Stratton Mountain Resort
| Stratton Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Location | Stratton Mountain, Windham County, Vermont |
| Nearest city | Manchester (village), Vermont |
| Vertical | 2,003 ft (611 m) |
| Top elevation | 3,875 ft (1,181 m) |
| Base elevation | 1,872 ft (571 m) |
| Skiable area | 625 acres (253 ha) |
| Runs | 97 |
| Longest run | 15,840 ft (4,830 m) |
| Lift system | 1 high speed gondola, 4 high speed six packs, 3 quads, 1 triple, 1 double, 3 carpets |
| Snowfall | 180 inches (460 cm) |
| Snowmaking | 93% |
| Website | http://www.stratton.com/ |
Stratton Mountain Resort is a ski area located on Stratton Mountain in Stratton, Vermont.
Stratton was established in December 1961 with three double chairlifts and a three-story base lodge. Although the mountain was top notch, the access road was a disaster. It was paved in time for the 1962-1963 season. Stratton added two T-bar lifts in time for the third season. A big expansion took place for the 1964-1965 season when the Snow Bowl was opened, bringing a double chairlift and over 30 acres of terrain. Another double chairlift was opened and the base lodge was expanded for the 1966-1967 season giving way to the birth of European style APre' ski entertainment by the Innsbruck Trio, a group of Austrian ski instructors. The group became known as the Stratton Mountain Boys and a key marketing component of the mountain. In the early 1970s, following development of the initial terrain, Stratton began to develop a new beginner area; this opened in 1972 with additional trails, though plans for a new lift were not realized. In the late 1980s, Stratton constructed new terrain to the south of the main mountain, and dubbed it "Kidderbrook." The expansion included a new quad chairlift, and was planned to be a starting point for potential additional terrain and housing in the area, though this never occurred. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the ski area constructed several new high-speed six-person lifts, and in 2007, the Kidderbrook Quad was removed and sold, as it was underused and Stratton's parent companies were in financial trouble at the time. From 1985 to 2012, Stratton hosted the Burton U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships; the premier open snowboarding event in the country. In 2013, after a 27-year run at Stratton; the event moved to Vail, CO.
Lift served skiing debuted on the northern peak of the mountain when Stratton Mountain ski area opened with 3 double chairlifts (installed using a then-unique helicopter method) in December 1961. Designed by Gene Gillis of Sel Hannah's Sno Engineering firm, the area also sported a three-story base lodge.
While the facilities were top notch, the muddy access road was called a 'tank-proving ground' by the press. The road received much needed pavement in time for the area's second season.
Stratton's uphill capacity was improved for its third season with the installation of two T-Bars.
A sizable expansion took place the following season, when 30 acres of terrain, served by a new double chairlift, were opened in the new Snow Bowl.
1966-67 saw an expansion of the base lodge giving way to the regions first Apre' Ski parties and the birth of The Stratton Mountain Boys and the installation of another double chairlift. The Grizzly Bear and Polar Bear trails were added for the following season.
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