Dick Ayotte shakes hands with Santa Claus on the cover of the 1975, Vol. 8, No. 4 issue of the Irregular at Sugarloaf/USA. According to the “About the Cover” blurb inside, Ayotte was walking across the slope at Sugarloaf just before Christmas, “when what to his wondering eyes should appear but St. Nick himself, suspended above the slope via Paul Laliberte’s hang-glider. He stopped long enough to grab little Dickie’s Christmas list and headed back for more air.”

Anne Page, a Bowdoin College sophomore, furnished the paper with a set of her season passes from 1963, when Sugarloaf initiated the program, through 1974, which were reproduced in this issue.

The Sugarloaf Shuttlebus Service published its schedule and price list. A ride from the Herbert Hotel in Kingfield to the mountain cost 75 cents, same price for those boarding at Tufts Pond Road and in Stratton. Boarding at Spring Farm, the Red Stallion, the Crossing and Chateau des Tagues cost the rider 50 cents. A ride from Campbell Field to the mountain cost 25 cents. The first pick-up was at 7:45 a.m. (Herbert); the shuttlebus arrived at Sugarloaf at 8:40 and headed to Stratton returning by 9:25 a.m. The bus departed the mountain at the end of the day for

Stratton at 4:10, arriving at the Herbert at 6 p.m.

A 1965 Ford Econoline, with six cylinders, new tires, new paint and custom interior was for sale for $650, asking price.

Below left, Mike Ham of Sugarloaf streaks through the giant slalom course at Sugarloaf/USA in The Opener, the first race held in the east that year. The race results for the first three finishers were: Girls — Jill Marshall, Sugarloaf Ski Club; Chris Hodgkins, Sugarloaf Ski Club; Karen Payson, Sunday River Ski Club. Boys — Dan Carpenter, Sugarloaf Ski Club; Jon Macomber, Dartmouth College; and Mike Ham, Sugarloaf Ski Club.