White Mountain Ski Area

Drove up Pritts Distillery Rd last week, seeing if some old school friends were at their cabin and went to the top of the mountain. The area between the slopes and the road is very overgrown. There is a sign on the driveway leading to the lodge reading "White Mt Backcountry Club. Private". Just beyond was a break in the trees and I could see an overgrown meadow and the ever present old rim on a pole.

I began my skiing career at White Mt. on my 4th birthday in its openning season in 1960. I watched the area be sold to an out of state owner then go almost derelict as the old lifts were removed and a series of irresponsible tenants neglected the place. I'd had enough by two years ago when with a group of close friends we booted the tenants and made a deal to rent the place saving it from the wrecking ball. We cleaned and repaired the place which was really a monumental undertaking. We've since cut some of the old trails, mowed the main slope and laid extensive X-C trails. Its now a little slice of heaven. Its still private but we never turn away the curious.

I began my skiing career at White Mt. on my 4th birthday in its openning season in 1960. I watched the area be sold to an out of state owner then go almost derelict as the old lifts were removed and a series of irresponsible tenants neglected the place. I'd had enough by two years ago when with a group of close friends we booted the tenants and made a deal to rent the place saving it from the wrecking ball. We cleaned and repaired the place which was really a monumental undertaking. We've since cut some of the old trails, mowed the main slope and laid extensive X-C trails. Its now a little slice of heaven. Its still private but we never turn away the curious.

great job on your project . i was the ski patrol leader at white mt late sixties through closing in 79 great old place everyone knew each other.the lifts consisted of a poma on the left as your looking up the slope a rope tow in center and a t bar on the right not used much.
the main slope was called the great white way center, to the left of the poma a steep narrow trail called big chief. and on top striaght arrow
which crossed the top of the slope and wrapped around the right back to the poma a nice long run. there was also a plan to cross pritts rd via a bridge and continue the slope to the valley floor creating a verticalof about 1200'
the owner was ben haseltine a lawyer from pittsburgh
their ws also one that went through the woods at the top not used much cant remember the name

My family cabin is on Pritts Distillery, and ever since I was little, I've hiked up to White Mountain, a place we kids called the "Top of the World." It's always been a special place to our family, since it was where my dad, aunts, and uncles all learned to ski.

The lodge is completely retro, and it really is fixed up perfectly. It is the quintessential 1970's ski lodge, and successfully captures the mountain lifestyle.

I love this place, and so do all of my cousins and friends. I just hope we are lucky enough to form as many special memories on this mountain as our parents have before us.

-Carolyn Waugaman, age 17

I'm looking for any and all old White Mt. photos or family histories. Also, we are always looking for new partners. SW

Steve,

Just moved into the White Mountain community. 12 Winter way, Sokol's place. I am interested in helping to maintain trails, or getting the place rehabed in any way. Let me know if I can help out. Its a really cool place that just needs some TLC... Stop by anytime...

Hi Steve,

Hope you see this posting as I didn't know how to contact you. I'm interested in hiking/biking with people in the Laurel Highlands area and wondered if you're up for it. If so, you can reach me at cms14@bellsouth.net. It would be great to see you and meet some of your friends. --Chris

Was White Mountain called "Hazeltine Hills" in the early 70's ? I was looking for information on Hazeltine Hills (HH) in the lost ski area section and I came across White Mountain (which sounded very similar to HH). As I read some of the comments - it states that it was owned by Pittsburgh lawyer Ben Hazeltine. It is the same place - I am just wondering about the possible name change. I skied there in the winters of 72 thru 74. Somewhere in the 50 reels of slides I have of my fathers I bet we have some pictures.
I remember the gas shortage during the winter of 74-75 and carrying a 5 gallon can of gas with us (inside the station wagon) in case the service stations were closed in that area. We lived in the Ingomar area at the time (North of Pittsburgh).
As a novice skier it was a great place to ski with plenty of room and never a wait at the lift line.
I remember a poma lift that went to the top and next to it was a T bar that went mid way then a rope tow on the beginner slope. Possibly another T bar or poma lift too.

I came across this location last March and was puzzled on what I was looking at. You mention extensive xc trails have been developed. Is there trail maps? bkirch@nauticom.net

Is this area visible from Seven Springs? Is it the big treeless peak due west from the Lost Girl trail and visible in many places on Countyline Road? If so, are people allowed to hike up there in winter and ski it? I would love to hike for some fresh turns sometime. Also, I would love to hear anything else anyone knows about the area. Thanks!

My parents built a chalet up on that wild mountain back in the 70's. I haven't been back for more than 20 years! It's just about as good as it gets for unspoiled outdoors -- no commercial intrusions! I have fond memories of white mountain -- the wild, wild weather, the great trails and hiking, and mountain biking and the good people who lived in that community when we were there. It's a pretty special, and cool place that I would like to try and get back to someday. May take a ride up over the holidays. I think I was one of the last to take a run down Hazeltine Hills slopes before it went defunct for good. What's going on there these days?

My parents built a chalet up on that wild mountain back in the 70's. I haven't been back for more than 20 years! It's just about as good as it gets for unspoiled outdoors -- no commercial intrusions! I have fond memories of white mountain -- the wild, wild weather, the great trails and hiking, and mountain biking and the good people who lived in that community when we were there. It's a pretty special, and cool place that I would like to try and get back to someday. May take a ride up over the holidays. I think I was one of the last to take a run down Hazeltine Hills slopes before it went defunct for good. What's going on there these days?

The owner of White Mountain, Ben Haseltine (no Z), was my step-father. I was 13 years old (1962-63)when he and two others purchased the land which would eventually become White Mountain (150 acres). Like the original Seven Springs Lodge, the White Mountain Lodge was built using all local materials. It is pretty much the only thing left standing today. My Dad was a past president of the Pittsburgh Ski Club and an avid skier, thus his interest in developing an area.
After two years of operation, he bought out the other two investors and continued to operate the ski area until 1978-79. We were only open on weekends and had no snow making so we were at the mercy of mother nature, who usually came through. I like the recollection of one of the other commentors about the wild weather on the mountain. I have skied all over the world and there are few, if any places, that can get colder and windier that White Mountain when a winter storm hits. It's northern exposure is what saved us in terms of holding snow.
It was truly a Mom and Pop operation. During the week, my Dad was a practicing attorney, and my mother was a full time school teacher. On the weekends, my Mom ran the snack bar, my Dad sold lift tickets ($3.50)and ran the rental shop, and I, my brother, a school chum and some local guys operated and maintained the lifts, sno cat, and snow plows. I think there was more duct tape per square foot at White Mountain than any other place on earth! It was brutal work that lasted year round, but when ski season hit, it was the best. I'll talk more about actual skiing memories in my next installment.
Yes, you can see the ski area from the Gunnar lift and the open cut on Lost Girl Trail at Seven Springs. However, the slopes are to the left of the big white open mountain top that first grabs your attention. Our main slope, the Great White Way is now almost back to its original fully wooded condition, as are the Poma lift line and the trails.
As part of the original development, we also subdivided a portion of land into lots for chalets. These lots included sewage and water and are now populated with both full time and weekend dwellings. My family sold our original chalet in the mid eighties and moved back to an A-frame located off the original parking lot. My Dad finally sold the place to a guy from New England in the early nineties. He had some initial plans for development, but nothing ever came of it. We continued to spend weekends at "The Mountain" until the late nineties when our agreement with the new owner turned the chalet over to him. My Dad died in 2001, and about three years later the A-frame burned down.
Between 1963 and 1979 White Mountain was one of Western PA's best kept secrets. KDKA's Patti Burns skied there every weekend. It was like a private club. A big day for us was 150 people. We never made a penny on it, but my Dad was stubborn and refused to let his dream die. For all of us who grew up skiing at White Mountain, we will be forever grateful that he did.
More to come....

Fred
Thanks for the update / information! Please do provide "more to come..."! I think some boarders were earning some turns there this weekend. :-)
Paul C.

Great web site! I perfected the art of skiing "crud" at White Mountain when I was young. To this day, I remember the unpacked, ungroomed, steep face of The Great White Way. You never had any problems finding untracked /skied snow. You lay down tracks that would still be visible the following weekend. It was like our own private ski area. The short slope to the skiers left always seemed to have a huge headwall (snow drift) at the top. I also remember waiting until no one was coming up the lift and trying to ski the lift line. White Mountain is the reason I ski like I do today - FAST!
Thanks for the great memories!

Steve and crew have done a great job in salvaging this hill for some earn your turns. Stunning and peaceful during the week. Wags

Good day everyone! I was at 7springs this past weekend and rode the lift up with a guy who was talking about white mountain, about how it used to be in business but is now kept up by locals. After a few good google searches I came across this discussion board. My curiosity has the best of me here!

7springs is my home mountain. I went to school in washington PA and went there 4-5 times a week in the winter. Now that I am getting into hiking for my turns, i am very interested in making contact with those involved in this white mountain "project". I am returning to 7springs in two weekends and would love to throw my skins and AT bindings on and give it a go out there. I am deathly curious to check it out when i am up there next! If anyone has any information that they would mind sharing, please email me at mike@fowgroup.com. also, does anyone know how to join the White Mt Backcountry Club? can ex-locals join up? :) Thanks everyone!

Try knocking on the door of the old lodge at base. Explain your desires and get ready for the tour! Enjoy! Paul C.

Rumor has it that 7springs has purchased the resort and the current tenants have till the end of the month to get out...

White Mountain might come alive again.

I skied haseltine hills in the 70's. My family has a cabin there. It was never crowded. I have very fond memories of skiing there. I can remember the chili at the snack bar and the smells of the big fireplace. I have heard that the mountain was recently purchased by seven springs. I hope they put a chairlift on all 1200 feet of white mountain someday.

Hi. I'm Brett's mom. I can remember the fierce winters and the time the snow fence wasn't put up in time for the snow. We couldn't get past Shepler's farm on the sharp curve of the road. We got the road plowed as far as the Ski Lodge and hiked through deep snow to our cabin. The warmest place in the cabin was the refrigerator. We went skiing, dirt biking, hiking, rafting, frog hunting and participated in the activities at Seven Springs. Lois

I remembered hearing rumors about some defunct ski areas in the Laurel Highlands where you could work for your turns, and managed to stumble across this page. Does anyone have info on White Mountain's current status, or contact info for the current tenants (assuming the Springs rumors aren't true)?

Contact me at patrick.lanigan@gmail.com

Ad from 1969 Ski Atlas on teachski.com

http://teachski.com/books/nationalsurvey/pawhite.jpg

Woah! That ad definately does not direct one to the White Mt in question. That sounds alot like Laurel Mt. (6mi east of Ligonier on 30, 810' vertical, chairlift, etc)

none of the rumors are true
thanks for your continued interest in White Mountain
Doug Green
present owner of White Mountain

My husband, Bob, was on the NSPS at White Mountain back in the late 60's early 70's. We built a ski lodge half way up the mountain so we could ski down to the lifts and ski down from the mountain to our lodge. We sold the lodge in 1972 (aprox) and my son and daughter and I went back to visit it (the owners at that time allowed us to come in and look over the place). We were disheartened to see that they had carpeted the beautiful wood flooring my husband had installed.
Dave Panza, where are you? If you read this, contact me at: Clara19126@msn.com.

Trish

Wow...this takes me back!

Our family lived just down the way near the end of what is apparently now called "Snowdrift Lane". I was very young when we lived there, from birth to about 6 years old (1970-1976), and I don't remember a whole lot about it. I do remember those "red dog" roads, Sheplers & some of the other families up there, "the back way" over to Seven Springs...long time ago!

Our family lived there year-round and were among the few cabin people who did; most everyone just came up for ski weekends or for the summer. The winter weather could indeed be nasty! I recall many times being out of power for days, maybe weeks at a time...stockpiling food, keeping warm by only the heat of the fire. We had a Jeep Wagoneer (actually a couple of them) and I remember my older brothers bouncing up and down on the tailgate to get enough traction to get to the top of the road when we were really snowed in!

Regarding White Mountain/Haseltine Hills; I learned to ski there at the tender age of about 3. It seems we were there or at Seven Springs nearly every weekend in the winter (though my memory may be fuzzy on that). In the summertime we'd hike "up top the mountain", quite an expedition for a little tyke. I quite vividly recall going up around Seven Springs airport just after the fatal plane crash in spring of 1974, though I don't think I knew it was fatal at the time.

I remember Ben and the family, I think their cabin was at the end of the other road (Winter Way), not really sure if that's right. My oldest brother Jeff and Fred's brother Scott now live about a mile apart in the Raleigh, NC area (and didn't know it for many years); they remain good friends.

I will ask around with my family; we may have some old photos from that time...I am sure some exist, somewhere. I haven't been back there since the mid 1980s or so but am keen to come back and see how it's changed. I live very far away now (Silicon Valley, California) but I do think of those old days despite being very young. I miss those mountains!

Josh

I have pics, as do various members of the family, although, not digitized. Trish Shiesser, I helped your husband build your house. Mr. Panza, maybe you'll remember me. My Dad was the director of the ski school in the early days and as brother Josh above says, we liked it so much , we moved there. Have not been back since 1998. jhadley@nc.rr.com

We lived (full time) at White Mountain for 12 years and I loved it there. I remember one Christmas I got 4 new snow tires and a tow rope as a present, and promptly set about hauling people out of snowdrifts and people whose cars had "slid" off the road. It was a very lucrative venture. Although I didn't charge anything for the service, just about everyone paid me for the tow.
My two oldest boys used to help Dave Shepler bring in the hay every summer, 2 times if they were lucky.
I remember White Mountain as the most beautiful and serene place that I ever lived.
Hi to Fred and Scott Hanks, the Sheplers, the Scheissers and Dave Panza.

I forgot to say that I also have pictures. Most of them are of our family, some taken at the lodge at White Mountain.

What a blast to have found this sight! Living in Charleston SC pretty much guarantees that the skiing I do is in my dreams- but I remember being a 7 Springs passholder in the early 90's and some friends had rented the ski lodge (winter 91-92?) Yes, typical party bums, probably the tenants they mention evicting early on- but we had a ball in that old building. That fireplace still sets the standard for me for all stone fireplaces. Thanks for the trip into the past and I am glad to hear the property is in loving hands.

I grew up with Steve, Amy, John and Rusty Waugaman, and often heard of their exploits at their family place up at White Mountain.

Reading these postings, I vow to get my kids away from Blue Mountain here in eastern PA westward to White Mountain. Thanks for the inspiration.

White Mountain is for sale. A great opportunity. For more info e mail jamescourtney@howardhanna.com
or go to http://545prittsdistilleryrd.howardhanna.com

To Josh Hadley; My Wife and I purchased the Ben Hazeltine house in January 2003 and have done alot of remodeling. It is located near the bottom of Snow Drift Lane, not Winter Way. Still has that entire stone wall with fireplace. The neighborhood is still very social with dinner get togethers nearly every weekend. If you have any pictures of the mountain the way it was, we would all appreciate if you or anyone that has pictures, could scan them and send them to me at jschombert@verizon.net. I will share them with the neighborhood. all anuone seems to have is the one posted on this website.

My name is David Ludwig (David B the 3rd to be presie). My father and "Uncle Ben" were very good friends..which included skiing in Western Pa. and Mt Tremblant (sp?) in Canada.

I remember White Mountain and skied there with my Dad and brothers Al, Tom and John...oh, yes and my sister Margaret (nick named "Fawn Lawn" for the old run at 7 Springs that took you from Wagner Bowl to what was "Suicide" and later Alpine Meadowns...I think.

I live in Lake Oswego, Oregon, just south of Portland. yes, we can sli 12 months a year so eat your heart out all of you east coast blue ice sliers. Just kidding!

I will hoist one tonight to Uncle Ben and White Mountain.

Dave

I remember skiing at White MOuntain with my dad (Dave Ludwig Jr) and my brothers. I also remember taking friends there to ski after college. Such a serene and beautiful place to ski. Uncle Ben and his family created this family friendly atmosphere to enjoy skiing with family and friends. The way skiing used to be in the "old days".

Like my brother Dave 3, I will hoisting a cold one to Uncle Ben and White Mountain.

Ben Haseltine and Tom Hemphill were the co-owners and founders of the White Mountain ski area in Fayette County, Pa. It opened in December 1962 via a PPG article Dec 13, 1962. It featured three runs of 2200 feet, 1700 foot long poma lift 18 feet high, and two rope tows.380 ft elevation. The ski lodge had snack bar, ski shop, rentals. There were plans for a 4300 foot long double chair lift for the 1963-64 season. In December 1973 White Moutain was renamed Haseltine Hills via a Dec 27, 1973 PPG article. Dec. 28, 1977 PPG article stated Ben Haseltine leased his ski area to a non-profit group called White Mountain Club led by President David Panza.

Jan. 19, 1963, White Mountain hosted the Western Ski Council Ski race-a 40 gate slalom event. Suzy Treon (time 1:02) and Rem Drury (45 sec) were the female and male winners. Racers from Laurel Mt.-Pittsburgh-Westmoreland-Triple Nine-Mon Valley and Pittsburgh Intercollegiate competed.

any one know if mike tomlin bought the place?

Word around the mountain is that one of the Pritts family purchased the old White Mountain Lodge and acreage...someone took dumptrucks full of trash/garbage out the Lodge - it appears to be empty...we'll see what follows!

I currently own the "Hadley" cabin at the end of Snowdrift lane. I have had it for 25 years. We have been going to White Mountain and Seven Springs for many more years. How great to hear the Hadley "kids" talk about the cabin we love so much.

My family has property on Pritts Distillery Road and we grew up with the Waugaman and Graffam kids just down the road. The first time I ever skied was at White Mountain around about 1968. It was scary (I was 12). But I loved hanging out and drinking hot chocolate at the lodge. Hanging out at a ski lodge is still something I love to do. And tho I was never a huge skier in Pa - I currently live in Alaska and ski X-country all winter here. Cheers and see you on the run.

I am writing this on Nov. 18,2010, from Portsmouth, VA, where Bob and I finally wound up.
We have purchased a new home and love it.
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN REACH DAVE PANZA? DOES HE HAVE AN E-MAIL ADDRESS? MINE IS:
CLARA19126@MSN.COM. Would love to hear from Dave, as he was the one who broke trail for me
up on top of the mountain into the trees back in
the late 60's or early 70's.
Just loved White Mountain. Bob built a ski lodge to the left of the hill where we could ski down from the lodge to the lifts, and ski to our Lodge coming back down the slope.
We knew Ben Haseltine and borrowed his tractor while building the Lodge. Some people bought it and covered the beautiful wood floors that Bob had laid down, with carpeting.
PLEASE, IF ANYONE CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH DAVE PANZA, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE HE CAN BE REACHD.

GO TO OUR WEBSITE: oldlieutenantpress.com
to see the books that I have written.

Fondly,
Trish Schiesser and Happy Thanksgiving.

I have an original sign from White Mt. Is is a wood sign with engraving on both sides, 2" x 8" 5 ft. long. One side says "Ski White Mt. 4 mi." the other side says "Ski White Mt." Would anyone be interested in this sign. I've had it for about 25 years.
south.russell@gmail.com

That (false) rumor about 7Springs or the Dupre family purchasing White Mountain is an old one. I heard it back in the '90's.

We rented the white mountain lodge over the MLK weekend for several years during the mid '90's. Lots of great times sitting around that huge fireplace after long days of skiing.

Got a few good turns in there a couple years back. The owner at the time, Steve?, invited me and my brother to come ski there. Thanks!
Still open for earn yer turns runs?

HEY ALL THIS LOOKS LIKE THE WHITE MT FACEBOOK JUST WANT TO SAY HI TO ALL THE HANKS .ANN FRED SCOTT, HADLEYS ,SCHIESSERS,MUSTAS RUSS AND DAD, DOWBENKOS. DANKOS .JIM RICHARDS,SHEPLERS, AND THE OTHER WHITE MT GROUPIES. IVE WORKED AND SKIED ALL OVER THE WORLD THE LAST 1000 YRS AND STILL TELL PEOPLE SOME OF THE MOST FUN IVE EVER HAD ON SKIIS WAS AT WHITE MT. LOVE TO ALL GET OUT THERE AND CRANK SOME TURNS DAVE PANZA
PS MY EMAIL davidpanza@hotmail.com

Haven't checked out this site in a while. Man it sure is great hearing all the old memories so many people have about White Mt. The good news is that I'm still skiing and still doing it with some old white mountain dudes. Now we hang at the Springs. Too bad the Nuttings have ruined it. Speaking of rumors, I heard that Mike Tomlin bought all or some of White Mountain. Can anyone verify that?

One night in Summer 2008, I found myself at a huge party at White Mountain Lodge. They had a complete, professional-grade mechanical bull-riding setup in the back yard. It was epic. Strangely, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin showed up for a little while - he even took a few turns on the mechanical bull.

My parents owned a cabin on the street closest to the lodge in the late 70's and 80's. Never got to ski there, it was closed down. We did sled ride like crazy on our cabin road. So many great memories there.

The lane nearset the lodge is SnowDrift Lane, named by Evelyn Alcorn in the 1970's. Jeff and Evelyn are retired now and living on Snowdrift in a greatly expanded "cabin". They also built an apartment and garage on the lot nearest the road and rent it for the ski season or weekends other times.
Most have been updated and expanded. Linda and I are near the bottom of SnowDrift in the Ben Hazeltine house which we have pretty much renovated.
Jenn, which cabin did your parents own? The lodge was sold to a company owned by one of the Pritts families. Not yet sure of their plans for the Lodge and acreage.

HEY WT MT GROUPIES, YES NOTHING LIKE MEMORIES. IAM PRESENTLY A SUPERVISOR AT THE HIDDEN VALLEY RESORT SKI SCHOOL.STILL SKIING ALOT WITH GRAND CHILDREN NOW BUT NOTHING LIKE IT .
I MOVED TO CHAMONIX FRANCE AND SPENT 9 YEARS AS A SKIIG GUIDE SKIING INTO SWITZERLAND AND INTO THE ITALIAN SIDE . HAD GROUPS EVERY WEEK. I RETURNED TO THE STATE S IN LATE 90S AND TUAGHT AND SUPERVISED AT THE SEVEN SPRINGS SCHOOL FOR SOME YEARS . HAVE SKKIS WILL TRAVEL. JUST RETURNED FROM UTAH SKIING WITH A COUPLE GROUPS .GREAT TIME.
ALSO DARRYL RICHARDS TRIED TO CONTACT ME AND I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED HER EMAIL. IAS IT CAME THROUGH JUNK MAIL. HER FATHER WASTHE PATROLLEADER PRIOR TO MYSELF BECOMING PATROLLEADER, DARYL CONTACT ME AGAIN AND WE CAN CHAT ABOUT THE OLD MT.

my parents owned the cabin on the second street about 3 down on the left. It was a chalet style. All stained wood with a deck. Such great times up there as a child. Two cabins down from us was a family with kids (older boys and two adopted younger girls) hung out with them all the time.

Jenn,
The house with the kids was the Harrisons and is the house we bought about 8 years ago. The Kropelaks are our neighbors and Courtney still comes up with her parents nearly every weekend. Everyone has made big improvements to their homes recently and it is really a great neighborhood. Stop by and say hello if you get a chance to visit.

Was at my cabin on Snowdrift Lane in July, 2012. Great to have a few beers at Patty & Andys and renew friendships with Eve & Jeff Alcorn. Also the Schomberts. Great place!!! Although in Florida, I try to visit as often as I can.

Does anybody know if brett is still around at the end of the road?

Dean,

I have not seen Brett around for ages, since the remainder of the late 90's crew all grew apart!

brett still owns the cabin. last i heard his step daughter was living there. id say stop by and get contact info

if you arent local anymore you can email me for his cell pac72@hotmail.com

Does anyone by chance know who bought The lodge and property? We rode by this weekend on the snowmobile and they are doing some major construction to the whole lodge as well as a seperate structure consisting of a 3 car garage. Looks like a new ski lodge to me!!

All I can say is " it's gonna be AWESOME!"

Hey Russell do you still have that old White Mountain sign ?

The lodge and property were bought by Jeff Pritts. Jeff Alcorn had talked to him and it is going to be his own ski house.

My husband, Keith Pritts purchased White Mountain in March of 2010 and we are currently in the process of renovating the lodge into a home. As the demolition progressed, we ended up needing to remove more of the original structure than initially intended. We maintained all of the original stone work, some of the main timber structures, and kept the same footprint of White Mountain Lodge. We're excited about our project and would love to see pictures from back in the days of operation. If anyone has any they could share copies of, we would greatly appreciate it.

My Dad bought our whole family ski gear after watching the 1960 Olympics. The person who sold my Dad the gear told him he would give us a family lesson at White Mountain. There was me 10 years old my two younger brothers 7 and 4, my mom and my dad in their late 30's. We were waiting for the salesman to show up and my Dad kept seeing kids fly by us. He said "I'm an athlete I can do this. Now you have to envision my father was 6'6" tall and about 250 lbs. so in those days no ski pants fit him so he was wearing gray suit pants with cuffs!!! Well he manages to go up the rope tow all hunched over and his butt sticking out and chicken steps off the lift and proceeds to go straight down the hill a speeds by all of us standing in a line watching him as he crashes into the lodge. Someone inside came out to make sure he was okay and he said "I'm fine how's everything inside" My Dad had a great sense of humor. We all had so much fun that day at White mountain skiing was a huge part of all of our lives. My parents skied well into their 60's and my brothers and I all graduated rom the University of Utah and we all went there to ski - and also got a great education. In 1967 we moved to Chicago and the skiing was horrible so we srarted spending every Christmas in Aspen from 1968 until 1984. My parents were cool because we skied.Skiing is still a large part of our families. To think it all started at White Mountain...ahhhhh! Good memories - thank you.

Hello, I have lived in Indian Head all of my life. 54 years old. Never skiied at White Mountain, but have enjoyed it in many other ways; hiking,biking,atving and hunting. I enjoyed the history lesson on on it's evolution. I knew Ben was initially involved but didn't know about the others. One thing I was wondering is who owned the land previously? Shepler's? Dave Sr. and wife have passed on and the property has been split up amongst the children. Mark Shepler now owns the old farm house and adjoining property. Brent sold his cabin several years ago and the cabin was torn down, timber cut and then a trailer was moved in and the property is generally a mess. I went to school with John Hadley. I think he moved away around 5-6th grade and have lost track of him. Anyone know what has become of John? As Dotty posted they have bought the old Lodge and slopes. Renovations on the lodge are complete and looks great. Green has kept several parcels of the property near Neals Run road. Thanks to all who have commented as it has made for great reading. Greg Grimm  ggrimm@lhtot.com

In the early to mid-60’s, my family built an A-frame on the closest little road, to the lodge. It was maroon in color, with white trim, including scallop trim along the roof. My parents sold the A-frame in the early 80s, when they divorced. We were at White Mt almost every weekend in the winter, driving up from our home in Washington, PA. I remember Jim Richards of the Ski Patrol; Ben H., and the Carraux (sp?) family from Pittsburgh, who built a lovely chalet. I remember Shepler’s barn, the cows, and walking to the “top of the mountain”——what a view!!  If anyone out there remembers, I broke my leg in a “race” in March 1965. I may have some pictures of those days, will have to look. It’s great that so many people have fond memories of White Mt.