Gilbert's Hill
A hillside pasture outside Woodstock, Vermont, where the first rope tow in the United States opened in 1934 and which was used for skiing until about 1965.
- Region
- Vermont
- Country
- USA
- Status
- closed
- Year opened
- 1934
- Year closed
- 1965
History
Gilbert's Hill is a pasture on Clinton Gilbert's farm about two miles north-west of Woodstock village, Vermont, on Barnard Road (Route 12). A rope tow of about 1,800 feet, driven by the engine of a Model T Ford, opened there on 18 January 1934 as the White Cupboard Ski Way, and is described as the first ski tow in the United States. It was built by David Dodd for under $500 from descriptions of a device in Quebec. Wallace Bertram reopened it as the Woodstock Ski Tow on Christmas Day 1934, and a 1939 guide describes two tows on different levels. Wikipedia says the hill was used as a ski area until 1965, while the Lost Ski Areas project notes the original tow had gone by 1983. The reason for closure is not documented in the sources. By 2015 the roughly 100-acre hill was privately owned but open to public use, with backcountry skiers using it, and conservation groups hoped to buy it. A historic plaque marks the slope.
Lifts
| Name | Type | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rope tow | Rope Tow | About 1,800 ft long, powered by a Model T Ford engine; first installed 1934 |
Sources and further reading
More in USA
Location
43.6472, -72.5392