Colby College operated a typical college ski area in Waterville during the 1960's. Most likely, it was open to students and townspeople. Remarkably, this area had snowmaking. I'm sure many Colby College students learned to ski at this affordable area. Cross country skiing was added during the mid 1970's.
I asked the the head Alpine Skiing Coach for Colby, Mark
Godomsky, on some information about the ski area:
"The Colby Ski Area was located 2 miles from the Colby Campus in Waterville, Me. It was opened in 1960 and closed around 1971 with the increase in insurance costs and lack of snow making technology. It had a 1200 ft T-bar a rope tow, and a 32 meter ski jump." |
|
The following is Colby College Ski Area info from the
guidebooks. Looks like some of
those later entries could be "ghost entries", that is, entries that continued
despite an area being closed.
1960
(Mark
Godomsky, Head Alpine Ski Coach)
Colby College Ski
Area opens.
1966
(America's
Ski Book)
265 foot vertical
drop
1968
(Unknown
Ski Guide)
1200 foot T-bar
1 trail, 2 slopes
Snowmaking, night
skiing, 32 meter jump, lodge
Operates daily
1969
(Eastern
Ski Map)
T-bar lift
2 slopes (nov and
int)
Packers, ski school,
parking
1971
(Maine
Skiing Guide)
1280 foot T-bar
2 slopes, expert trail
32 meter jump, lodge,
snack bar, night skiing
Snowmaking
1973
(Ski
Guide to the Northeast)
Located 1 mile north
of Waterville, Rte 104
Vertical: 250 feet
Exposure: west
Features: Area operates
daily, snowmaking equipment, night skiing, 2 lifts (T-bar, rope tow)
850 per hour capacity,
3 trails, parking for 200 cars
Ski school for Colby
College students only, no ski shop or snack bar
Rates: Weekday $1.50
adult, $1.50 junior
Weekend: $2.50 adult
and junior
Season: $30.00 adult,
$30.00 junior
1979
(Eastern
Ski Map)
T-bar, 2 slopes (nov
and int), ski school, cross country, packer