Traveling the Old Ski Tracks of New England

Traveling the Old Ski Tracks of New England
E. JOHN B. ALLEN
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 Englandoffers 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 aban-
doned in the face of changing tastes and a warming climate.

softcover, 320 pages, 10 illustrations

“The stories Allen tells cover a lot of early ski history
that is not well known to the skiing public today.
With different chapters covering different regions,
this book will appeal to a wide readership.”
—Jeremy K. Davis, author ofLost Ski Areas of the
Berkshiresand founder of the New England Lost Ski
Areas Project

“There’s such a depth of information in these pages
that manages to keep skiers connected to their
past. Allen delivers context to the historical factors
and people that are found on trail maps across the
region. There is a satisfaction in understanding
what helped build the slopes we ski today.”
—Eric Wilbur, coauthor of Thirty Years in a White
Haze: Dan Egan’s Story of Worldwide Adventure
and the Evolution of Extreme Skiing