Ski Area Ages

Broke this out because I didn't want to post a separate thread in the Mount Peter TR.

Mount Peter claims to be the oldest in NY and this is correct.  Although the North Creek Ski Bowl opened two years prior, it wasn't open for a long time, and even though it has "reopened" they hardly ever have the natural snow to open it and don't have the proper snowmaking capacity to have it open by Christmas every year, so it doesn't count.

As for Harvey's question.  Killington opened in 1958, only a year before Hunter.  It opened with Snowdon Mountain served by two Poma lifts.

A mountain must be lift served to be considered open.

According to your logic Killington shouldn't claim the date that Pico opened?

Why does this apply to the Ski Bowl but not Pico?

I call BS on the lift criteria.

Pretty sure my family that skied at the ski bowl in the 30's would disagree with you, but carry on.

Pico isn't physically connected to Killington, so it doesn't count.

The Ski Bowl is physically connected to Gore.  Also, the Ski Bowl didn't operate for many years until they "reopened" it in 2010.  It's still hardly ever open, so pretty much useless.

Skiing did exist as a sport before lifts, but a downhill ski area by definition needs to have lifts, or it's an XC ski area.  My definition of a downhill ski area is an operation that consists of at least one ski trail, and a form of conveyance back to the top of the hill, which can be a rope tow, other surface lift, chair, gondola, etc.  It must be a fixed mechanical device and can't be a snowcat or helicopter.  Otherwise if would be a ski touring operation and not a ski area.

The North Creek Ski Bowl was only connected to Gore Mountain in the last ten years. If they connect Pico next year, does Killington rewrite it's history?

snoloco wrote

useless

"If I don't value it, it has no value."

HAHA!





Fascism

Harvey wrote

If they connect Pico next year, does Killington rewrite it's history?

Yes.  They're now part of the same resort.  "Killington opened in 1940 as Pico Mountain.  What was originally named Killington opened in 1958 on Snowdon Mountain.  The two ski areas were connected in 2016 and are now one resort, Killington."

Hey Sno
I try to support you when I can dude but you're off on this one. Its true that Nordic predates alpine (by a couple thousand years I believe) but alpine skiing predates lifts also. A lot of the places started before rope tows were available. And wether or not the interconnect is ever built (which I have my doubts about) it won't change the history of the place. Killington has a history and Pico has its own history.

Hickory 1945

https://www.skiinghistory.org/history/ski-resorts-years-they-were-founded
I put this in the other thread earlier. I don't think its definitive though, and maybe a lot of resorts that didn't last aren't on there.

When I ran the hill the chairlifts started on time.

That is awesome.

Well... that guy calls Gore 1934.

Still don't agree.

But he does agree with Sno, and separates out Pico too.

Forget Ski Bowl, Gore's Cloud trail was main skiing destination of "Ride Up , Slide Down" of late 1930s.

Harvey wrote

The North Creek Ski Bowl was only connected to Gore Mountain in the last ten years. If they connect Pico next year, does Killington rewrite it's history?

snoloco wrote

useless

"If I don't value it, it has no value."

yeah, kinda disheartening.   

Sno, I certainly hope you've researched and know a lot about the Civilian Conservation Corps.  Any afficianado of skiing and ski history should know all about FDR's New Deal "Forest Army", which catalyzed the nascent ski industry in the U.S. in the 1930s.

You often seem to just miss the point, IMHO, supplanting history and legacy with your own short sighted and youthfully misguided 'definitions'.  But you'll get there.

You are really talking about ski resorts, probably crediting Stowe with 1936, when I think the first lift went in.  I think that anyone who truly understands downhill ski areas (not resorts) would credit Stowe with 1934, when "Roosevelt's Forest Army" cut the Bruce Ski Trail under Perry Merrill and Charlie Lord's direction.

A cross country trail or ski touring operation the Bruce was not, with the first Downhill Ski Race on Mansfield being won by Dartmouth skier and eventual 17-time national championship ALPINE racer Dick Durrance in 1934.

From the Buffalo Ski Club (still in operation) website:

the Buffalo Ski Club continues traditions begun in 1931 when eight families from Bavaria , Germany , came together to share their passion for skiing. They purchased land and a farmhouse in Holland not long after and built the area’s first rope tow.

“Lost Ski Areas of the Adirondacks” by Jerome Davis a video & talk at The Church of the King 685 Bay Road Queensbury across from ACC Wednesday 16th at 7 pm  Maybe he can answer ski area date questions. If not it’s an interesting topic see you there.

You guys reminded me of the old days when I used to read about skiing in books instead of on my iPad. I thought Sno might benefit from some history. Here's my suggestion for a starting point for you sno; maybe add these to your summer reading list.