Liberals killed the skiing in NY like they kill everything due to complete lack of foresight by the local municipalities during a recessionary period, Dutchess closed in 1975. Rumors went around that a group of investors including Howard Cosell were going to revitalize Dutchess, but this never came to fruition. We now ski Dutchess only in our memories and on this webpage.
Had Dutchess been built in the late 1950s rather than the 60s, it would've had a few successful seasons and built momentum when small ski areas were still popular. After personalities like Jean-Claude Killy, Billy Kidd and Spyder Sabich helped popularize the sport in the late 60s, large, destination resorts became the rage. Mid-sized operations like Dutchess had to rely on local enthusiasts, many of whom would opt for better conditions at Windham, Hunter, and Catamount. The mild winters of the early 70s took their toll. Many times, Dutchess would only be operational to "mid station," and I can recall a couple of visits when only the 800' chair was open.
high costs and hassles with the local governments over water for snowmaking brought down a great ski area. Had the community realized what a terrific recreational resource and economic opportunity they had right out the back door, the first half of this page might not be fictional. Faint traces of the trails are all that remain, while the citizenry debate the merits of housing developments. When I drive through on I-84 and see the community's new minor league ballpark, I wonder how they gave up so easily on major league skiing. |
