The biggest pioneer in eastern skiing

[Geoff]

I'd go with Harvey Gibson. He created Cranmore and imported Hannes Schneider. Cranmore was the first 'mass market' ski area in the east.

 

[skiboarder]

Tim Burton

 

[skiboarder]

Ha, I mean Jake Burton!

 

[Philpug]

Ha, I mean Jake Burton!

You mean Jake Carpenter.

 

[WoodCore]

Where would the Northeast be without snowmaking.

Nowhere but, you can thank Walt Schoenknect for that!

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Bill Courier. No doubt had his hands in and on more lifts in the NE than anyone. RIP

 

[Johnskiismore]

Dwight Eisenhower, the Interstate Highway cuts down travel time!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Dwight Eisenhower, the Interstate Highway cuts down travel time!

good point!!!

 

[andyzee]

Orville and Wilbur Wright, the airplane cut down travel time.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

You mean Jake Carpenter.

You mean Karen Carpenter. (Very light weight ski snacks. Not very filling though)

 

[Philpug]

You mean Karen Carpenter. (Very light weight ski snacks. Not very filling though)

You mean :Little Debbies: (a great snack coming home from the ski area) 8)

 

[thetrailboss]

Perry Merrill hands down I'd have to say.

Roland Palmedo. For those that are scratching their heads, Roland helped start the Mount Mansfield Company (i.e. STOWE) and then moved on to form Mad River Glen because Stowe was "too commercial" for him in like 1945 (!).

There is an interesting progression though. First, Perry Merrill helped point people to ski areas. Second, you have to admit that Pres Smith was the first guy to make "skiing a business" in Vermont. He was ingenious and had a wonderful organization. If you read Karen Lorentz's book, you'll understand. Unreal what he did and how passionate he was. And third, Les Otten took over what Pres had built and tried to export his version. It failed, but you do have to recognize that Otten made an impact.

 

[2knees]

But honestly I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Roland Palmedo and what he did. For those that are scratching their heads, Roland helped start the Mount Mansfield Company (i.e. STOWE) and then moved on to form Mad River Glen because Stowe was "too commercial" for him in like 1945 (!).

http://forums.alpinezone.com/373958-post20.html

come on tb, a lawyer should be more aware of the details.

 

[SkiDork]

boy, it must have been exciting to be involved with the early days of skiing in VT. I would have loved to have been there...

 

[thetrailboss]

http://forums.alpinezone.com/373958-post20.html

come on tb, a lawyer should be more aware of the details.

:roll:

 

[scharny]

Trail and lift design at established ski resorts: Charlie Lord (Ran the VT Civilian Conservation Corps, designed many of the trails at Stowe, helped engineer the first chairlift at Stowe, which was at the time the world's longest chairlift)

Extreme skiing: Brooks Dodge (pioneered well over half of the ski routes in Tuckerman Ravine)

 

[JesusBuiltMyCrotchRod]

I would include mount snow for having the first terrain park in the east. I remember getting my ticket pulled for building little jumps on my local hill growing up. Then all of a sudden Mount Snow builds a terrain park and the rest is history.

Nonsense... There were terrain parks in the east before Mount Snow...Mount Snow just claimed to be the first.. Just like they now consider themselves as the "mountain bike capital of the east", when clearly there are much better choices up and down the entire coast.

 

[andyzee]

boy, it must have been exciting to be involved with the early days of skiing in VT. I would have loved to have been there...

Nah, too much work, alot nicer just enjoying the end results.

 

[snowmonster]

Dartmouth Outing Club and other clubs that encouraged college students and city dwellers to take up skiing as a sport (e.g., Amateur Ski Club of New York, Hochgebirge Ski Club of Boston and, of course, the Appalachian Mountain Club). The DOC and Dartmouth students stand out in particular because of their role in starting downhill racing in the east in Mt. Moosilaukee, their role in Tuckerman Ravine and initial descents in Stowe and other areas.

Roland Palmedo also helped found the National Ski Patrol.

 

[faceplant]

I gotta go with Gus 'Mickey' Simpson and his 2 bros for opening up the first ski area in NYS on Romer Mountain Phoenicia in the Catskils in '35- dunno how to post pics but you can click around on here for some good ones http://woodlandvalleyview.blogspot.com/2008/07/history-of-simpson-ski-slope.html

then they rigged a rope to a motor from a 29 Buick- only a year after the one went in up at suicide six that evrybody says was the very first- check out this ol vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op6uDeqTCp0 no celeberties- just good ol school skiing

Just up the road frm those boys Dot Nebel was helping to lay out the first trails at Belleyare way back in the 40s after she finished up being on the US olympic team- looks like shes the only lady pioneer on this thread- they got a trail named for her now- only fitting

down near West Point was the biggest ski jumping area in the US at the time- dunno who put it there but Id say they qualify as a pioneer whoevr they were http://www.skisprungschanzen.com/e_index.htm?/usa/usae_bearmountain.htm dang-what a rush that was for alittle kid