Skiing Nostalgia

[billski]

January 9, 1969, Adirondak Life, Lake George News

This season there is a cooperative
plan in Vermont whereby
skiers can ski Glen Ellen, Haystack,
Magic Mountain and Pico
Peak on a single season pass. In
New Hampshire the same applies
to Cannon Mountain, Mltterslll,
Loon, Watervllle Valley and Tenney
Mountain.

...
Stowe and Killington in Vermont
and Gore Mountain in New York
are three areas with new gondolas
readied for this season. Before
this, only posh Sugarbush boasted
such an arrangement In the
East. Mt. Snow, Vermont, has
Installed a clam-like affair that
is more like a chair-lift with a
wlndshlled than a gondola. The
riders' legs stick out the bottom.
The true gondolas require removal
of skis, which are carried In
racks outside the car with the
riders sitting comfortably within.
Cannon Mountain, New Hampshire,
and Jay Peak In northern Vermont
have utilized tramways for some
time, in which the trolley-like
cars pack a dozen or more persons
to the top, a la European style.


finger lake times, tuesday, March 14, 1978


We had also come to take a last fling
at the mountains. From our base at
West Mountain Inn we could select any
of four ski areas which were within 30
miles. Magic Mountain, Bromley,
Snow Valley and Stratton surround the
valley.
At 4,000 feet elevation, Stratton of
fers one of the highest peaks for skiing
In the east. It boasts long seasons
which normally begin before
Thanksgiving and this year the area
plans on being open until mid-April. A
snow base of 60-65 inches as of this
weekend will provide excellent cover
despite the warming/sun.
Jeff Dickson, in charge of
propoganda, boasted of the special
grooming of the slopes that allows
them the longer seasons and improved
conditions. His claims were not
exaggerated as I found myself gliding
down the 7,000 foot vertical drop In and
about the 59 miles of traits that cover
two faces of the mountain, serviced by
10 lifts.
Keep a trail map In your pocket for
the first time out and by noting the lift
line times posted "at the bottom of the
mountain you can arrange your skiing
so that you will average only 12 minute
lift line delay even when the mountain
Is at its full capacity of 6,700 skiers.
The longest run possible on the
mountain is seven miles In length and
often skiers will pack a lunch to eat on
the slopes as they enjoy the sun and
scenery of the Vermont Mountains.
Stratton, to be enjoyed at Its fullest,
is not to be accomplished in one day
and the longer the outing the cheaper It
gets for lift tickets and lodging.
"We try to give the best possible ski
value," related Dickson, referring to
the package vacations.
If I hadn't known better, I might
have thought that Vermont Invented
cabin fever |ust so they could provide
the cure. I've had my last run on the
mountain and my mind I t selecting the
flies that will foot the trout Cabin
fever Is over for another year

 

[billski]

Geneva NY Daily times

March 15, 1981
Finger Lakes times

While this may appear to be
another bitter year in the life of a
skier, most areas opened earlier
than normal and maintained good
to excellent skiing until the February
thaw. Long term weather
forecasting indicates mat there is a
lot more snow *long term weather and, of
course, snow making. the bread and butter of the industry, is going to
their struggle this week to continue,
The ability of machine made snow^to withstand the forces of
nature is even impressive to the
veterans of the ski industry.

Han Thoner of Magic Mountain,
Vt., a recent convert to the artificial
cover said, "I'm amazed at how
well the machine made snow holds
up It resists fog, rain and warm
temperatures far better than the
natural variety."

 

[billski]

Glen Ellen & MRG

Schenectady Gazette, 1967

We were at Glen Ellen Saturday,
where my skiing for the
day consisted of a run through
a slalom course of 50 gates, set
for members of the visiting
press. It was a tight course, and
because of conditions I was
obliged to take one of the gates
backwards. This gave me an advantage,
though, in taking the
flush below where the gates
were set about four feet apart.
I did finish upright (I won't
comment on my form or speed)
and won a bottle of champagne.
Glen Ellen has three double
chair lifts and a Pomalift which
has replaced the T-bar on the
beginners' slope. They plan to
expand their facilities by adding
more u p h i 11 transportation.
Some of this will be on the south
side of General Stark mountain,
with access trails to Mad River
Glen on the north side. Snow-Making
Equipment will also be installed.


Glen Ellen has prepared a bid
for tfie 1978 Winter Olympics
At present there are only two
areas in the east which have
sufficient v e r t i c a l drop-the
other is in Maine. Walt Elliot,
president of Geln Ellen
Corp. state that not only would
his area benefit from the event,
buto other ski areas would reap
their share. Som of the problems
to be met would be construction of adequate housing, a
jumping hill and indoor arena,
plus an international building
for housing the contestants and
the press.

We were fortunate in obtaining
housing at the Mad River
Barn, where Les and Alice Billings
reign as the genial hosts.
I have known Les for 20 years,
back when he was the manager
of the Hogback Mountain ski
area when it opened In 1947. We
mentioned to Les that we had
seen deer feeding near hi§ place
that afternoon, and his first
question was "How early was
that?" When we told him it was
about 3:30, he commented that
it was a good sign, as they
sensed a storm moving in, and
were browsing earlier. Sure
enough, we awakened Monday
morning to the sound of snow
plows on the road up the mountain.
When we walked into the
Base Box at Mad River Glen
around 9 a.m., everyone had
broad grins on their faces because
of the rapidly improving
skiing conditions.
* * -*
Mad River Glen has a single
chair lift and a double chair
lift, plus a T-bar which services
a wide open slope. Both
chair lifts have mid-sections, but
the trails on the mountain require
considerable experience
(snow bunnies, beware!). Even
the T-bar slope has sufficient
pitch that the beginner may
have problems. Mad River Glen
is really designed for the advanced
skier who likes the challenge
of the rugged terrain, and
there are many who just won't
consider skiing elsewhere. A
number of ski clubs have bought
property and constructed" ski
lodges adjacent to the lifts for
the use of their members

 

[Smellytele]

finger lake times, tuesday, March 14, 1978


We had also come to take a last fling
at the mountains. From our base at
West Mountain Inn we could select any
of four ski areas which were within 30
miles. Magic Mountain, Bromley,
Snow Valley and Stratton surround the
valley.
At 4,000 feet elevation, Stratton of
fers one of the highest peaks for skiing
In the east. It boasts long seasons
which normally begin before
Thanksgiving and this year the area
plans on being open until mid-April. A
snow base of 60-65 inches as of this
weekend will provide excellent cover
despite the warming/sun.
Jeff Dickson, in charge of
propoganda, boasted of the special
grooming of the slopes that allows
them the longer seasons and improved
conditions. His claims were not
exaggerated as I found myself gliding
down the 7,000 foot vertical drop In and
about the 59 miles of traits that cover
two faces of the mountain, serviced by
10 lifts.

7,000 foot vertical drop???

 

[noski]

Schenectady Gazette, 1967
...Glen Ellen has prepared a bid
for the 1978 Winter Olympics
At present there are only two
areas in the east which have
sufficient vertical drop- the
other is in Maine. Walt Elliot,
president of Glen Ellen
Corp. state that not only would
his area benefit from the event,
but other ski areas would reap
their share. Some of the problems
to be met would be construction of adequate housing, a
jumping hill and indoor arena,
plus an international building
for housing the contestants and
the press....

The Winter Olympics in the MRV.... oh my....

 

[Stache]

'78 Winter Olympics???

Only areas in the East with enough Vert to host???


Wasn't it, ummmm, yeah, Whiteface Mtn. that hosted the 1980 Winter Olympics?

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

 

[Black Phantom]

 

[billski]

7,000 foot vertical drop???

the OCR may have hiccuped. I'll check it later.

 

[Black Phantom]