#seasonal-foliage-timing

#seasonal-foliage-timing

BBG in Bloom runs from April 1 to May 10, showcasing cherry blossoms, magnolias, and other spring flowers, with extended hours and special programs.

These are Scilla sardensis, the common name is Glory-of-the-Snow. They are native to the mountains of Western Turkey but are really comfortable growing in almost any condition, as you can see. They are, for us, the real harbingers of spring. We know that once we start to see this electric blue color, the season is starting for us.

Death Valley National Park is treating visitors to what rangers are calling the most outstanding bloom year in a decade - the best since the 2016 "superbloom" - according to National Park Service. Recent rainfall and mild winter temperatures have triggered dormant seeds to sprout, creating a fleeting spectacle of desert color.

For 2025, there was good news and bad news: overall, these areas were visited 323 million times over the course of the year. That's the good news; the bad news is that this figure was down ever so slightly - specifically, 2.7% - from a record-setting 2024.

Vermont actually resembles California - not because of its beaches but due to its distinct regions. For example, Burlington correlates to the Bay Area. And in the Northeast Kingdom, where I grew up, we classified everything below White River Junction as 'Southern Vermont.' Down there, half the towns seem to channel Boston or New York City, kind of like Santa Barbara to L.A., which makes the Kingdom something like Humboldt County - rural and spectacular, with a recalcitrant outlaw streak.

Mt. Baker Ski Area, Washington - 386 inches (as of March 11th). 34 inches so far in March. 7 inches in the last 24 hours. 179 inch snow base at Pan Dome.

In Vermont, Stowe Resort will host its 70th Annual Sunrise Service on April 5. Guests can celebrate Easter morning with a truly special nondenominational sunrise service on top of Vermont's highest peak, co-hosted with the Stowe Community Church. This long-standing tradition is open to all.

As an adult, my relationship with snow has changed. I find great beauty in an expanse of unbroken snow, the way drifts reflect wind patterns, the stems and seedheads of last year's perennials still standing proud, and the dampened silence that accompanies a snowstorm. I delight in seeing the intrepid and ever cheerful black-capped chickadee out and about during and immediately after snowfall, determined not to let the flakes affect its outlook.

A clipper spreads into northern New Hampshire, western and northern Maine, Vermont, and southern Quebec Friday evening, peaks overnight, and lingers as lighter mountain snow showers into Saturday night. Snow levels generally stay from the surface to about 1,000 feet while it is snowing, so this is a mostly all-snow refresh for every resort in the region.

Yosemite National Park is bracing for thousands of visitors who will descend on the area to see the setting sun illuminate a waterfall so that it looks like fire. The so-called firefall phenomenon takes place each February at Horsetail Fall, which flows over an eastern ridge of El Capitan. This year, the projected viewing period began Tuesday and runs to Feb. 26.

The British artist Andy Goldsworthy moved to Penpont, a village in southwest Scotland, in 1986, when he was thirty. The area's initial appeal was twofold. Property was cheap, which meant that Goldsworthy and his wife at the time, Judith Gregson, could acquire an unrenovated stone building that had likely once stored grain. This structure could serve as a workspace and, for a while, as a rough-and-ready home.

I trekked it in December 2023 with plans and a permit to camp at Bright Angel Campground, a scenic cottonwood-shaded hideaway just near the famed Phantom Ranch (the only lodging on the world wonder's floor). Then, two days before my trip, a miracle happened: One last-minute reservation became available for Phantom Ranch. The ranch digs typically book out over a year in advance, but if you're lucky, you can either get in via the lottery or a last-minute opening. This made the grueling but gorgeous hike down and up the steep South Kaibab Trail even more memorable.

Nestled in the Appalachian foothills near Mentone, Cloudmont Ski & Golf Resort is the southernmost ski area in the eastern United States. With a vertical drop of just 150 feet and two rope tows, Cloudmont runs on snowmaking and sheer stubbornness, opening for a few precious weeks or days each winter.

A high-confidence Friday afternoon through Saturday storm brings a solid shot of snow to much of New England, with improving snow quality as colder air filters in Friday night. Expect a brief period of denser, lower-elevation snow at the onset in the south and along the coast, then a trend to lighter, drier snow overnight as temperatures fall and snow-to-liquid ratios climb.

The 2025-26 season is an enigma, with snowstorms and temperatures across the United States not following traditional weather patterns. The current situation for skiing and snowboarding has been flipped upside down. The East has been consistently receiving adequate snow, and more importantly, the temperatures have remained below freezing for months. The West is in the middle of a snow drought, with its worst season in 25 years, as rain and warmer temperatures have made conditions horrible for skiers and snowboarders.

Vail Mountain has recorded its lowest snowpack in 47 years, with just 67 inches of snow so far this season. It has been a tough season so far for many resorts located in the Rockies and out West. "We experienced one of the worst early-season snowfalls in the Western U.S. in over 30 years," Rob Katz, Chief Executive Officer, said in a press release. This has limited Vail Mountain and other resorts from opening new terrain and has decreased skier visits.