Oxbow Mountain

Note-This area is on private property (its located behind a home) so please do not trespass. Thanks!

This small ski area operated from around 1971 until 1976 in West Bolton, and was owned by Jerry Mullen. Two-three main trails (with several smaller loops) were featured on its 380 foot drop. According to the Vermont Tramway inspection forms, the area originally had two pony lifts (1360' combined length), as well as a 500' rope tow during its opening season of 1971-1972. Then, for the 1972-1973 season, a 1475' long T-bar from Mad River Glen was installed, and the other lifts were removed. There is some possibility that there was a name change to "Eagle Rock" at some point during its last few seasons, but there is little evidence of this. The area lasted until 1976, when rising costs contributed to its closure.

The following is a passage from an article entitled "Forgotten Slopes," from the Burlington Free Press, March 12, 1994, written by Sally Pollak. Thanks to Andy Dufresne who provided this great article to NELSAP!

"...Oxbow Mountain, located on a dirt road in Jonesville, suffered a similar fate: The 5 year project of Jerry Mullen ended in 1975." [Jeremy's note - this was likely 1976 based on VT Tramway information]

"Oxbow was a gentle hill, hardly a resort: The 600 foot vertical slope was served by a T-bar that stands today, a relic of Vermont's skiing past."

"Mullen, who died at 77 in 1989, owned 1000 acres and always wanted to build a ski area, said his son, Gerard Mullen, a chemistry teacher at Burlington High School."

" ' I occasionally run into people who ask me, "whatever happened to that great little ski area?" said Gerard Mullen. The answer? "Escalating costs killed it, finally we could not get insurance. The insurance companies wouldn't even sell it."

To the right, a view of the T-bar in 1994, from the Burlington Free Press.

Photos

Before the T-bar was installed at Oxbow, it originally operated at Mad River Glen. Here it is being installed in 1958. This photo is generously provided courtesy of Mad River Glen, click on it for a larger version.

The T-bar operated at Mad River Glen through the 1971-1972 season, when it was replaced by the Practice Chair. Its former liftline is now the Cricket trail. This photo is generously provided courtesy of Mad River Glen, click on it for a larger version.

T-bar still standing at Oxbow, November 2002. Photo from Betsy McDonough.

The trail map from near the base lodge, showing the intermediate trail on the right and the expert on the right. Photo courtesy of Andy Dufresne

An aerial view of the area in 1999, courtesy of Terrasever. Notice at least most of the trails are still visible.