Mittersill's Coming Back

For people who are fairly new to the state, or don’t know much about skiing, Mittersill used to be a popular ski area.

It’s sits right next to Cannon Mountain in the White Mountain National forest.

And according to Jeremy Davis, life used to be pretty good for Mittersill.

Davis is the author of “Lost Ski Areas of The White Mountains.”

“It was most successful during the 50’s and 60’s and just began a slow decline into the 70’s and early 80’s.”

Davis says Mittersill closed in the late 80s.

It wasn’t making enough money.

For the past 15 years there’s been talk about making Mittersill part of the Cannon Mountain ski area.

That talk has turned into action.

It should all happen within a month, two months, maybe three months at the most.

The White Mountain National Forest is going to give the state Mittersill’s 100 acres and about $40,000.

The state will give the national forest the 235-acre Sentinel Mountain State Forest near Piermont.

Thomas Wagner is the supervisor of the White Mountain National Forest.

“It seemed like it was more efficient for both agencies and reduced our overall management costs.”

SOUND OF SKIERS.

So, what is the plan for Mittersill?

Currently, Cannon offers a variety of skiing from steep slopes and winding trails to an easy going 25 acre family area.

Mittersill will add backcountry skiing to the mix, but without the usual hiking.

Think “accessible backcountry” and you’ve got the idea.

That, says Cannon’s general manager John DeVivo, means no grooming or snow making.

“The reason is that has become the culture, that is what people love about Mittersill. It’s got this mythic lore attached to it.”

What will change is that the ski patrol can now respond in case of an accident on Mittersill.

And there’s more.

“The day that we officially open said terrain we will start running a shuttle to get you back over here and we will do that as long as necessary until we get a lift built.”

DeVivo says that kind of backcountry Mittersill’s going to offer is very popular at Mad River Glen in Vermont.

“If anything, this is sort of a miniature version of Mad River Glen tacked right onto what is really New Hampshire’s largest, single ski mountain.”

He hopes it will draw more visitors to Cannon.

In the forest service’s formal review of the swap, officials noted some environmental concerns.

They were worried about the impact opening Mittersill would have on plants and wildlife including the Bicknell thrush.

But they concluded it probably would not be serious enough to affect the species.

And it an effort to minimize any adverse effect, Cannon can neither expand the slopes on Mittersill’s 100 acres nor build a bigger chairlift.

In addition, the Audubon Society has agreed to keep an eye on the Bicknell thrush population.

For more than two decades Mittersill’s chairlift has been still.

But wavy tracks through the snow are proof that the slopes still have a few visitors.

Some walk up and then ski down. Others take a Cannon chairlift to the top and then cross over to the officially forbidden land of Mittersill.

On a recent afternoon Jimmy Walsh of Sugar Hill was getting ready to hike up.

“We just love its remoteness, the terrain, all the backcountry trails that have been cut in there that very few people know about and we just love it.”

And what about Cannon taking over Mittersill and making it accessible to more people?

“A lot of people go already, so I don’t think there will be that much of a difference.”

For NHPR News this is Chris Jensen.

SKIER SOUNDS OUT……