Betsy Pratt 3/12/28 - 3/17/23

[deadheadskier]

Ski in Peace Betsy.

Hearing stories about who you were and your values, I'm guessing accolades don't mean much. However, if there was a Mt Rushmore of legendary ski area owners, you would for sure be on it.

 

[cdskier]

I absolutely loved the story MRG shared about what she did to Otten when he offered to buy MRG and how the co-op was born.

In 1995, Les Otten, who’d just started building his resort empire with the American Skiing Company, made an offer to buy out Mad River Glen, which Pratt had presided over during the previous 20 years. As legend has it, when Otten approached her at the bar, Betsy took a drag off her big corncob pipe, blew the smoke in his face, and told him where he could stick the check. Then she sold it to skiers for half the price and financed it interest-free until she sold enough shares.
In December of 1995 the Mad River Glen Co-op bought Mad River Glen from Betsy Pratt.

 

[slatham]

Wow so sorry to hear of this. A legend of the Vermont ski industry. Old school manager of a legendary ski area - the anti-Vail (and, in classic form, the anti ASC). May she ski in peace. And may we all remember what skiing is really about.

 

[skimagic]

I remember an interview where they asked her about grooming , her one word response was "Boring". Then they asked her about the single chair and she said the Brooklyn Bridge was built in 1883 and they still use that, so there's no reason to replace the single chair. Classic.

 

[thetrailboss]

Damn that sucks.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Sounds like a bad ass old broad may she rest in powder

 

[shadyjay]

I remember her from my days working at the golf course at Sugarbush. Didn't get a chance to talk to her much (I'm a boarder after all... haha), but she would pretty much walk the Front 9 daily. Think she got a cart for the back (not many people wouldn't grab one for the back).

 

[1dog]

Skied Fall Line w her in ‘96 think it was.
Woolies and loooong skis.
May God bless you Betsy