Published February 11, 2004 09:35AM
Wachusett Mountain
108 skiable acres; 1,000 vertical feet; 100 annual inches; seven lifts, including two high-speed quads and one triple. Tickets: adult weekend/holiday $45.
Lodging Wachusett is mostlya day area, but the Wachusett Village Inn in Westminster is five minutes away, with pool, spa and dining ($89—$289; 800-342-1905; wachusettvillageinn.com).
Dining For fine dining in a lovely country setting, try the Harrington Farm in Princeton on the backside of Wachusett Mountain; 978-464-5600. For high-end, global cuisine, Sonoma in Princetonis your best bet; 978-464-5775. Also in Princeton, locals like the Mountain Barn for casual family dining; 978-464-2044. And Wachusett offers pub-style fare in its slopeside Black Diamond Restaurant.
Apres-Ski In the base lodge, the Coppertop Lounge rocks with live music and frequent radio station promotions.
Don’t Miss The Ralph Crowley Classic ski race in late February is one of the last great “open masters” competitions in New England. The top-to-bottom racing is fun to watch. For the best view of it, check out Harlow’s Outlook, near the mountaintop.
Getting there From Boston (1 hour): Take Route 2 west to Route 140 south.Information 800-754-1234 (snow report) or 978-464-2300; wachusett.com