Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.—STOWE—Since 1934, Mt. Mansfield’s Nose Dive trail, with its snaking narrow turns and an elevation drop of 2,080 has become the stuff of legend, testing the abilities of racers and recreational skiers alike. On Feb. 25, as part of The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum’s virtual Red Bench Speaker Series, Curator Meredith Scott and a panel of historians and Olympians will dive into the history and people behind the design and building of the trail. With historical anecdotes, maps, and lots of photos, Scott will facilitate a discussion with Mike Leach, Mt. Mansfield Ski Club historian, and Brian Lindner, Stowe Mountain Resort historian. They’ll discuss how this famed trail contributed to earning Stowe the nickname of the “Ski Capital of the East” by luring weekend warriors and international competitors. The American International Races held on the Nose Dive in 1952, 1955, 1957, and 1960 brought some of the best known European racers – including Jean-Claude Killy, Toni Sailer, Guy Perillat, Othmar Schneider, and Andreas Molterer plus U.S. Ski Team members Marvin Moriarty, Andrea Mead Lawrence, Billy Kidd, Buddy Werner, and Penny Pitou, just to name a few.
The event will also explore how Stowe’s development compared to other ski areas. Robin Morning, skiing Olympian, historian, and author joins us to add the parallel story of Mammoth Mountain’s rise in popularity and fame. Morning’s book “Tracks of Passion: Eastern Sierra Skiing, Dave McCoy, & Mammoth Mountain,” and most recently “For the Love of It: The Mammoth Legacy of Roma and Dave McCoy” outline how McCoy and Mammoth shaped the sport. Olympian Rosie Fortna, Vermont Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame member and Morning’s teammate, will join us to talk about training in Vermont and Mammoth in the 1960s.
The stories of Stowe and Mammoth share strong personalities with visions for creating world-class resorts with a focus on racing, terrain suited to interesting and varied trails, and youth training programs. This program will use historic images and research to bring to life this era of resort and prestige building during which the groundwork for the places we know and love was laid and identity was formed.
Reserve a free ticket at vtssm.org/events to receive a Zoom invite. Virtual doors to the museum open and the discussion begins at 7 p.m.. The event is complimentary, but a $10 donation from each guest is encouraged and appreciated. Series sponsors include Sisler Builders and Vermont Ski + Ride.
