PHOTO STORY: The Best View in Vermont

February is a long month in New England. Despite being the shortest month it somehow drags on because it's always dark, spring is nowhere in sight, and it's usually the coldest month of the year. If you try though, you can actually have a lot of fun in February. This year, I got through the February blues with an impromptu ski day at Bolton Valley in Vermont.

The snow report promised a memorable day on the hill with bluebird skies and a fresh few inches of snow on the ground after a recent storm. If you're an outdoor photographer - or really anyone who appreciates seeing the sun at all during the middle of winter - that's a promising outlook. I planned to ride a lot, yes, but I took the camera along as well, hoping to take advantage of the conditions.

Quick phone pic from the top of the Wilderness Lift

If you know Bolton, then you know what it offers. Short lift lines, friendly people, a good amount of snow and a great value for the dollar. What it also boasts are some of the best views in the state - western facing slopes that allow you to ski downhill while looking out at Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. There are some really amazing views on the property, but one stands out above the rest. And I intended to pay it a visit on this day.

I don't know the history of the fire tower at BV, but I know it's been there at the top of the Vista Quad for as long as I can remember. It's one of those unique features about the mountain that you'd never know was there, unless you knew. That spot, in my opinion, is the absolute best view in the state of Vermont.

Would you climb this ladder to the top of the fire tower? 

After half-a-day of hard riding, I decided to pay the tower a visit before heading home. When I climbed to the top, the view was even better than I'd hoped. Snow from a dozen storms dusted the spine of the Green Mountains, turning them stark white against a sky so blue you'd think someone turned up the saturation slider too high. From this spot, you're greeted with 360 degree views of all that Vermont has to offer. To the South, Camel's Hump and Killington are visible on a clear day, and to the North, Mt. Mansfield stands tall above the rest of the state. Water views to the East (Waterbury Reservoir) and West (Lake Champlain) complete the picture.

I snapped a few photos with my camera and decided to let Buzz the drone (DJI Mavic Air 2) out for a quick flight to capture more of the scene. The video above is a compilation of footage I shot while standing atop the fire tower. Check out some of the photos below too, and try to tell me you've seen better. I'll wait...