John Sherwood hails from Bedford, Massachusetts - the snow belt of Boston's western suburbs. He first experienced the joys of skiing on the 240-foot vertical slopes of Nashoba Valley in Littleton, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he enjoyed skiing at Gunstock, Waterville Valley, and Stowe. A season pass holder at Timberline for many years, John now considers himself a connoisseur of West Virginia powder. John also enjoys skiing in Europe, where he has skied or visited over twenty resorts, mainly in Austria. More recently, he has taken a keen interest in Utah's Wasatch mountains.
In addition to DCSki, John has published winter sports related articles in the The Slovak Spectator, Financial Times, Ski Racing Magazine, and the SkiEurope Report, and has written six books on military history. John recently returned from a Fulbright fellowship in Kiel, Germany and Athens, Greece, where the closest he came to a ski experience was riding the funicular to the top of Mount Lycabettus in Athens.
John has written 111 stories for DCSki since 2001.
John Sherwood returned to Utah's Snowbasin Resort in late February, 2023. While he found a decline in some aspects of Snowbasin such as food quality and crowding, he found that the quality of snow and terrain still made the ski area well worth a visit. He filed this Firsthand Report.
By John Sherwood | March 26, 2023 3 Firsthand Report
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood recently returned to New Hampshire's Waterville Valley Resort, the first "big" mountain he skied as a child. He filed this Firsthand Report.
By John Sherwood | February 18, 2023 2 Feature Story
In the second of a two-part series, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood reviews his experience as an Epic pass holder this season, describing an early March trip to Vermont's Stowe Resort.
By John Sherwood | April 18, 2022 14 Firsthand Report
In the first of a two-part series, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood reviews his experience as an Epic pass holder this season, describing an early February trip to Heavenly Ski Resort.
By John Sherwood | April 8, 2022 6 Firsthand Report
West Virginia's Timberline Mountain Resort has just completed its first winter season under new ownership. DCSki Columnist John Sherwood reflects on his time at the revitalized Timberline Mountain this past season, describing the changes at the ski area and how it is transforming the entire Canaan Valley region.
By John Sherwood | May 9, 2021 5 Feature Story
Hoping to escape COVID crowds, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood visited Idaho's Sun Valley Resort. True to its name, he discovered sun-drenched slopes, along with spectacular scenery and a five-star resort.
By John Sherwood | March 29, 2021 5 Firsthand Report
The DCSki Interview Series continues with Jeff Lifgren, who is in charge of Pennsylvania resorts Liberty, Whitetail, Roundtop, Big Boulder, and Jack Frost. Jeff touches on lots of topics in this in-depth interview conducted by DCSki's John Sherwood.
By John Sherwood | October 2, 2020 10 Interview Series
Jamie Storrs started as a ski instructor in Jackson Hole and now holds one of the most important ski industry jobs in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, managing communications for 20 Vail-owned resorts east of the Mississippi. John Sherwood recently interviewed Jamie to learn more about his background and Vail's new footprint in the Mid-Atlantic.
By John Sherwood | July 23, 2020 1 News
In early March, John Sherwood visited Colorado and spent several days at Beaver Creek Resort. As he describes in this Firsthand Report, he found the perfect match of mountain, sun, and snow.
By John Sherwood | March 20, 2020 5 Firsthand Report
In early February, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood found himself visiting Utah's Snowbasin Resort for the sixth time in the past eight years. In this Firsthand Report, he describes his recent trip that included nearly two feet of snow, rain, sleet, and 50+ degree temperature swings.
By John Sherwood | February 17, 2020 Firsthand Report
On Friday, January 24, DCSki's John Sherwood took a snow day and traveled to Pennsylvania's Whitetail Resort. Days prior to his visit, most of Whitetail had melted, but as he describes in this Firsthand Report, aggressive snowmaking allowed Whitetail to bring 16 trails on-line in a matter of days.
By John Sherwood | January 28, 2020 Firsthand Report
On January 17, 2020, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood was in the Boston area and decided to swing by Wachusett for a day of skiing. He provides this Firsthand Report.
By John Sherwood | January 22, 2020 Firsthand Report
In late March, John Sherwood found himself in the Seattle region and decided to make a side trip to try out the skiing at scenic Crystal Mountain Resort. He provides this report.
By John Sherwood | April 4, 2019 2
On February 19, 2019, John Sherwood snuck in a trip to Pennsylvania's Whitetail Resort -- in between Presidents' Day weekend and a snowstorm. He provides this quick trip report.
By John Sherwood | February 20, 2019
From February 3-8, 2019, John Sherwood enjoyed over forty inches of fresh snow at Utah's Snowbasin Resort. In this report, John describes his recent trip and explains why he keeps going back to Snowbasin.
By John Sherwood | February 13, 2019 2
John Sherwood hit the slopes of Whitetail just before MLK weekend. His verdict? Whitetail is now his favorite ski resort less than 100 miles from DC, thanks to modern snowmaking, amenities, and customer service. He filed this Firsthand Report.
By John Sherwood | January 21, 2019 1
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood spent the days leading up to Christmas at West Virginia's Canaan Valley Resort. Although he was worried about warmer temperatures and rain, he discovered excellent early-season conditions (along with excellent customer support) and even received some fresh natural snow. He provides this Firsthand Report.
By John Sherwood | December 28, 2018
On December 10, 2018, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood headed north for his first turns of the season, skiing at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, Massachusetts. He provides this Firsthand Report.
By John Sherwood | December 21, 2018 5
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood visited Whitetail Resort on its final day of the season. In this Firsthand Report, he describes what conditions were like.
By John Sherwood | March 27, 2018
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood spent a week skiing at Vermont's Stowe in early February, 2018. Stowe holds a special place in John's heart: it was his first big mountain experience as a teenager, his go-to resort during college breaks, and the first place he skied with his wife. John provides this Firsthand Report from his recent visit.
By John Sherwood | February 19, 2018 3
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood revisited his high school stomping grounds: Watchusett Mountain, in the suburbs of Boston. In this story, John describes his recent trip to Watchusett, which he describes as "the Whitetail of Massachusetts."
By John Sherwood | March 15, 2017 1
In February, 2017, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood visited Utah's Snowbasin Resort. In this story, he reflects on all the small and large things Snowbasin does to deliver a solid experience to visitors.
By John Sherwood | March 10, 2017 1
On a recent ski trip to Utah, DCSki Columnist John Sherwood spent seven days skiing at Snowbasin, and then decided to mix things up by heading to Powder Mountain. Powder Mountain quickly became one of John's favorite ski areas in Utah. He describes why in this report.
By John Sherwood | March 21, 2016
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood recently returned from a trip to the Alrberg ski region of Austria. "One could spend a month here and not ski every trail," John writes, "a season and not experience all of its ski routes and sidebound zones, and a lifetime, and never ski every off-piste line." John provides this detailed Firsthand Report on the expansive ski area located in the Alps.
By John Sherwood | February 22, 2015 1
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood is drawn to Utah's Snowbasin Resort, and he likes the ski area so much, he keeps returning. John describes the charisma and presence of Snowbasin in this story.
By John Sherwood | May 24, 2014 2
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood recently stopped by Zell am See Kaprun during a visit to Austria. Kaprun offers high elevation skiing up to 9,843 feet. John provides a few photos from his trip.
By John Sherwood | October 7, 2012 1
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood reviews a book that describes how to properly condition in preparation for the ski season.
By John Sherwood | April 24, 2012 1
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood decided to forgo a ski trip to Europe, saving money by heading west to Utah's Snowbasin Resort instead. He has no regrets. John provides this detailed Firsthand Report from his trip to Snowbasin March 12-16, 2012.
By John Sherwood | March 23, 2012 3
We often perceive skiing more as a pastime than a sport, especially in this region where the slopes are short and almost always groomed to perfection. Skiing, though, involves many muscle groups, some of which never get properly exercised under normal circumstances. DCSki Columnist John Sherwood describes the benefits of strength training for on- and off-slope activities, using his own experiences as a guide.
By John Sherwood | February 13, 2010 3
DCSki Columnist John Sherwood recently made a trip to the Canaan Valley region of West Virginia, where he visited Dolly Sods, Roaring Plains (South Prong Trail), and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. He provides some photos from his visit.
By John Sherwood | June 25, 2008 2
