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On Dec. 15, 1956, Polly Case straddled a small disk attached to a cable—a "poma lift"—and rode to the top of Holt's Ledge in Lyme Center, N.H., becoming the first patron of the College's then-brand-new ski area. Case was awarded the honor of the first ride up the mountain for suggesting the name of the ski area: the Dartmouth Skiway. An estimated 750,000 patrons later, the Dartmouth Skiway celebrates its 50th anniversary this winter. The past half-century has seen a number of significant changes since the old poma lift on Holt's Ledge, including the addition of snowmaking—now covering 64 percent of the Skiway's 104 skiable acres—in 1985; the installation of the Winslow Mountain quad chair across the road from Holt's Ledge; a significant upgrade to the Holt's Ledge chairlift; and the opening, in 2000, of the McLane Family Lodge. The Skiway is planning a series of events throughout the winter season to commemorate the anniversary, beginning with a special celebration on Dec. 29.
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