The Mountain Times

Romance is in the air at The Ledgewood Yurt

It was a night to remember.

On a dark winter's night last season my husband and I joined friendly group of folks at Cooper's Coffee. We had gathered there for a sleigh ride to a yurt and warmed up with a complimentary "Broken Leg"- a concoction of hot, spiced apple cider livened up with a shot of ginger brandy.

Properly "fortified," we helped ourselves to neatly folded blankets and headed out to our awaiting coach, an impressive "stretch limousine" of a sleigh that was designed by Killington President and GM Chris Nyberg and built by local workers. The sleigh was complete with seats reclaimed from a former chairlift and runners patterned after the K-2 Apache ski radius!

With our wool blankets tucked in, we were ready for our snowcat-drawn ride to our dinner destination, the Ledgewood Yurt. The gently undulating transport took us up Snowshed as dark fell, and then through the woods to a secluded spot where tiny twinkling white lights greeted us.

Inside the heated edifice, we were seated at tables for  six or eight. Candlelight, linens, and pewter dishes and goblets set the right tone for the five-course adventure in fine dining that followed.

The chef's explained the menu, the foods' origins and even how to enjoy it. He spoke with the pride and passion of someone who was providing an exceptional experience while expressing his own delight at using the finest ingredients.

It was an elegant experience in French dining, yet also a throwback to the way we dined in the sixties when skiers stayed at rustic lodges and enjoyed communal dinners socializing with each other. The great thing then - and now - was that we met others with similar interests and made new friends as we enjoyed our meals.

The difference was that the meal itself provided the topic of conversation and each unique course became the subject of shared comments. All at our table appreciated that our chef and his crew had taken great care to present us with truly interesting pairings of foods and "new experiences."

Romantic Dining

Soft music accompanied the meal.

The first course of Manchego cheese, Membrillo, Marcona almonds, and grilled fig bread was amazing. The second course of Muscovy Duck, Foie Gras, Mamia, grilled Fennel, caramelized Quince, sugared walnuts and mountain huckleberries was divine.

Things got even more interesting with our third course: New Zealand John Dory, sea urchin cream, squid ink Risotto, and smoked Tomatillo. This was the most adventurous course and we all were happy to have had the chef's explanation!

The fourth course brought Kurobuta pork tenderloin, Veal Osso Bucco, Blood Orange and Honey Bell Caviar, Romesco, baby vegetables, and Polenta served with a chef-paired wine. Because the portions were right sized, we could finish every delicious morsel.

But there was more to come with a dessert comprised of sampling-sized Thai Basil and coconut ice creams, lemon grass sorbet, passion fruit meringue, and a flourless ginger torte.

Again, we all finished everything, the ultimate compliment to a repast fit for a king - or hungry skier. 

The return 20-minute sleigh ride capped off the evening with some good-natured singing and much romantic snuggling in the cold night air. The twinkling lights of the village greeted us as we descended, providing just the right finish to a truly magical evening.

Photo courtesy of Killington Resort

New This Year

This winter the Yurt dinner sleigh departs from the new Roaring Brook Umbrella Bars up by the K-1 Lodge (at the top of the Killington Access Road).

Guests arrive at 6 p.m., enjoy the complimentary hot apple cider, then board the sleigh for a prompt 6:30 p.m. departure. The experience is limited to guests 21 years of age and over.

There's a new menu this year featuring equally interesting foods with an emphasis on using local and regional products wherever possible. The menu was created by Greg Lang, executive chef at the Killington Grand Hotel, and is prepared nightly by David Merrill and his crew, said Food and Beverage Director Scott Harrison.

Harrison also noted that when you arrive at the Yurt, you'll find warm Anadama bread with Vermont cultured butter on the table. As always, the chef begins the evening with an explaination of what has been prepared for you so you can appreciate the nuances of this fine dining experience. "We take care to provide a warm, memorable meal with friendly service," Harrison added.

This dining experience is highly recommended for a special occasion like Valentine's Day, an anniversary, a unique proposal venue, or any time the food lover in you wishes to enjoy a memorable and romantic experience.

Photo by Karen Lorenz

Innovative Concept

Yurts are tent-like structures that were used by nomadic tribes in Mongolia over 2000 years ago. Set on a portable wooden frame, a yurt has a rustic appearance yet creates an inviting shelter that is energy efficient and toasty warm inside.

In modern times, Yurts have sometimes been used at Eastern ski areas for small warm-up shelters and at Western resorts for dining, which is how Chris Nyberg got the idea to bring the experience to Killington. The Ledgewood Yurt is the first-and-only Yurt dining in the East.

"I got the Yurt idea from my friend Gier Vik who was running a Yurt dining operation in the Park City area. Gier had told me about how well his Yurt had been doing, so I thought, why not do the same thing here at Killington?

"I found the spot early one July morning while I was on Shagback Ridge [in the Needle's Eye region] looking for a suitable location. The site is perfect, and it's not too far away from ski trails. After I had cut the site and the right-of-way in for the sleigh to travel on, I had my buddy Craig Mosher go in and grub the stumps and build the road base," explained Nyberg.

A few things to note: although this is a fine dining experience, the dress is winter casual. Snow-appropriate footwear is particularly advised. The sleigh will return you to your departure point just before 10 p.m.

The experience is offered on Friday, Saturday, Peak Period Holiday and special dates like Valentine's evenings. Advanced reservations are required for this unique experience you're not likely forget.

Tagged: yurt, Ledgewood Yurt