Willard Mountain going strong at 60
EASTON, N.Y. » Wintertime Saturday mornings meant one thing to Keith Mann while growing up in Greenwich.
He couldn’t wait to hit the slopes at Willard Mountain where he first learned to ski, just like generations of other local residents.
“I remember saving for my first set of skis, which were $35, brand-new with bindings,” said Mann, the site’s operations manager. “I used to have a lot of fun.”
Prices have obviously changed, but the mountain’s niche as a family-oriented attraction remains the same.
“This is like a family,” Mann said. “The employees are all like family. People we cater to, our customer base, becomes like family. Everybody knows each other, but we always welcome new people to the family, also. We are not the destination ski area. We cater to hometown people, although we often get people who come up from New York because they have family around here.”
Now owned by Chic and Kris Wilson, Willard Mountain first opened 60 years ago this winter when partners Chet Hack, Dave Vanderzee and Joe McGrath transformed the 500acre property into a small ski resort. Eastward-facing slopes hold snow well into early spring, especially now with modern snowmaking equipment.
“We added four new fan guns this year,” Mann said.
Lighted slopes are another reason for the mountain’s success as busloads of kids take part in afterschool, learn-to-ski programs, which run till 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Sue Hotaling coaches Stillwater High School’s 15-member Ski Club.
“The kids have a great time and conditions are always great here,” she said.
The mountain’s race course has seen the likes of Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin, who competed at Willard while skiing for Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont.
“We host at least two Section II high school races and four to six VARA (Vermont Alpine Racing Association) events each year,” Mann said. “Numerous schools come here to train.”
The upcoming President’s Week vacation period is one of the most important of the year for ski centers.
Because kids are out of school, Willard Mountain will depart from its normal night-time schedule and instead operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both this weekend and next. The tubing park, also a big draw, opens at 10 a.m. daily.
Ski trails are currently operating with 16-24 inches of base, although Mann said this winter, like the past few, has been a challenge because of extreme cold, which kept some people away, mixed with occasional rainy conditions.
“Basically what we’ve had to do is rebuild the mountain three times as far as snowmaking,” he said. “It’s been three tough years, no doubt about it. All the mountains have had to pinch pennies to keep going.”
But like anyone who depends on Mother Nature, Mann has learned to roll
with the punches.
“We don’t upset ourselves with the weather,” Mann said. “We don’t have time for that. We just worry about the things we can change.”
For employee Don Pearson, this means putting smiles on the faces of every youngster that exits the chairlift atop the mountain. He comes to work dressed in a funny outfit, like a big mountain lion, and encourages kids to have a good run with a “Dilly, Dilly” cheer.
From the summit, skiers can see from Vermont’s Green Mountains to the Adirondack High Peaks in New York. As late afternoon gives way to dusk, lights start appearing in farmhouses and hamlets down below.
Pearson doesn’t hesitate when asked why he likes his job.
“The kids, the beautiful view, being outside in the fresh air all day,” he said. “I can’t ask for more than that.”