Just to let you know that Sunday was our first trip to Windblown but it will not be our last. It was recommended by a friend. What a fantastic place! Everyone friendly and helpful. My husband and I had a wonderful time skiing. Conditions were great. No need to travel any further north and stay at an expensive resort.

My family had a wonderful time today. This was the first time that my wife and I brought the kids out Nordic skiing and they can not wait to go back. We have not skied in years but it looks like we will be able to share our love of Nordic skiing with our kids. Thank you and your family for making this a great introduction to skiing for our kids. Right now I need a hot bath.

Hi Kids - Just wanted to let you know, we had a wonderful day of skiing yesterday at your fine xc ski area. That mountain of yours provided a great challenge for us and a few face plants in nice soft snow on the backside run. We have concrete here in Topsfield, Ma. so it's wicked awesome to have Windblown so close to us. Thank you for being there!!

Dear Al and Irene,

Wow! Saturday, February 24, skiing was absolutely awesome. Conditions just do not get any better than they were on this day and Al always makes the best with whatever he has.

In the kitchen the soups are fantastic. We enjoyed the seafood chowder and the Chicken Curry; mmm, mmm good!

Loretta and I have skied everywhere in New England, all of the best and top ten, and we can say without reservation that you have the best and most diverse of all categories of trails anywhere. We never get tired of doing your trails from the ponds to the mountain tops and you guys are the friendliest and most beautiful people we know.

Here is a photo of a porcupine we saw along the Lower Valley Trail.

I had to write this short note to commend you and your team for the tremendous trail conditions you maintain at Windblown. We've been up several times, but last Saturday as the first in 2004. I was skeptical at first, given the minimal amount of snow we have south of you, but was pleasantly surprised at the ski conditions on your property. They were probably the best we've experienced - what a phenomenal job you guys do on grooming the trails. We just love the place and plan on many many return trips. Thanks again for providing such a wonderful cross country ski venue with the best of conditions.

I have Nordic skied in several states in the Rockies, several Midwestern states, and now New England. I have never found better grooming and trail layout or friendlier people. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon - wish I had gotten there sooner.

Al, I skied (3) times over the last week (at Windblown of course) and really enjoyed the new lodge, the excellent grooming and conditions, but most of all it was great seeing how your boys have grown and how they seem to enjoy life, very rare today in this crazy world we have made for them. I had not skied Windblown since you built the new facilities, but I'm glad I did because I was reminded that life can still be lived naturally, and enjoyed. See you soon,

This place is wonderful! The skiing is terrific, your trail design super. Now this ski house and snacks to purchase, rentals, all. You've come a long way since I first came here. It's great!

I love Windblown and have skied there for years. I am on sabbatical this year working with the US women's ice hockey team. We are traveling the world and will be in Salt Lake to defend our gold metal. I just wanted you to know that I miss not x-c skiing there. The best place in New England to ski.

Just a note to thank you, first, for a great nordic ski day. Second, for the exceptional hospitality you extended to my family. From the time we got to the parking lot (we were shown to a front row spot to make moving my two year old daughter easier), to having the pulk that we reserved by phone ready and waiting, to receiving a credit application on the spot when we didn't have cash or checks to pay for the day's outing. I've skied Windblown every year since 1983 and it just keeps getting better all the time!

Dear Al:

I want to let you know how much I appreciate you and your family's efforts in making Windblown one of our family's highlight for winter activity. I especially like the web page updates and unfortunately was not able to enjoy this holiday weekend powder, but the weekend before was superb!!.

Just to let you know, I believe you have always given accurate snow conditions even before the start of your web site. We first took a chance at Windblown the winter of '93 when there had been absolutely no snow in Beverly where we live for the first two months of the winter. An article in the Boston Globe listed several areas, including Windblown, within a 2 hr drive of Boston. We called, was told about a "a seven inch base, powder, very skiable conditions". We went with skepticism but had the x-c ski time of our lives. Since then we have never been disappointed in conditions as we always use your detailed snow report.

Gene DeMatteo

Al Jenks and Family,

Just wanted to tell you how impressed with this place I am (& I've been here several times).- the way you keep it, -your maps, trail signs, markers, - your shelters, warming hut, ski shop. You do a great job at maintaining. Wish you much success over the years to come

Love it here!

S.D.

Dear Irene and Al,

Sadly, I'm writing to ask that you take me off your mailing list. I've moved from Massachusetts to Idaho, you see. If I were anywhere within reach of you, believe me, I'd want every bit of news you have because I love your place. It became one of two refuges I found for myself when, after moving to Boston from Washington state, I discovered I simply couldn't tolerate the population density and had to find sanctuary someplace outdoors, quiet, natural, and relatively people-free. I visited Windblown as often as I could--to ski, snowshoe, and walk. It was wonderful and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for caring as you do about the environment.

Best wishes to you,

Paula Prather

Training at your facility got me to the end of the American Birkebeiner race two weeks ago. At 4 below zero, it was the coldest start since 1976. It was my 25^th finish. Your trails were a real find after skiing for years in southern Wisconsin. Keep up the great work on a fantastic facility.

Bob

Hope to get back to Windblown soon. I moved to the Portland Maine area two years ago, the local ski areas are just OK up here. Al, what you & Irene have in Southern NH is more than just special, its borders skiing bliss!

Bob Nonni