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Mid-Atlantic Lost Ski Areas:

Ski College Mountain

Near Emmitsburg, Maryland

Historical Overview

DCSki reader Matt Kavlick provides the following information on an almost-resort that is now lost to time:

“Ski College Mountain, near Emmitsburg, Maryland, was a proposed 1,000-foot vertical drop ski area that was partially built, but never opened. Plans included a lodge, restaurant, and scenic nature trails for the resort. At one time a ‘select timber harvest’ carved ski trails out of the 1,710-foot-high mountain. Just a few miles from Liberty Mountain in Fairfield, Pennsylvania, the 500-acre mountain was eventually deeded to the town of Emmitsburg. According to Ed Waters, staff writer for Emmitsburg.net, the town may put in nature hiking trails on the mountain.

Although Ski College Mountain only existed on paper, the ski resort is certainly ‘lost’ in the sense that the deal fell through the cracks. I am not sure if purest would consider Ski College Mountain a ‘Lost Ski Resort.’ However, the existence of ski trails as indicated in the photo at best makes Ski College Mountain a borderline case.”

Although overgrown, it is still possible to make out the ski trails cut into the mountain. However, plans for the resort fell through before the slopes could ever open.
An overhead shot of Ski College Mountain. Although overgrown, it is still possible to make out the ski trails cut into the mountain. However, plans for the resort fell through before the slopes could ever open. Image courtesy of USGS.

If you have any additional information about this ski area, please contact DCSki's Editor, or add your comments by scrolling below. To view historical information about other lost ski areas in the Mid-Atlantic region, click here. Note that DCSki's Lost Ski Areas section contains recollections pieced together by DCSki readers. We try to continually develop a clearer and more accurate picture of closed ski areas, but understand that some of the details reported on this page may be inaccurate.

Reader Comments

The views and opinions expressed in DCSki Article Comments are strictly those of the comment authors and have not been reviewed or approved by DCSki. If you believe a comment is inaccurate or inappropriate, please contact DCSki's Editor.

Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by JohnyB
February 7, 2006 at 12:40 am
I skied there after a big storm Two times after hiking up the hill.
College Mtn would have been a nice Ski Area.
Frederick county missed out by not aproving it.
One Summer Day I drove by the Logging OP and always Hoped that the MTN opened as a Ski Area.
 
I skied that mountain! - posted by gorilla
April 14, 2006 at 12:03 pm
If you want to read about it - check out my site:
http://gorillasadventures.blogspot.com/2005/12/ski-college-mountain-bushwack.html

I am glad it's not a ski resort now though. We need forest land.

Kanye West in '08
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by Keith
January 28, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Seems to me if you list this area as "lost" you should probably also list Tory Mountain near Harman in West Virginia. The slopes were cut on Job Knob in the early 80's and you can still see them on Google Earth.
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by Richard Hays
January 29, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Back in the ( late eighties? ) I drove up via 4x4 to check it out for a potential place to fly a hangglider from. All I can remember was it was going to be a GREAT place to ski. Great trail layout. Steep on the top, rolling off to a more beginner-intermediate pitch. At the time, they were still clearing some of the trails of felled timber. Would have given Whitetail a run for its money for sure!
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by DCSki Reader
November 12, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Actuly the Partial Resort was owned by Snow Time - The current owners of liberty, whitetail, ski roundtop, and Windum. I was working for the state when they were trying to open it. For the most part, it was finished, but the county would not let them open it.
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by newman-123@live.com
August 17, 2008 at 9:19 am
I spoke to someone working at Liberty back in 93. He said the trails were cut, but the base area was on town land. The local tree-huggers stoped any further progress. He also said that the owners of Liberty, at that time, we working to open College Mt. for the 2000 season. Its to bad. This mountain was big, especialy for that area. With the right direction, thia area really could have been a success. Newman. Hidden Valley NJ
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by newman-123@live.com
August 17, 2008 at 9:25 am
That guy Keith in the comment was right. You guys should do a section on Tory Mt,WV. I looked on GoogleEarth. That looks like it could have been a nice, big place. I will try to find info on this area. Newman. HiddenValleyNJ
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by newman-123@live.com
August 20, 2008 at 11:36 pm
I found alot on Tory Mt on snowjournal.com. It is worth checking out.
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by Kevin
October 12, 2008 at 12:22 pm
IRT: Tory Mountain. I visited the site in the early 1980's. Had to obtain a key to unlock a metal gate which prevented access to a shallow spot across the creek. Had a 4WD and crossed the creek and through some bushes on the other side to reach an initially narrow dirt path. This soon opened up into a wide and well graveled main entry road which wound up to the base area. There were some large metal maintenance buildings there as well as several ski slopes already cut. Sad that Tory has never been further developed. As I understood it at the time, (Dentist) Dr. Thomas Brigham (the same gentleman who originally started Snowshoe) was the owner/developer. Many years ago I read of accounts of folks who had skiied Tory using a helicopter to take them to the top of the Mountain. It sounded as if they had quite enjoyed it.
 
Follow-up Comments on Tory Mountain - posted by Kevin
October 22, 2008 at 11:54 am
I did indeed find it as someone else mentioned on Google Earth south and a bit east of Harman, WV. I well remember the flattened "Z" switchback in the road leading to the base of Tory Mt. There were far more trails cut in the Google Earth photo than I remembered. I would think Marsh Mt. LLC ought to seriously consider starting with just a single used chair lift going to the top (but probably offset to one side since it would not ultimately serve as the "main" lift) and begin "day-only" operations with a joint ticket system combined with Canaan Valley and Timberline for a somewhat higher price. You could then ski any of the "three mountains" on just one lift ticket. I'm sure they would get a good number of skiers wishing to experience an additional mountain. Later, they could continue to develop Tory Mountain further.
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by PRHELT
October 21, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I just remember the talk about this place a long time ago. Back in the 80's I think. I remember they had an office or something just as you went into downtown Emmitsburg on you way to Liberty. The sign said "Ski College Mountain". We were all looking forward to it. It then just disappeared. To bad.
 
Comments on Ski College Mountain - posted by George
January 31 at 1:11 pm
Does anyone know how to get there from route 15?
I'd love to hike the mountain and check it out.
 

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