Sometimes spending a little ski money can reap major rewards. Buying a ticket to the annual welcome to winter ski film is flush with money saving benefits for the skier and snowboarder. As usual, Warren Miller conjures up the action-packed high drama of fearless folks on snow doing amazing things.  

The new Warren Miller ski film, “Here,There & Everywhere” will hit Portland’s State Theater on Saturday, Nov. 19th at 8 p.m. and then slide down to The Music Hall Theater in Portsmouth for five showings on Monday the 21st at 8 p.m., then Tuesday and Wednesday November 22-23 at both 6 and 9 p.m.

The thrills and spills on skis, snowboards and fat bikes were filmed in the remote steeps of Alaska, the desolate peaks of Greenland, the glaciers of Swiss Alps and the outbacks of Montana and British Columbia.  

The bold athletes defying the laws of gravity and sanity include gold medal ski racers and our own local snowboard hero, Seth Wescott. Of special local interest is the fully documented ski insanity of the daredevil jumps off the monumental ski jump that was built in the Boston Red Sox’s baseball stadium for last year’s Big Air Competition in Fenway Park.

For 67 years, the annual Warren Miller film has ushered in the ski season providing inspiration and motivation for mere mortals to dig their gear out of the back of their closets and start waxing their boards and praying for deep snow.  

Warren Miller made his first ski film at age 25 when he was living as a squatter in a small trailer in the parking lot of the Squaw Valley Ski Resort in California.   Now in his 90’s and with a new book out documenting his life from his days as a ski bum to a living legend, a special section of the film is a tribute to his life and legacy. Another vintage ski hero, Stein Eriksen is also highlighted.  

Stein Eriksen was once the ski instructor at Vermont’s Sugarbush before he built his five-star luxury ski compound in Park City, Utah. An Olympic gold medal champion (1952) from Norway, Erikson ushered in a high styled elegant form of free skiing complete with flips and swan dives. His revolutionary form of skiing promulgated the sport from speed to aerodynamic athleticism. Stein attracted a jet-setting celebrity clientele to Sugarbush which was soon known as “Mascara Mountain.”  

The Sugarbush Resort today is one of the real gems of Vermont with remarkable views of the Mad River Valley. Two massive mountains smartly connected together offer 53 miles of scenic trails, three terrain parks, and a host of amenities that include eateries from Pub to Gourmet, swimming pools, and indoor tennis courts. A single day lift is 90-plus dollars, but your film ticket gifts you with one midweek non-vacation lift ticket, just one of the many bargain benefits of shelling out the bucks for the film.  

Ticket price is $20 in Portland and $22 in Portsmouth — that’s a hefty outlay of cash for a movie with virtually no plot and no sex, but the bonus and benefits of attending the film are extensive.

Attendees in Portland are afforded a free lift ticket at two of Vermont’s premiere resorts: the Midweek ticket at Sugarbush (non-vacation days), and a Midweek or Weekend ticket at Smuggler’s Notch (must be used before Christmas) or a two-for-one price at Smuggler’s any day of the 16-17 season.  We know, all too well, how expensive Lift tickets are, so if you take advantage of the lift tickets, your $20 investment saves you lots of ski cash.    Additionally, you can save $20 on new equipment at the Arlberg Ski shops in Freeport and Scarborough and a 20% discount on your entire order at L.L. Bean. 

Attendees in Portsmouth are gifted with a Midweek ticket to Sugarbush, a Flex Pass at New Hampshire’s Gunstock (the Flex pass gives you a 50% discount to the daily lift ticket price all season long) a non-vacation time Weekend or Weekday ticket at Smuggler’s Notch which must be used before Christmas or an anytime two-for-one, or a good anytime ticket at New Hampshire’s Abenaki Ski Hill. Abenaki is the tiny mighty mouse hill in Wolfeboro, NH that hasn’t changed much since 1934. Additionally, Putnam’s Ski Shop in Portsmouth is offering a whopping $100 discount on a new equipment purchase of $250 or more.  

The perks are fabulous, the excitement contagious, the scenery spectacular and the cinematography captures the marvel of deep powdery snow flying by and taking daredevil athletes along for the ride.  

If you are the type of person that loves big sound, the kind that makes your seat vibrate, the choice to see “Here,There & Everywhere” is the State Theater in Portland. Often used as a rock venue, the sound system here is awesome and the decibel level is set at 9.5 for an added bit of power and intensity.

Big sound adds a visceral dimension to the movie going experience and when you are watching the fearless fly hell bent down icy steeps, big sound is the next best thing to being there.   

However, The Portsmouth Music Hall Theater does has some major bennies, much more comfortable seats, a great lobby that doubles as a cocktail club, and due to its smaller size it has five showtimes rather than just one.  

The annual Warren Miller thriller is a welcome winter tradition that I highly endorse. 

Greg Morell is an avid skier, snowboarder and cross country enthusiast. He can be reached at Morell.Gregory@gmail.com. The Snow Business column seeks to encourage outdoor winter recreation.

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