Stay & Play

The Hills are Alive (and Gorgeous) at the Trapp Family Lodge

by Jennifer Merrick

Do-Re-Mi….Climb Every Mountain….My Favourite Things…..

You’ll be forgiven for humming tunes from the Sound of Music while staying at the Trapp Family Lodge. This was and still is the home of the same von Trapps that inspired the Hollywood classic movie. It turns out the beloved singing family didn’t disappear into the Alps after their hiding place was exposed by Liesl’s whistle-blowing, 17-going-on-18 love interest; nor did abbey nuns sabotage their pursuers’ vehicles. In fact, the von Trapps fled Nazi-occupied Austria in the nick of time via train and made their way to America, where they charmed audiences across the country with traditional folk songs and vocal melodies. When they finally decided to give up their life on the road and settle down, they chose Stowe, Vermont.

Why after touring all of the states did the von Trapps decide on this location? It reminded them of the Alps they had left behind. “Thank God for having led us to Vermont,” said Maria von Trapp in her memoirs. Three generations later, the family still takes pride in their family’s homestead and carries on its legacy. Sam von Trapp, Maria’s grandson and vice president of the resort, says that the location was so beautiful, his grandmother had to share it. “We were one of the first here and got the best spot,” he says and talks of the connection to nature and of the land he feels.

While we chat, a four-year-old girl shyly approaches, asking for his autograph. Sam graciously signs the Sound of Music book the girl brings him and she leaves smiling. Later, I spot the same girl at a screening of the Julie Andrew’s musical, singing along to every song. Even at four, she’s a true fan. Though four decades older than she, I share her love of this heart-lifting musical, and revel in seeing all the memorabilia and tributes of the singing von Trapp family. From the records and photos on the wall to documentary screenings about Maria von Trapp, the lodge is alive with the real version of its family story, a version that is even more compelling than its Hollywood counterpart.

A few of our Favourite Things…

As hard as it is to comprehend, there are those who are not a fan of the Sound of Music (members of my own family included), but fortunately, the property is known for more than the musical. In winter they are celebrated for their extensive cross-country skiing trails that include close to 60 kilometers of groomed and 100 kilometers of back-country trails on its 2,500 acres of land. In summer the hills turn green and skiis are changed for hiking poles. Trails on the property can be as easy a walk through the woods to a more challenging uphill hike to Slayton Pasture Cabin, a log chalet, situated at 640 meters on Round Top Mountain. With hearty lunches and desserts, this cozy restaurant is a tasty reward for the five-kilometer hike needed to reach it. Or venture into nearby Stowe, where you’ll find extensive hiking paths, including the Long Trail that runs over Mount Mansfield (Vermont’s highest peak) Stowe Pinnacle and Hunger Mountain.

Mountain biking is a newer addition to the resort and they pride themselves on their high-end network of dedicated trails for beginners/intermediate bikers as well as advanced.

After all that activity, you deserve to indulge yourself and there are plenty of ways to do just that on the premises from tasty goodies at the bakery to farm-to-table dining and craft brews at the BierHall. In the latter you’ll find Austrian-styled lagers inspired by those Johannes von Trapp, the youngest son of Maria and the Baron, tasted on his travels to Austria.

The crisp Helles beer on the menu is now officially one of my favourite things along with raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

www.trappfamily.com