Snow was only okay, but the skiing was fabulous. Abruzzo

Is there anything more magical than the first ski run of the season?

Even after all these years, it never fails to put me in a good mood. I’m generally loathe to organize complicated travel plans for the Christmas holidays, since I hate to travel at on of the most chaotic times of the year.

But I do always try to sneak away to nearby Abruzzo for a few days during the holiday time for a few days of skiing. Since we have a little house there, it requires zero advance planning on my side, but it’s always enjoyable.

The snow is often iffy during the Christmas season, and this year was no exception.

At the mountain where we ski, Monte Magnola in Ovindoli, snow conditions were great at the top, but poor snow conditions kept the longer slopes snaking down the mountain closed. This meant skiing and reskiing (and reskiing yet again) the same upper slopes.

Despite fewer slopes to ski, my family and I still had a great time out in the mountains.

Can’t think of a better way to start the new year off right than lots of healthy exercise and fresh mountain air on the ski slopes.

So, while Abruzzo awaits a thicker covering of snow it’s still worth a trip out to enjoy the first ski runs of the season.

Now that I’m back at work, I’m missing my time in the mountains even more …