By Vicki Abbott Bancroft
Snow Chronicles Correspondent

PRINCETON, Mass. -- Wachusett Mountain makes families smile.

Owned and operated by the Crowley family of Jeff, David and Carolyn Stimpson, this central Massachusetts ski area prides itself on offering an environment where families can come together and enjoy the mountain. Making Wachusett “family friendly” has been the Crowley’s goal for years -- and it seems they have the magic touch.

“When you’re here, you’re family,” beams a smiling Carolyn Crowley Stimpson in one of the mountain’s signature on air commercials.

Wachusett is as family-friendly as a resort can be these days, and the strong influence of the Crowley family is felt in all aspects of the mountain experience. Skiers and riders visiting Wachusett can’t help but feel welcomed -- and that keeps them coming back year after year.

When arriving at Wachusett, skiing families receive their first gift -- parking.

On the same level as the base lodge, the trek from car to lodge is easy for even the smallest of snowboard toting tots. No stairs, no shuttle buses. Just park and walk over to the ticket window or to the Polar Cub Nursery where day care is available for children as young as three months old.

The recently expanded base lodge offers the perfect spot for families to meet for lunch and hot chocolate breaks by the fire. A full service ski shop is conveniently located in the base lodge offering while-you-wait ski and board tuning, custom boot fitting and the Demo center.

When it comes to skiing and riding, Wachusett offers families the diversity they so often require.

Young children can develop their skills in the Polar Kids area, which features a slow-moving carpet lift to give young skiers a first experience that will lead to a lifetime of skiing enjoyment. Two other beginner areas feature the carpet lifts as well.

For older kids, Wachusett’s Development Team offers weekend instruction in half or full day sessions to skiers and riders ages 6 – 13. Holiday ski camps are available with all-day instructional programs over Christmas and February vacation weeks. For the truly competitive kids, the parent-run Wachusett Mountain race team offers coaching and competition in Levels I-V. For skiing and riding families, the Wachusett team offers instruction and race opportunities for adults as well.

Perhaps the nicest feature of family skiing and riding at Wachusett is the mountain itself.

The Boston skyline is visible on a clear day from the summit elevation of 2,006 feet. With 100 skiable acres, there is a trail for everyone, and all trails lead to the base lodge for easy rendezvous. There is a nearly equal amount of advanced, intermediate and novice terrain so family members can match their skills and desires to the trail that meets their needs.

Snowmaking covers 100% of the mountain, and a fleet of six grooming machines visit the slopes twice daily to ensure terrain that is of the utmost quality.

“I like to ski Wachusett because my family is always happy, “ says a long-time Wachusett skier. “My kids enjoy the terrain park while my husband likes to race. I enjoy my leisurely runs at my own pace until we all meet for lunch. It really is the perfect mountain for us.”

As snowboarding and free riding continue to catch and hold the attention of many, Wachusett has kept up with the trend offering an alpine park and half pipe. This season’s big news is the opening of the Vickery Bowl Triple Chair servicing Frannie’s Folly and Piece of Cake intermediate-level trails.

“The Vickery Bowl will be a completely self-contained alpine playground,” says David Crowley, Wachusett general manager. “Both trails will be great for skiers and riders to get even more enjoyment out of the mountain.”

The Vickery Bowl area is also lit for nighttime skiing and riding and will offer additional terrain for race training.

Wachusett Mountain continues to get a lot of attention from a host of sources in the snowsports arena. This past December, Wachusett played host to the East Coast Invitational Rail Jam in conjunction with Salomon snowboards.

“We are thrilled to team up with Salomon to kick off this event,” Crowley said. “New England is home to some of the best snowboarders in the country and we want to provide them with a fun way to kick off their season with great features for the rest of the year.”

Wachusett Mountain is readily accessible from Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts, and Providence, R. I., making it a popular day trip location. Overnight lodging is available at the Wachusett Village Inn and Conference Center in nearby Westminster where guests can extend their visit with an overnight stay.

It has been said that Wachusett has the “heart and soul of a big mountain” and a day spent on the slopes as well as with the Wachusett family makes even the most demanding skier satisfied.

So, give it a try and become part of the Wachusett family!

For more information about Wachusett Mountain visit its website at www.wachusett.com

Vicki Abbott Bancroft is an award-winning snowsports writer who lives in South Dartmouth, Mass., with her husband and two children – all skiers.