Middlebury College Snow Bowl

The Middlebury College Snow Bowl is a ski area in Hancock, Vermont, 13 miles (21 km) east of Middlebury in the Green Mountains. The site has been owned and operated by Middlebury College since its first trails were cut in 1934.[1] The Snow Bowl has 17 trails and 3 lifts, offering access to more than 110 acres (0.45 km2) of terrain. In 2006, it became the first carbon-neutral ski area in the United States.[2]

Middlebury College Snow Bowl
LocationHancock, Vermont, US
Coordinates43.94°N 72.96°W / 43.94; -72.96
Top elevation2720 ft (808 m)
Base elevation1720 ft (488 m)
Skiable area110 acres (0.45 km2)
Runs17
Lift system3 chairs
Snowfall250 in (635 cm)
WebsiteHome / Report

History

The third-oldest ski area in Vermont, the Snow Bowl has hosted intercollegiate competitions since the 1930s. The original lodge—a traditional log cabin—was built in 1938 and remains the oldest standing base lodge in the nation.[3] A modern lodge, Neil Starr Shelter, a gift of insurance magnate and Stowe Mountain Resort owner Cornelius Vander Starr, was completed in 1962 and completely renovated and expanded in 2004. Along with the Dartmouth Skiway, the Snow Bowl is one of two remaining college-owned ski areas in the eastern United States.

The Mountain

Located on the north slope of Worth Mountain, the Snow Bowl rises near Middlebury Gap on land willed to Middlebury College by Joseph Battell in 1915. The property is surrounded by the Joseph Battell Wilderness, land once owned by the College but now part of the Green Mountain National Forest. Averaging 250 inches (6.4 m) of natural snowfall annually,[4] additional snowmaking covers nearly half of all trails, including most terrain served by the Worth Mountain and Sheehan chairlifts. The Snow Bowl's eastern face, colloquially known as "the backside", relies mainly on natural snow and is accessed by the Bailey Falls triple chairlift. In December 2012, a magic carpet was added, for the mountain's youngest skiers.

The Snow Bowl is home to the Middlebury College Alpine Ski Team. A volunteer ski patrol, staffed primarily by students, provides on-mountain medical services. Members are certified as Outdoor Emergency Care technicians and trained in first aid, chairlift evacuation, and toboggan handling. The mountain has also provided a base for local ski racers and supports the Middlebury Ski Club, the interscholastic team at Middlebury Union High School.

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-02-02. Retrieved 2008-02-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Middlebury College ski facility takes carbon neutrality to new heights". web.archive.org. November 30, 2006.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-03-01. Retrieved 2008-02-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-02-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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