“Northeast Slopes: A Living Example of Vermont’s Ski History”
The following are excerpts from an article that appeared in ‘Freshies Magazine,’ Burlington Free Press:
The Backstory
The Beginning … 1936
In the off-season of 1936 the Bradford (VT) Winter Sports Club had been formed with anticipation of utilizing a selected hill just west of Bradford village for the new found popularity of alpine skiing. With little snow in town come December, The Club’s president, George Eaton, was traveling along Route 25 in East Corinth on his way to Montpelier when he passed the side-hill pasture of the Eastman farm covered with a half-foot of freshly fallen snow. A handshake agreement with farmer and land owner, Eugene Eastman, was all that was needed to cement a partnership that lasted for the next quarter century.
From the Archive …1950 Video:
Ups and Downs … 1960s – 1970s
By the 1960s skiing in Vermont had grown in popularity and small local rope tows and simple lifts were cropping up in almost every town. But by the 1970s skyrocketing liability insurances took their toll on these small town facilities and skiers were favoring the bigger mountains with multiple chair lifts and gondolas.
Endurance & Dedication … Today
Somehow Northeast Slopes endured the tough transitions and continued to be revisited by generations of locals bringing up their children skiing weekends on natural conditions, riding up the hill all day hanging onto the original rope tow put into use in 1936. Northeast Slopes has survived by the dedication of its all volunteer staff, enabling us to offer affordable skiing and riding opportunities to those that maybe couldn’t afford the big mountain experience of today’s ski industry.
