The Sugarloaf Story

Editor’s note: The following article was first printed in the April 1972 volume 4, number 15 issue of the Sugarloaf Irregular and is reprinted here in its entirety.

There are some people who have had a hand in the development of Sugarloaf/USA since its beginning in 1949. While some have been in the limelight as managers, directors, etc., there is one fellow who has spent more time on his own, promoting this magnificent Mountain, and gone unheralded for his efforts, and we give a wholehearted handshake and tip of the IRREGULAR hat to a current member of the Sugarloaf Mountain Board of Directors – Dick Bell of Farmington. It was from his dusty archives we took this concise and interesting document on the Sugarloaf Story and accompanying photos.

Bill and Emily Kierstead look up the first trail, Winter’s Way as it began in 1950.

It was in 1948 that the idea of developing recreational skiing in Maine was going through the minds of a few men and a meeting was called in Augusta by the Maine Development Commission. At this meeting nearly all of the few existing Ski Clubs in Maine were represented.

In this meeting, twenty-three years ago, it was decided that the best way to promote skiing in Maine would be to form a state-wide group with the specific aim being the furtherance of skiing. The Maine Ski Council was the result of this decision, and Robert Bass of Wilton was elected its first president.

Shortly after its organization, the Maine Ski Council appointed from its membership an Area Development Committee whose purpose would be to look over all of those mountains in Maine which Maine skiers deemed as developable and determine which of these could be most feasibly turned into a ski area. This committee was made up of: Chairman, Bruce White; his committee, Jim Thorpe, Wes Marco, Robert Henderson, Horace Chapman studied with considerable time and energy Saddleback Sugarloaf, Andover region, Pleasant Mountain, Bigelow, Mt. Blue, Farmington, Old Spec and Baldface.

At this point they went northwest to look at the mountains about forty miles north of Farmington as they knew of a Kingfield storekeeper who had cut a ski trail on the second highest of the mountains, Bigelow, with some local friends who tired of driving to Pinkham Notch when in their own back yard were mountains rivaling any east of the Rockies. Amos Winter, the Kingfield storekeeper, was having troubles of his own for the Great Northern Paper Company was beginning to cut flowage around the base of Bigelow for the construction of massive Flagstaff Lake. This would render the ski trail inaccessible. So, our two stories coincide as Maine Ski Council Committee looked north and west to the snow belt of Maine. Amos and his Bigelow friends were looking south a very few miles at Sugarloaf Mountain, 4,237 ft. high, the second highest mountain in Maine.

In 1949 the committee from the Maine Ski Council and the group of skiers from Kingfield came to Sugarloaf for a look. History shows us that they were impressed with what they saw, for the committee’s report on its findings at Sugarloaf was favorable, and it concluded that this mountain had the greatest potential for skiing of any in the state. It had the best exposure, the best annual snowfall, and the least accessibility problem of any of the major mountains in Maine.

The year 1950, two years after the idea had originated in Augusta, was as important a single year as Sugarloaf has known. It was in this year that the work was begun on the first ski trail, and in this year that the Sugarloaf Ski Club was formed.

The former Bigelow Mountain skiers were happy to move their operations to the more impressive Sugarloaf and to have their tedious job of trail and road clearing augmented by willing hands from all over the state who realized that the notion of a ski area on Sugarloaf would reach its fruition only after hours and hours of work. The Great Northern Paper Company owned the land where the ski trails should be and the Merrow Estate owned the land over which one would have to pass in order to get to the ski trails. And then of course there was the problem of covering the two-mile distance between Route 27 and the bottom of the ski trail, much of it through swamp.

The Great Northern Paper Company started the ball rolling with a 20-year lease to the Ski Club for the part of the mountain intended for skiing, and the Merrow Estate followed with a gift of right-of-way to the area.

The summer of 1950 was a busy one on the Mountain as local boys, would-be skiers, "Hot Shot" skiers from afar, interested friends of skiers and authorities on ski area construction all gathered weekend after weekend to hack a trail out of the wilderness on Sugarloaf that started at a 15-degree pitch near the bottom and increased to 30 degrees as the timberline was approached. After the timberline was the skiers dream –-acre upon acre of wide open fields of snow which settled into a 30 degree-plus carpet of corn snow as the spring sun melted the snow in the lower regions.

The Sugarloaf Ski club derived its financial support in two ways. From the minutes of the first meeting, we read the words of the first secretary, Portland lawyer, Scott Scully, "At the end of the meeting the treasurer reported a balance of $80 in the treasury as a result of a spontaneous burst of digging into pockets on the part of a group of those present."

That was one way of getting money, which was also represented by the donation of equipment and time by such organizations as the Dead River Company which donated its bulldozer for use on the access road.

The other means of support was the sale of $10 memberships in the Sugarloaf Ski Club.

In the roster of the first ski club meeting are names that have become linked with Sugarloaf and its progress. There were a dozen people at that meeting held at the Augusta House, and they were Fletcher Brown, Horace Chapman, George Albert, Wes Marco, Amos Winter, Bill Hatch, John Clark, Peg Clark, Phin Sprague, Scott Scully, Robert Taylor and Odlin Thompson.

With the help of Sel Hannah, nationally known ski trail expert from Franconia, a trail 50-75 ft. wide was laid out, spanning 1 ¼ miles of the mountain from the snow fields to the 1,800 ft. elevation. The aforementioned members of the Ski Club augmented notably by George Cary and Kingfield boys Fred Morrison and Micky Durrell under the guidance of Amos Winter had that trail, to be called Winter’s Way, ready for snow for the winter of 1950. After the skiing ended in early May of that year, began another summer of hard work on the mountain. The trail was widened and groomed, a loan was floated whereby the road received some much-needed gravel. Yet, the winter of 1951-52 still saw a long hard climb from where the cars were parked to the crisp air and over-abundant snow of the snow fields. That was a good winter for snow, however; and the Portland Press Herald reported, "In April there were 5 to 15 feet of hard-packed corn snow near the summit." The Sugarloaf Schuss which has since become a tradition was held that year; and Wes Marco, race committee chairman, said that all competitors were looking forward to the next one.

First Base Lodge erected around 1955 at Tote Road-Narrow Gauge intersection.

The summer of 1952 saw ever-increasing activity. The trail was groomed, the hut was floored and completed according to Fred Morrison, hut committee chairman; and Amos reported that Rand Stowell of Dixfield and the Forster Manufacturing Company had donated bulldozers for extending and improving the road which would culminate with a parking lot at the bottom of the trail. Of course there was talk of a ski lift, and in the summer of 1952 this talk increased. A ski lift, however, would cost money, and as a departure from our fairy tale, the hard facts were that the Sugarloaf Ski Club had very little. Trail grooming had cost money, road work had cost even more, along with toboggans, caches for the toboggans, and a warming shelter. In fact, no matter how much a lift was discussed it would have to be a matter of time before one could be constructed. At an executive committee meeting in December 1952, the secretary, George Cary, wrote in his minutes, "The type, length, location or locations of up-ski devices were discussed –-everyone thought one would be nice." How nice, they could only imagine what we now know.

The winter of 1952-53 was another in the ascension of Sugarloaf from a veritably unexplored wilderness to a major ski area. The road was in excellent shape, as was the trail. The Sugarloaf Schuss was gaining in popularity as was the Mountain as an all-winter competition area. The Club was beginning to realize that a point had been reached at which real progress would slow down, and the ultimate goal would be far over the horizon unless a group or an individual with sufficient financial backing could take over the Mountain and develop it to its fullest. There was talk of this as the season of 1952-53 ended and the summer’s work began. They realized that Sugarloaf was still small in the relationship between what had been done and what could be done. They knew that the Mountain would have to be publicized, and the Press was kept informed of any developments which were taking place. And developments did take place in the summer of 1953, as the Mountain went into the following winter with a portable rope tow, a shelter at the timberline, and an income to be derived from a tow-charge of $1 per day for non-members and 50 cents per day for junior non-members.

The Club realized that this tow was only an interim measure and that far more expansive lifts would ultimately carry people up the Mountain, but a 10-horse power rope tow was an important first step in the realization of this somewhat nebulous dream. A plea was made by the Club’s president, Robert Bass, in the Portland Press Herald shortly before the 1953-54 season which read in part: "Robert N. Bass says that a chair lift to the top of the Mountain, plus modern accommodations in the vicinity would attract not only skiers from all over the East, but visitors in all other seasons who would use the lift to see the magnificent view from the summit. These, however, would call for the expenditure of a lot of money, far more than the Club will ever have. However, if private capital wishes to invest in this venture, the Club will give those involved all the cooperation possible."

Thus began the winter of 1953-54, and it was another snow one. People were becoming convinced that the abundance of snow would never be a problem at Sugarloaf. The lift did its job of giving the leg-weary veterans of skin-encumbered hikes to the snow fields a well-deserved respite. Beginners loved the gentle slopes to the east of the town and could log countless miles per day when previously a couple of trips would cause them to wonder if it was really worth it. The Sugarloaf Schuss was run in ideal snow conditions. The giant slalom being won by Les Streeter from Middlebury, later to become an auspicious member of the U.S. Olympic Team.

There was further talk during the summer of 1954 about getting added financial help from outside sources, and several channels were investigated by President Bass and Scott Scully. The Mountain withstood the blasts of hurricanes Carol and Edna with only minor washouts on the road. Amos and his crew further widened the trail at the base and at the juncture between the snow fields and Winter’s Way.

The season of 1954-55 saw Sugarloaf Mountain, four years previous an idea in the minds of a few people, with a 1 ½-mile trail, a 2-mile road, a parking lot, a cabin at the foot of the trail, a rope tow, first-aid equipment, two toboggans, and an ever-increasing number of people with confidence that Sugarloaf would one day be one of the best.

This confidence was made manifest in the middle of the 1954-55 season as a group of men met on March 24 at the Worcester House in Hallowell and formed the Sugarloaf Mountain Corporation with Robert Bass as President, Richard Luce as Vice President, Richard Bell as Secretary and Clerk, and James Flint as Treasurer. This group went to work immediately with its Executive Manager, Amos Winter, and its 13-man Board of Directors to issue $100,000 worth of common stock at $10 par. The Sugarloaf Ski club received 1,000 shares of this stock in payment for the existing facilities already described, most important, of course, being the 2 ½ mile access road for which the Club had borrowed $10,000.

The summer of 1955 saw frequent meetings of the Board at the Worcester House, Sugarloaf, Wilton, Farmington and any other place where these interested participants in Sugarloaf could get together. The activity of the Board was exceeded only by the flurry of progress on the Mountain itself. After considerable discussion, an association with the E.G. Constam Company of Denver was formed by virtue of the purchase of a 3,575 ft. T-bar at the price of $42,500. This life, rising 887 vertical feet, was installed by Robbins Engineering of Westbrook and was ready for operation during the 1955-56 season. The Narrow Gauge, later to become a favorite racing trail with a national reputation, was cut as far as the top of the new lift. The first installment of the oft-improved lodge was constructed near the base of the new lift, and the Scribners from Stratton were leased the privilege of operating a food concession at the lodge.

First Ski School instructor, Swiss Olivier Chesseux with Bob Scott.

Oliver Chesseux, a Swiss-born student at the University of Maine, was contacted to run a ski school on the Mountain on weekends. An Oliver snow-packer tractor was purchased during February for grooming purposes.

The winter of 1955-56 was a highly successful and most encouraging one. The corporation realized a profit from the operation of the lift, and the Directors voted to put this amount back into the area and add it to the surplus available for future development.

The Mountain was beginning to get used to year-round activity as Amos and his crew started once again a program of extensive improvements to prepare the area for the 1956-57 season. A new $35,000 Constam T-bar lift was purchased and installed by Robbins Engineering. The lodge was nearly doubled in size, allowing room for an expanded commissary, manager’s office, ski shop, first-aid and modern rest rooms. The Narrow Gauge was extended from the top of the original lift to the edge of the snow fields while the lower half was groomed and widened. Brooks Dodge tramped the west side of the area and came up with the plan for the Tote Road, 2 ½ miles of one of the best trails in the East. A warming hut was built approximately half-way down this trail for those who preferred to run the trail in two installments. A Snow-Cat with rollers was purchased, and a garage was constructed to house the increasing amount of equipment dictated by the expanding area. The new lift, 2,609 ft. in length and rising 1,008 vertical feet, was completed in the fall and ready for operation.

Bill Briggs was named head of the ski school and operated the school seven days a week. The only sour spot in the season of 1956-57 was the snow drought which hit all of the eastern ski areas and seemed to continue interminably through the winter. The operating income despite the scarcity of snow was 63 percent greater than the preceding season. $80,000 worth of new stock was offered and buying was enthusiastic.

Plans got underway early in the spring for the summer of 1957 expansion program. Early in the summer, Werner Rothbacher, certified Austrian instructor and proponent of the new Austrian technique, was contracted to head the ski school for the following season. The advertising firm of Adventures Inc., of Portland was chosen to handle the Mountain’s publicity.

The summer saw extensive grooming work done on the existing trails, safety devices installed on the lifts, an expansion of the ski patrol, its equipment, and further work on the access road. Thus opened the season of 1957-58. An ambitious Junior Program was embarked upon by Rothbacher and his staff. Competitive skiing was on the up-swing, and several races in the late winter and early spring pointed to Sugarloaf as a major competition area. The Sugarloaf Schuss drew the largest field in its history; and as the season progressed, it become apparent that the existing up-hill facilities were not sufficient to handle the throngs of skiers on the Mountain.

The summer of 1958 was another busy one; the capacity of the lower lift was increased to 800 passengers per hour, the terminals of the upper lift were housed. An excess of $10,000 was spent on straightening, surfacing and generally improving the access road, a new parking lot was added, and improvements made on the old ones. Rothbacher and his Austrian staff returned for the 1958-59 season with Roger Page heading the Junior Program.

An ad from Harvey Boynton ski shop in 1972.

Harvey Boynton constructed a new ginger-bread style chalet to house his operation, leaving area in the lodge.

The season began early in December, and the newly cut novice area proved to be popular with the skiers who preferred to stay clear of the well-travelled thoroughfares.

The summer of 1958 was an important one in the "once-upon-a-time" progress of Sugarloaf Mountain. Close to $10,000 was spent in completely relocating the base area, constructing a new 1,674 ft. Constam T-bar lift, and a new two-story lodge. The old parking lots were parking lots no longer as they were replaced by massive 15-acre beginners’ area. New parking lots were bulldozed with a capacity of nearly 1,000 cars, and the road was improved.

As if the weather were in cooperation with the optimistic expansion of the ski area, 1959-60 was a banner winter with plenty of snow, which was becoming an old story on the Mountain.

The summer of 1960 was marked for further improvement as a 4,600 ft. lift line was bulldozed to the left of the existing lift complex; and a new wing, larger than the original section was added to the lodge. A second Sno-Cat joined the other in the equipment garage. The upper trails were further groomed, and a new trail, the Double Bitter, was cut from the top to a junction point near the bottom of Tote Road.

These jobs having been accomplished by the able summer maintenance crew, the area was ready to the 1960-61 season. This was the year that saw more plentiful snow and more enthusiastic participants. The stature of Sugarloaf as a competition area was enhanced by the Junior National Championships, ably sponsored by the Sugarloaf Ski club after ice was the order of the day at Stowe.

The summer of 1961 was dry and hot, the kind of weather that would enable a ski area to build two lifts and three trails. And that is what happened at Sugarloaf. Two new Constam T-bar lifts, 4,575 ft. and 3,160 ft. respectively were placed in tandem rising 1,872 vertical ft. from a point a short distance east of the lodge to the edge of the snow fields.

The Ram Down and the Widow Maker in conjunction with a skiable power line added nearly 5 miles of downhill running. The new complex afforded an alternate access to the snow fields and to the old trail system by the utilization of old Winter’s Way.

The large bend in the swamp was removed from the access road and new gravel was added to a considerable length of the road.

Further grooming was done on the trails, and the Mountain, nearly doubled in size, loomed as one of the major areas in the East.

It was obvious, due to the expanded area, that Amos would need help for the coming season. Therefore, Sugarloaf gained an assistant manager, John Christie, who was chosen from a number of promising candidates.

The winter of 1961-62 was marred only by a frozen granular condition in January which was offset by the best and last spring skiing in the East.

Amos n’ Alice --when the price was right for skiing.

By the end of 1962 the Mountain owned its own bulldozer, mowing tractor and two Sno-Cats. Five T-bars, two lodges, Austrian ski school, 10-man ski patrol, and extensive first-aid equipment augment the picture. All lifts are equipped with automatic safety devices and powered by electric motors with the two original lifts maintaining their gas engines for auxiliary purposes.

George Cary was elected President of the Sugarloaf Mountain Corporation in 1962, and the growth of Sugarloaf continued at its rapid pace. A third section was added to the base lodge in 1963. A small tract of land at the summit of the Mountain was leased to the Somerset Telephone Company and a strip of land from Summit to the base of the lifts for an access road which was carved out of the side of the Mountain.

It was over this 4 mile road that 700 tons of material for 400 yards of concrete, 400 tons of pre-stressed concrete slabs for walls and floors, 7 tons of tinted double pane plate glass, 23 tons of 3 in. thick western cedar for the roof, and 60 tons of steel were hauled for the construction of the Summit Restaurant at the 4,190 ft. level of Sugarloaf Mountain.

During the summer and fall of 1965 and into the winter, work went on at a feverish rate. Transit mix trucks and huge cranes under the direction of George Cary and in January of 1966 the 8,430 ft. Gondola was completed and its 50 four-passenger cars were taking people to the summit of the Mountain. Skiers could now ride in comfort to the famous Sugarloaf snow fields.

Ever increasing numbers of skiers each year made it necessary for further expansion. John Christie left us and went to manage the Mt. Snow area in Vermont. King Cummings was elected President of the corporation and Harry Baxter was elected General Manager of the Sugarloaf Corporation.

1969-70 was another great year of progress under the direction of President Cummings and Manager Baxter. A new 5,360 ft. double chair lift was installed with a capacity of 1,000 passengers per hour.

The Sugarloaf Inn was purchased from Pfeifle Enterprises and new double chair effected reaching from the Inn to the base lodge.

Twenty beautiful condominiums were built during the summer of 1970 and are now owned and occupied by Sugarloaf skiers.

There seems to be no end to things that are planned for the future of Sugarloaf.

In the competition phase, Sugarloaf has hosted the first Sugarloaf Schuss, 1952; Junior Alpine Championships, 1957; NCAA Championships, 1967; and the World Cup and Arlberg Kandahar races, 1971.

What more can one say except it has been a tremendous experience to have been a part of the development of Sugarloaf/USA.