Shawnee Mountain History: The Base Area

Welcome back to our series on Shawnee Mountain history! In these posts, we’ll cover the founding and expansion of Shawnee Mountain over the years.

Last post: We talked about Jean Claude-Killy and his early influence on the mountain. If you missed it, check out the post here.

This week we’re discussing the process of flipping the mountain right side up and establishing the base area that you know today.

Shawnee Mountain opened in December of 1975 as an upside-down mountain with a top lodge and parking area. After three successful winter seasons, it became apparent that expansion would be necessary to accommodate growing popularity. The road up to the Summit Lodge was dangerous and hard to maintain, and the parking lot at the top of the mountain wasn’t big enough. When it took more of the budget to keep the access road clear than it did to make snow, it was time for a change.

Construction in the base area began in 1978.

Construction began with clearing the land and marking out the spaces for buildings, parking, and a snowmaking pond. It was determined that guests would enter over a footbridge and come into a base area that looks up the bottom of the mountain. Even the parking lots were cut in with aesthetics in mind to create an experience that begins as soon as you arrive.

The original footbridge was built with planks of oak and maple that were cleared from the mountain as trails were cut in. Other elements of the property were repurposed, too, including the rocks used to make the fireplace in the Hope Lodge. What were once old rock walls to mark farmland property, the walls were disassembled and the rocks were saved for the fireplace that was built in the early eighties.

Wait, was there more than one?

The first building at the base of the mountain housed a cocktail lounge, a small cafeteria, a ski shop, and an area for rentals and repairs. This building was aptly named the Base Lodge. A few years later, the lodge would be relocated and repurposed as the infrastructure expanded. The Summit Lodge remained open and operating during this time, as well.

And in 1983, there was light! The 83/84 season brought with it the addition of lights along most trails for night skiing and new evening hours. The season also debuted what is now known as the Hope Lodge, with the original green house windows facing the slopes. Increased skier visits meant a larger parking lot, more food service options, and a broader range of products from lessons and preferred lift line tickets to nursery care and cross-country skiing.

But wait– there’s more! Development in the Base Area continued throughout the 90s until it reached its final form that we all know and love today. We’ll revisit this topic later on down the timeline and touch on the additions that made our base area shine over the years. For now, let’s hang out in the eighties a little longer and reminisce on $18 lift tickets, gas priced at $1.18 a gallon, and the snowstorm that brought us 30″ of natural snow in one shot. So gnarly!

Upcoming: Part 4 will take us on a road trip up north to Bridgton, Maine, and cover our brief contribution to New England skiing. After that, I think it’s time we cool off with a dive into the Shawnee Play Place waterpark!

Written on: May 9, 2024  |  Written by: Michaela K., Marketing Asst.