Bolton Valley

Last updated

Bolton Valley
Bolton Valley ski area logo.jpg
BoltonValleyLodge.jpg
The Main Lodge at Bolton Valley Resort
Location Bolton, Vermont, U.S.
Nearest major city Burlington, Vermont, U.S. (21 miles)
Coordinates 44°25′11″N72°51′00″W / 44.419621°N 72.849998°W / 44.419621; -72.849998
Vertical1,625 feet (495 m) [1]
Top elevation3,150 feet (960 m) [2]
Base elevation1,446 feet (441 m) [2]
Skiable area165 acres (0.67 km2)
Trails 71 [3]
Lift system 6 Lifts; 2 quads, 3 doubles, 1 rope tow [2]
Terrain parks 3 [2]
Night skiing 12 trails [4]
Website Bolton Valley Resort

Bolton Valley is a mid-sized ski area in the town of Bolton in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. It is located in close proximity to Burlington, the largest city in the state of Vermont. The community around the base of the ski area was listed as the Bolton Valley census-designated place prior to the 2020 census.

Contents

History

The resort was founded in 1966 by Ralph DesLauriers and his father. Bolton thrived for many years as a family-friendly resort and spawned two famous skiers, Rob and Eric DesLauriers, who went on to star in dozens of ski movies. With their brother Adam, they founded Straight Up Films; Adam remains in the area with a more recent venture, Beech Seal Media, named for a ski trail at the resort and a unique type of communication in Vermont lore.

In 1971 Chateau des Monts, [5] a 20 unit hotel condominium complex was completed next to the base lodge (later connected) by Charles P Jones [6] and Land Development Incorporated.

Beginning around 1997, the resort has been under the control of a handful of new owners and struggled with financial viability. However, it has stabilized under the leadership of industry veteran Bob Fries and seen steady improvement in the 2003-2004, 2004–2005, and 2005-2006 seasons, although just before the 2007-2008 season his shares in the company were bought by two locals, and Bolton Valley is now completely locally owned.

As of the Spring of 2017 the original owner Ralph DesLauriers and a small group of investors have purchased the mountain back from Red Stone Properties. Ralph, along with his children are now operating Bolton once again. [7]

Lifts and trails

Vista Quad at the summit. Vista Quad at summit.jpg
Vista Quad at the summit.
NameTypeManufacturerBuiltVertical
(feet)
Length
(feet)
Notes
Vista Quad Doppelmayr CTEC 20059554389Main lift out of the base area, and has a wind turbine at the summit.
Timberline19869403790Has a mid-station.
WildernessDouble Hall 19669634948Longest lift on the mountain, and also has a mid-station.
Mid Mountain19663121798
Snowflake19662501230Services the terrain parks.
Mighty Mite Rope Tow Homemade1997--Beginner lift.

Nordic skiing

Bolton Valley has 100 kilometres (100,000 m) of nordic skiing, 35 kilometres (35,000 m) of which are groomed. [9]

Westward orientation

Bolton Valley is one of the few westward facing ski areas in Vermont.[ citation needed ]

Wind turbine

Wind turbine at Bolton Valley Bolton valley windmill.jpg
Wind turbine at Bolton Valley

In 2009, Bolton Valley installed a Northwind 100 wind turbine, which was made by Northern Power Systems. The turbine was projected to produce 300,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. [10] It is located near the top of the Vista Quad chairlift.

Newsletter

Bolton Valley publishes a humorous weekly newsletter covering snow news, event listings, and deals. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolton, Vermont</span> Town in Vermont, United States

Bolton is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,301 at the time of the 2020 census. The town is home to Bolton Valley, a popular ski resort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stowe, Vermont</span> Town in Vermont, United States

Stowe is a town in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. The population was 5,223 at the 2020 census. The town lies on Vermont Routes 108 and 100. It is nicknamed "The Ski Capital of the East" and is home to Stowe Mountain Resort, a ski facility with terrain on Mount Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont, and Spruce Peak.

The Northeast Kingdom is the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, approximately comprising Essex, Orleans, and Caledonia counties and with a population of 64,764 at the 2010 census. The term "Northeast Kingdom" is attributed to George D. Aiken, former Governor of Vermont and a U.S. senator, who first used the term in a 1949 speech.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Mansfield</span> Highest mountain in Vermont, United States

Mount Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont, reaching an elevation of 4,393 feet (1,339 m) above sea level. Located in the northwest of the state, it is also the highest peak in the Green Mountains. Its summit is located within the town of Underhill in Chittenden County; the ridgeline, including some secondary peaks, extends into the town of Stowe in Lamoille County, and the mountain's flanks also reach into the town of Cambridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Mountains</span> Subrange of the Appalachian Mountains in Quebec, Canada and Vermont, United States

The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont and are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately 250 miles (400 km) from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Quebec, Canada. The part of the same range that is in Massachusetts and Connecticut is known as The Berkshires or the Berkshire Hills and the Quebec portion is called the Sutton Mountains, or Monts Sutton in French.

Jay Peak Resort is an American ski resort located on Jay Peak in the northern Green Mountains, between Jay, Vermont and Montgomery Center, Vermont. Its vertical drop of 2,153 feet (656 m) is the eighth largest in New England and the fifth largest in Vermont. Although mostly located in the town of Jay, part of the resort, including the summit of Jay Peak, the Jet Triple Chair area, and much of the Big Jay backcountry descent, is located in the town of Westfield, Vermont, to the south. The northernmost part of the resort is just 4 miles (6.5 km) south of the Canada–United States border, above which is the Province of Quebec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad River Glen</span> Ski resort in Vermont, United States

Mad River Glen is a ski area in Fayston, Vermont. Located within the Green Mountain range, it sits in the Mad River Valley. Though not considered a large ski area, it has a vertical drop of 2,000 feet (610 m), which ranks 14th in New England, and its terrain was ranked by Ski magazine as the most challenging on the east coast of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killington Ski Resort</span> Ski resort in Vermont, United States

Killington Mountain Resort & Ski Area is a ski resort in Rutland County, Vermont, United States, near the town of Killington. It is the largest ski area in the eastern U.S., and has the largest vertical drop in New England at 3,050 feet. The mountain has been nicknamed the "Beast of the East."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Okemo Mountain</span> Ski resort in Vermont, United States

Okemo Mountain Resort is a ski resort located in the town of Ludlow, Vermont, United States. The resort experienced 600,000 skier visits in 2009. Parents Magazine rated it the Top US Family Snow Resort, and Visitor's Choice on the Snow rated it as Number 1 Beginner Terrain in Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugarbush Resort</span> Ski area in Vermont, United States

Sugarbush Resort is a ski resort located in the Mad River valley in Warren, Vermont, owned by Alterra Mountain Company. It is one of the largest ski resorts in New England. The resort encompasses more than 4000 acres (16 km²) total, 484 trail acres (2.34 km²) skiable, 53 miles (85 km) of trails, and 16 ski lifts. Sugarbush has 111 ski trails, 18 additional marked wooded areas, and substantial off-piste skiing and riding The summit elevation is 4,083 ft (1,244 m), and it has a vertical drop of 2,600 feet (790 m), the second largest in Vermont after Killington, and the third largest in New England after Killington and Sugarloaf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Snow</span> Ski resort in Vermont, United States

Mount Snow is a mountain and ski resort in southern Vermont located in the Green Mountains. It is Vermont's southernmost big mountain, and therefore, closest to many Northeast metropolitan areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermont Route 100</span> North-south state highway in Vermont, US

Vermont Route 100 (VT 100) is a north–south state highway in Vermont in the United States. Running through the center of the state, it travels nearly the entire length of Vermont and is 216.666 miles (349 km) long. VT 100 is the state's longest numbered highway of any type.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bromley Mountain</span> Ski area in Vermont, United States

Bromley Mountain is located in southern Vermont, United States and is part of the Green Mountains. It is located in the town of Peru, Bennington County, seven miles (11 km) east of Manchester, Vermont and just west of the Peru town center. It is a popular destination for skiing and snowboarding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitetail Ski Resort</span> Ski area in Pennsylvania, United States

Whitetail Mountain Resort is a four-season resort located on Two Top Mountain, a mountain in the Bear Pond Mountains of Pennsylvania. The resort opened for skiing in 1991, and was acquired a few years later by Snow Time, Inc., the company which also manages Liberty Mountain Resort and Ski Roundtop. All three resorts were then acquired by Peak Resorts in 2018. Peak Resorts was then acquired by Vail Resorts in 2019.

The Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain is a private, member-owned club that provides alpine skiing on Haystack Mountain in Wilmington, Vermont to its members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pico Mountain</span> Ski area in Vermont, United States

Pico Mountain Ski Resort is a ski area located in Killington, Vermont, United States. Established in 1937, it was one of the first commercial ski resorts in the state. The base of the resort is located on the northwest side of Pico Peak on U.S. Route 4 approximately 9 miles northeast of Rutland, Vermont, and 3 mi (5 km) north of Killington Peak. The site lies just inside the town line that separates Killington from the Town of Mendon, to its west. The mountain now features 58 trails and 7 lifts with a 1,967-foot (600-meter) vertical drop. The resort is owned by Powdr Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grouse Mountain</span> Mountain in British Columbia, Canada

Grouse Mountain is one of the North Shore Mountains of the Pacific Ranges in the District Municipality of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. With a maximum elevation of over 1,200m (4,100ft) at its peak, the mountain is the site of an alpine ski area, Grouse Mountain Resort, which overlooks Metro Vancouver and has four chairlifts servicing 33 runs. In the summer, Grouse Mountain Resort features lumberjack shows, the "Birds in Motion" birds of prey demonstration, a chairlift ride, disc golf, mountain biking, zip lining, tandem paragliding, helicopter tours, and guided ecowalks. Year-round operations include a 100-seat mountaintop theatre and a wildlife refuge. The mountain operates two cable cars, known officially as the Skyride. The Blue Skyride is used mainly for freight transportation, while public access to the mountain top is provided by the Swiss-built Garaventa Red Skyride, which has a maximum capacity of 101 passengers. Summer access is also provided by the 2.9 kilometre Grouse Grind hiking trail, which is open for hiking from May to October. Similar to the nearby Capilano Suspension bridge, Grouse Mountain can be accessed via a free, regular shuttle bus that runs from 'Canada Place' in downtown Vancouver.

Mount Sunapee Resort is a ski area and resort located in Mount Sunapee State Park in Newbury, New Hampshire, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Mansfield State Forest</span>

Mount Mansfield State Forest covers 44,444 acres (179.86 km2) in seven towns in Chittenden, Lamoille and Washington counties in Vermont. The towns are Bolton and Underhill in Chittenden County, Cambridge, Johnson, Morristown and Stowe in Lamoille County, and Waterbury in Washington County. Mt. Mansfield State Forest is the largest contiguous landholding owned by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

References

  1. Reports, Snow. "SnoCountry - Snow Reports - VT - Bolton Valley". www.snocountry.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 http://winter.boltonvalley.com/upload/photos/196Trail_Map_web.jpg%5B%5D
  3. "The Mountain". winter.boltonvalley.com.
  4. 1 2 "Vermont's Only Night Skiing and Riding - Bolton Valley". Archived from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  5. Skiing. October 1972.
  6. "Chuck Jones, CFP® | Chuck Jones & Associates, Inc". cja-planning.com. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  7. "Press Room". boltonvalley.com. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  8. "Bolton Valley, VT". October 13, 2018.
  9. "The Mountain". winter.boltonvalley.com. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  10. "Bolton Valley Wind Tower Information" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  11. "The Final Weekend of 'Not-Ski-Season' and Other Wonders - Bolton Valley". Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.

44°24′57″N72°52′11″W / 44.41583°N 72.86972°W / 44.41583; -72.86972