Originally we had thought that this ski area was closed...but its not! Although NELSAP's count drops by one, this is a good thing, as community type ski areas like this are the essence of skiing. They receive little advertising, hence the reason why we thought it was closed.
Here are several quotes from skiers who have seen or experienced this area:
Ken Norton: Also the Veteran's Memorial Area in Franklin is still in operation. Had a brief season this year, but was open nonetheless. It is pretty popular with the Franklin kids
Craig Remillard remembers this ski area as he skied there in the past. Here's his description of the area:
"Veteran's Memorial Ski Area- a little hill in Franklin, probably no more than 100 verts. It had one T-bar up the right side, with a main slope and smaller "expert" trail down the skier's right. I wound up there on a whim one day around 1987, never able to find it again. No snowmaking, no grooming I don't think. Had a quaint red base lodge, with old vets sitting down and ski nostalgia on the walls. I'm sure it's out of business now, but it holds a special place in my memory."
Meddia
Perry: Veterans Memorial - I
have not skied here since 1988, but I am sure that it is actually still open.
(The NELSAP description thought it must be closed but had not confirmed so). The
ski lifts show up on the USGS maps (400' of vertical) and the area can be
reached from Route 11 in downtown West Franklin - take a left onto Chance Pond
road at the Sunoco station, then after a mile, take another left onto Flaghole
Road and the ski area is about two miles up the hill.
It is owned and operated by the city recreation department. It tends to open only when there is a good snowstorm. There is a T-bar to the summit and a beginners rope tow. There is one main slope, and several narrow trails through the woods. There even used to be night skiing, although I think they have stopped running the lights lately.
We have one source from a book, from the Billy Kidd's Ski Guide
1982
Operates:
9:30AM - 4:30 PM, weekends, holidays. Night skiing on Thursdays.
Lifts:
1 T-bar, 1 rope tow
Season:
December through March
Vertical Drop: 760'
(whoa....I don't believe this one!)