Before going into the history of Snow Valley, I must first thank Justin Waller who was supplied NELSAP with information and an actual trail map of Snow Valley from 1981-1982. It's really appreciated! This is very important, because without it we would have no idea on the exact layout of the mountain. The brochure's information and map are listed below.
Snow Valley was a historic and long lasting ski area that never seemed to garner enough advertising. In 1939 a rope tow was operating in Manchester, perhaps at Snow Valley. No way of telling exactly. By 1947, however, Snow Valley had installed an Alpine Lift (T-bar) with a vertical drop of 574 feet. There were several trails by this point. They also built a decent sized base lodge (Snow Man's Rest it was called) which appears below. The 1950's brought to Snow Valley several more trails (9) by 1952, and a new poma lift by 1960. Rope tows came and went at this area. This pomalift increased the vertical drop a small amount.
No mention of rope tows at this area after the mid 1960's. The only new addition to Snow Valley during this period was a gladed skiing area. By 1973 they had switched to weekends and holidays only, probably due to heavy competition from Stratton, Bromley, and Magic Mountain. Snowmaking was also installed at some point in the 1970's.
In 1980 a Borvig double was built to the summit, but this was only used a few years, until 1982 when the area closed. The T-bar was retired in 1980, but still appeared on the trail map until 1982. It has really overgrown since then, but it is still hikeable. Cross country skiers, mountain bikers, and snowmobilers regularly use the area today.
Recently I have heard new informaiton from Dave DeMatteis:
"Some more snow valley info from ski magazine 1982, aparently it went under in the mid-70's reopened in the late 70's by a family. These owners added the second floor(difference between your 2 pics). Aparently there was also a jacuzzi in the lodge at this point! If you hike to the summit, the top bullwheel still stands from the t-bar the 2ble chair replaced in 1981. My friends and I went back over christmas break. We managed to drop a chair off the line which I have restored. Perhaps If we do this with all of them we can get the lift running! I also have the control buttons which I took 9 years ago. It was quite an adventure, by the time we got the chair down it was dark and we had to carry it all the way down from the summit in the snow."
Be sure to check out Dave's page by clicking his name above, his homepage is dedicated to everything about chairlifts. He's letting me use some photos of the Snow Valley double, which appear below. Thanks Dave!
I visited the area in 1998 and these pictures also follow below.
1939
(Trail
Map)
Snow Valley opens
during this time.
1940's
(Trail
map courtesy of Eric Maloney)
Click here
to view this large trail map of the ski area...its worth the download time!
1947-1948
(Vermont
Life)
Snow Valley has a
T-bar lift.
1949
(American
Ski Annual)
The T-bar lift has
a vertical drop of 574 feet.
1950
(Manchester
Postcard Set)
I recently came across
these postcards of the ski area from 1950.
The cover of the postcard set showing the
T-bar (wooden) and skiers.
The ski school in front of the base lodge
(Snow Man's Rest)
Looking down the steep Steeple Chase slope,
towards the Snow Man's Rest.
Another view of the Base Lodge. Compare
it to the photo further below down the page.
1950-1951
(Vermont
Life article by Cliff Bowman)
This was the base lodge around 1950.
Compare this picture with the one below in June, 1998! Amazingly
different!
"At Snow Valley the
students encountered one of those unbelievable days when blazing sun and
blue skies give the lie to temperatures flirting with zero"
1951-1952
(Eastern
Ski Map)
T-bar lift, 3 tows,
3 slopes, 6 trails, novice through expert
1958-1959
(Vermont
Life Article by Murray Hoyt)
"All Snow Valley's
skiing is above 2000 feet and they had a 30-80 inch base as late as April
15 in 1958."
Lift capacity of 600
skiers per hour on the T-bar with 400 skiers per day.
"Snow Valley is the
best buy from a financial point of view. They are offering skiing
for a limited number of skiers, five years of skiing for $50.00 paid in
advance. Thats ten dollars a year. That's two days at several
of the larger areas."
Top elevation: 2680
feet
Bottom of lift: 2020
feet
Vertical drop: 660
feet
Upcoming for this
season: A new beginner's lift.
1964
(Eastern
Ski Map)
T-bar lift, Pomalift,
3 tows, 3 slopes, 6 trails (novice through expert)
1966
(America's
Ski Book)
Snow Valley has a
T-bar, J-bar (actually a Poma, although the guide had it wrong), and a
vertical drop of 586 feet. No snowmaking.
1968
(Vermont-A
guide to the Green Mountain State)
Taxi service, 3180 foot T-bar lift, 1450 foot Pomalift service, beginner's rope tow, 2 novice slopes. Trails: 1 novice (2.5 miles), 3 intermediate (3.0 miles), and 2 expert (2 miles). Fifteen acres of open slopes. Ski huts, meals, ski shop for sales, rentals and repairs. Patrol and first aid.
1969
(Eastern
Ski Map)
T-bar lift, pomalift,
3 slopes, glade, 6 trails (novice through expert)
1973
(Ski
Guide to the Northeast)
Base elevation: 1850
feet. Vertical drop: 700 feet. Exposure: north
Features: Area operates
weekends and holidays only, ski shop, snack bar, rentals, 1 T-bar and 1
Poma, with 1550 per hour capacity, 8 trails, parking for 300 cars.
No snowmaking or night skiing.
Ski school: American
technique with 6 instructors, 2 certified.
Rates: Adult $5.50,
junior $3.50
1980
(Justin
Waller)
Snow Valley installs
a new Borvig double chair to the summit. This new double extends
the vertical 200 feet to 900 feet.
1981-1982
(Justin
Waller)
Here's all the info from the brochure:
Skiing Snow Valley is always an enjoyable experience. Known to have
more natural snow that any resort in the region, added to our limited lift
ticket policy, equals more time skiing, not standing in line. In
keeping with this policy, the area accepts a limited number of group reservations
each weekend. Organize your group early this fall.
Our challenging slopes consisting of 15 trails and a vertical drop of 900
feet, combined with 20km of XC trails, and a new XC touring center assures
your total enjoyment. As lessons teach skiers how to prevent accidents,
our qualified instructors provided personal attention in uncrowded surroundings.
Then, after hours relaxing in the first base lodge ever built which still
retains its original charm and warm, friendly atmosphere, will make you
feel right at home.
Snowmaking is used to supplement natural snowfall.
Snow Valley, built in 1939, is one of the oldest ski areas in the country.
For over 30 years, the area has been a favorite spot for the skiing family
as well as the serious recreation skier. Over the years Snow Valley
continues to maintain its identity with reasonable rates, congenial atmosphere,
and a true Vt flavor!
Guaranteed Snow, of course we can't guarantee the weather. But Snow
Valley earned its reputation long ago for the unusual amount of natural
snow that is collects and retains each year. Facing north, Snow Valley
nestles in a unique configuration of mountains that acts as a snow funnel,
so that there is plenty of snow into spring. And because the area
is only open weekends and holidays (except they said before that it was
only closed Tues and Wed), the snow is not skied off during the week, its
there, freshly groomed for your pleasure every weekend.
Lifts: 3600 foot Borvig
Double
1500 foot Poma
350 Mitey Mite
Operates: Thu-Mon.
Rates: Adults-$14.00
all day, $11 half day
Children: $12.00 all
day, $9 half day
Here's the cover of
the trail map, showing the aerial view. The double chair is the straight
line on the far right, the old T-bar line to the left of that, and the
Poma underneath the letter A in Valley. An old rope tow line is visible
below the V.
Here's the trail map from inside the trail map. Its a little worn out because the trail map was stuck together, thanks to its age. The guide to each trail follows below. I will try to touch it up in the future so it looks better.
1. Steeple Chase (Exp-Int), 2. Boomerang
(Int), 3. Lucky Devil (Nov-Int), 4. Bulldozer (Nov-Int), 5. Peter Pan (Nov-Int),
6. Grand Slam (Nov-Int), 7. East Side (Nov.), 8. John Doe's Misery (Exp),
9. Whippersnapper (Exp), 10. St. Christopher (Int), 11. Kamachaze (Exp),
12. Sweeper (Int-Exp), 13. Tee Party (Int-Exp), 14. Snow Cloud (Nov), 15.
Powder Puff (Nov)
1982
Snow Valley closes
permanently.
1998
(Personal
Visit)
My friend Chris Seneta
and I visited this area in 1998. Certainly an interesting visit!
It is easily found, just go Rte 30 south from near Bromley and Snow Valley
Road is about a mile on the right. Go to the end of the road which
ends up at the old parking lot. Here's what we found:
Here's the base lodge (Snow Man's Rest).
Compare it to the one from 1950 above! The added the top section
at one point, I'm not sure when. Underneath that deck are the windows
which are visible both in the picture above from 1950 and below from 1998.
Since the base lodge was open, curiosity
set in and we went inside. The windows on the left are visible from
1950. There is nothing left in the lodge, just walls and the floor.
A huge giant fireplace was just to the right of this picture.
This was taken outside the base lodge looking
up a very overgrown slope.
Here's the Pomalift...amazingly enough the
pomas are still attached! The engine and pipes were still at this
poma. This was one of those classic pomas, like the ones at Okemo
and still found today at Killington and Burke.
An unknown building, possible the XC building
with "OW ALLEY" printed on it. There was a snowmaking pond above
this.
Some photos of the Borvig double chair, used
for but a year!
Dave's restored chair. Looks great!
The lift line disapearing into the woods.
The top of the Snow Valley Double.
One of the chairs still on the cable, its
been like that for over 15 years!
