Standing at the top of Sugar Loaf during the reopening Friday, I kept overhearing people point out where the old ski runs were and tell stories of their vacations to the resort back in the day, while others discussed plans to check out the mountain bike trails in the spring or try to ski this winter.
Little kids buzzed around the crowd at the summit and ran down the trail avoiding both strollers and canes on their way back to the base. Different plans, different ages, different memories, but all taking a moment to marvel together at the same view.
It made me think about how easily familiar landscapes slip into the background of daily life. We’ve all been driving past places like Sugar Loaf for years and eventually we kinda stop seeing it. Not because we don’t care but because it’s always been there. Sometimes we need a little fanfare to get us to pause and take notice and the reopening provided not only that but access as well. While Sugar Loaf isn’t a part of the National Park System, the lesson carries over that a place we love can still surprise us when we look at it with fresh eyes.
