The Mad River Glen Cooperative turns 20 this year and this is quite an accomplishment.
The very heavy lifting of creating and selling the concept was undertaken by incredibly dedicated volunteers who believed as strongly as former owner Betsy Pratt did that Mad River Glen belonged in the hands of its skiers.
And, while the creation of the nation’s first and only skier-owned ski area is a feat all by itself, something else has happened beyond the transfer of ownership from Pratt to the co-op.
The Mad River Glen brand, vibe and skier devotion has increased tenfold since the ski area passed into skier ownership. The ski area enjoys a sought after cache that money can’t buy and downright fanatic loyalty from skiers near and far, young and old.
People not only don’t mind waiting in line for the Single Chair, they relish it as a way to catch up with friends in the Mad River community and chat about conditions.
Mad River Glen skiers revel in the solitude of the Single Chair and revel in their narrow trails, their cliffs and rocks, their tree lines and revel in taking the sun on the deck after a full day of spring skiing.
It’s not unusual to find the parking lot overflowing and cars parked up and down Route 17. During one particularly nice blizzard last year, a truck jackknifed above Mad River, effectively closing down Route 17 from the ski area to about a mile and half below it. Undeterred, people parked on the side of the road (creating a single-lane road) and hiked up with their gear. That’s cache.
But beyond the devotion of its skiers, Mad River Glen has flourished as a co-op due to the very hard work of its board and the dedication of its employees. In combination, the two groups have improved the infrastructure while protecting the resource that was so important to Betsy and Truxton Pratt and to Mad River Glen’s founder Roland Palmedo.
That’s reason enough to celebrate.
Happy two decades to the Mad River Glen ski-owned cooperative and many more.
