Glendale
Ski Area
Newfane, VT
Mid 1950's-Early
1960's
The Glendale Ski Area was a small rope tow area
that operated from the mid 1950's to the early 1960's. The area was started by
Raymond Severance who was a carpenter and handyman, and was located 3 miles
north of Newfane on South Wardsboro Road. Raymond cleared all the trails and
owned all the equipment. It was one rope tow with a wide open slope. If you
missed the bottom, you ended up in Smith Brook!
Gordon Sadler's family owned the land and had
it leased to Raymond. According to Gordon, The area was insured through Lloyds
of London. Unfortunately, the insurance killed it off, and the area reverted
back to pasture.
| Gordon Sadler has
some more information on the area: I would like to contribute a ski area that
was on land owned by the Ray Sadler family in Newfane, Vermont. It was located
on Rand McNally maps of the era, about 3 miles north of Newfane on the South
Wardsboro Road. The ski area was started by our next door neighbors, Raymond
Severance, who was a carpenter and general handyman. He cleared the trails and
owned all of the equipment. My family leased him the land at a nominal annual
rental and required that he purchase liability insurance. (Gordon answers more questions below)
Do you know when it operated? Somewhere around the mid-fifties through the
early sixties.
Do you know why it closed? The insurance got too expensive. Lloyds of London
insured it.
Do you remember what lift was there? One rope tow, powered by Chevy engine.
Do you remember how many trails? It was one trail, quite wide on the bottom.
Do you have any funny stories regarding the area? Yes. The run out ended in
Smith Brook if you didn't stop in time.
Do you have exact directions? Yes. 3 miles north of Newfane on the South
Wardsboro Road, across from a white Cape and large barns.
What was your general impression of the area? It was very small, fun and full of
locals.
Right - the drive for the tow, and
warming hut. Thanks to Spencer Crispe for
finding this photo!
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Jon Abel has more
information as well:
At one time there was a little family run
operation in Newfane, about three miles from the village up the Wardsboro
Road. It was run by the Severances, but Pop was all I remember for a name.
His son, Pete, who lived right there for many years after has also died and
the place is now in pasture I believe. The place was known as Glendale and
was noted on the State maps long after it had closed up. When the operation
may have begun I have no idea, but had closed by 1970 +/-. There were two
rope tows, home made of course and a little warming hut that I can only
vaguely remember. There was parking for a few cars and the area was accessed
by crossing a brook on a small foot bridge. Looking back on it I can't
imagine that the tows could have been much more the 200 - 300 feet in
length.Left - a view of the slope,
courtesy of Spencer Crispe.
If you remember
this ski area, just let us know.
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Last updated: Nov 12, 2013
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