Latchis Hotel Ski Park

The Latchis Slope Area was a small, rope tow area that operated in the town of Brattleboro. John Latchis, of the Latchis family and hotel in Brattleboro, operated the ski area in the 1940's and 1950's. Mezzie Barber, who also designed the Sugar Bush Ski Area in Jamaica, VT, designed the Ski Park. Many thanks to James Latchis who provided some of this information!

Here's a listing from 1953:

1953
(Ski Time)
"Night skiing and both expert and junior ski jumping are features at the Latchis Ski Area, 1/2 mile from the Latchis Hotel. The area overlooks Mount Wantastiquet and offers twenty acres of open slopes served by a 1200' tow with Warming Hut.

Indicative of the desire to keep Brattleboro in the foreground of the national ski jumping picture is the construction this year of a well-nigh perfect 100 foot jump at Latchis, rated 10 meters and designed for younger and high school jumpers. Credit to this new development goes to Brattleboro Outing Club, Area Owner John Latchis and Fred Harris, veteran jumper and jumping area designer. Latchis also offers a 35 meter jump."

The area closed when the state took the land for the construction of the I91 Highway (sometime in 1960's). It is unknown what is left of the area today.

Here's the ad that appeared in the 1953 guide.
The open slope looks to be slightly gladed, with scattered trees.
The jump can be seen to the left of the main slope.

W. Randall has more information on this area: If you have been on Route 5 at the southern end of Brattleboro it is where the present day Price Chopper plaza is now. The Latchis Ski Jump used to be host to a junior ski jumping school--Mrs. Fred Harris was one of the organizers in fact, that warming hut shown in the old photo is where the group used to break for meals hosted by the committee.

Here's a view of the area in the 1940s, from a Vermont Life magazine.