For over a century New Englanders have taken to the slopes in search of
ways to enjoy the coldest months, and skiing has deep roots in the
region. In the late nineteenth century Scandinavian immigrants worked to
educate snowbound locals on how to ski, make equipment, and prepare
trails. Soon thereafter, colleges across the Northeast built world-class
ski programs, massive jumps were constructed in Brattleboro and Berlin,
and dozens of ski areas--big and small--cropped up from the 1930s
through the 1960s.
Traveling the Old Ski Tracks of New England offers a fascinating
history of downhill, cross-country, and backcountry skiing across the
region and its leading personalities. Moving from popular destinations
like Stowe, Cannon, Bromley, and Mount Washington to the less
intimidating hills surrounding Boston, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, E.
John B. Allen also recovers the forgotten stories of ski areas that have
been abandoned in the face of changing tastes and a warming climate.