No matter where you live, the weather is always a subject for small talk. But in Vermont, the weather comes up in almost every conversation, especially when it’s mid-January and temperatures have been stuck in the bone-chilling negatives for weeks. People bitch gripe about their cars not starting. Icy sidewalks. Burning through heating oil and firewood. Drafty windows and energy audits. Wind burn and the feeling of frost bite. Pipes freezing. Pipes bursting. Then you have people complaining about the January thaw—even if a warm up is a welcome respite for a few days—and the ice it causes. And then slippery, slimy mud season until a few months of sun, blue skies and 75 degree temps remind everyone just how wonderful living in Vermont can be.

Weather in Vermont

Let’s face it: The weather in Vermont is one of the things that makes us heartier, gives us ample opportunities for outdoor recreation and is an excuse to stock up on more wool hats, Darn Tough socks and flannel sheets. But, perhaps most importantly, winter is a form of population control in Vermont, something that I would argue most people in Vermont are glad to have…

Après-ski is a big deal in Vermont—understandably so. No ski resort in the state does après-ski quite like Mad River Glen in the Mad River Valley, especially when the Grift is playing. Last night was one of those nights when young and old come together, decked out in ski attire and knit hats to dance until General Stark’s Tavern is literally bouncing up and down. One of these years, I swear the floor is going to buckle underneath us all… Nevertheless, it’s always a celebration of “powder,” winter and community.

When taking a break from the first set of music, a group of people went outside on the porch, where 10 degrees was welcoming, refreshing even. One friend was talking about selling his house and moving south to warmer temps. Another friend chimed in that although more sun and more warmth may be tempting, he’s not going anywhere due to the fact that the general frigidity in Vermont paired with ample snow and ice is what keeps our population at bay. Vermont winters are indeed a process in self-selection that results in the formation of a strong community made up of likeminded people who value the beautiful place we call home and also the type of person Vermont attracts.

Winter in Vermont

Although tourism is huge in Vermont in foliage season and ski season, there’s a reason why Vermont’s population hovers around 625,000 people—the smallest population in the US except for Wyoming (and only by a few thousand people). The scenery and slopes are nice to visit, but when it comes to the thought of living the Vermont lifestyle, dealing with woodstoves, non-starting cars and frozen nostrils on a daily basis, most people opt out.

I’ve learned over the years to embrace winter in Vermont, because 1) it’s not getting any better and 2) I’m surely not going anywhere… Whether it’s 10 degrees or -10 degrees, your beard, eyelashes or eyebrows will become covered in frost, and you’re going to need long underwear and your down parka on more days than not. And on a night like tonight, when it’s 33 degrees and raining, and you slide down your driveway sideways with ice tires and AWD, aiming for a snow bank to stop the sliding, you know that winter in Vermont makes you tougher, more resilient and more thankful for the seemingly simple—yet unbelieveably satisfied—life in Vermont you chose to live.

What are your tips for surviving winter in Vermont? How do you beat the winter blues? Comment below!