In 1949, the Sunapee Ski Tows (not Mt. Sunapee) had two 700 foot tows, in tandem with each other. There is an open slope and 1/2 mile expert trail. Lower slope lighted weekends. This was located in the village. ((From the Where to Ski Book, provided by Wayne Silver)
David, a NELSAP reader, remembers skiing at this area. Here's his personal account which provides the best description of the area:
"In Sunapee NH, on route 103B, just about a half mile from the harbor, and just up the road a bit from the High School, there was a ski area that I skied in the late 60's and early 70's. It had a rope tow and maybe 3 trails or so, mostly down an open field of sorts. My grandparents owned a house directly across the street from the area and I often hiked in the summer up to the top of the tow. From there, a steep trail led further up a considerable ways, and at the top was the old model T engine in an old building that once housed the top of the second rope tow. From that spot, a trail led down the shoulder of the hill, before taking a 90 degree right turn and heading down to meet one of the lower trails about halfway down to the lower rope tow loading area.
My Mom, who skied there in her childhood in the 40's talked of skiing the upper section of the hill, but by the late 1960s the upper trails were starting to grow in, and the upper rope tow was removed except for that engine at the top. But I had many a fun day skiing that lower area, and enjoying the rope tow while I learned to ski. I never recall paying anything to ski there, but I have to admit that it was a small area where everyone knew each other."
Another
NELSAP reader, Carl Gissler, remembers a bit about
this ski area: I remember the rope tow at Sunapee, very well. I never skied
there but I grew up in Sunapee and my school bus went right by it. When I did
ski, I went over to the state park where my grandfather operated the rope tow.
Jonni:The Sunapee Ski Tows were opened in winter of 1938/39 by the town of Sunapee on Blaisdell Hill. It opened with one tow and shortly after in 1940 a second tow was added further up the hill on the adjacent property. Ernest Holt was the tow operator and he was paid 50 cents an hour to run the tow. School children were recruited to maintain the trails and pack the snow. A warming hut was added at the base in 1954. The little ski area was then destroyed by fire in the mid seventies. They reopened the next year under a temporary license and using a second hand rope for the rope tow. The tows closed after that season for insurance reasons. Both tows were operated by Model A engines and both engines remain in the woods to this day. The cables for both tows are (believe it or not) in my barn! They were sold to my grandfather after they closed.
Anybody else remember skiing this area?