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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.
In 1956, Polly Case took the first ride up the Dartmouth Skiway's new poma
lift. (Photo Dartmouth College Library)
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An estimated 750,000 patrons and a succession of major improvements after
Case's ride up the poma, the Dartmouth Skiway celebrates its 50th anniversary
this winter. One of only a handful of American ski areas owned by colleges or
universities, the Skiway has become a ski resource for the entire Upper Valley
community.
"Dartmouth holds a significant place in the history of American skiing,
with the Skiway as a prominent site in that history," says Skiway General
Manager Doug Holler. 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
construction, in 2000, of the McLane Family Lodge.
Home of the Dartmouth Ski
Team, the Skiway has been host to NCAA championships and scores of racers
who went on to compete in international and Olympic competition, as well as
community-based ski programs such as the Ford Sayre Memorial Ski Council and
Team Spectra, and after-school ski programs from nearby Thetford, Chelsea,
Strafford, and Bradford,Vt., and Orford and Lyme, N.H.
The Skiway is planning a series of events throughout the winter season to
commemorate the anniversary, beginning with a special celebration on Dec. 29.
In addition to the special events, the Skiway has offered special season pass
prices to the Upper Valley community.
For more information visit the Web
site or call (603) 795-2143.
By RICK ADAMS
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