| "I’m blown away and so happy I ended up down this rabbit hole. I moved to Exeter a few years ago and quickly realized the endless dirt bike trails that are in my front yard. I respect the area and enjoy it with my friends and family. I’ve ridden up that hill numerous times and always wondered what those cement blocks were for.
I was reading an article about the 4 ski areas Little Rhody used to have. I honestly didn’t know that. I knew of Yawgoo obviously and that’s where I learned to ski. I also knew about Diamond Hill because I lived down the street from there and we used to hime and go sledding there. I never heard of Pine Top until today and I’m almost 44 y/o. I’m very happy I read the article and learned more about this beautiful state that I live. I’m super stoked that I finally know what those giant cement blocks were out there for. It explains a lot and I can’t wait to go back there to imagine the area full of skiers from the stories I’ve read above. Thank you all for sharing. Peace" |
| Derek Foster, Mar. 4, 2024 |
| "While I learned to ski at Diamond Hill and mostly skied at Yawgoo I did have a memorable school trip to Pine Top for some night skiing. One of my best friends was at the top of the hill when the boy she liked skied passed her without saying anything. She got mad and sped off down the slope. About half way down she took a tumble and broke her leg. She actually rode home on the bus then went to the hospital! We still talk about that!" |
| Jill Heisler, Jan. 5, 2024 |
| "I went around this past summer looking for Pine Top, where my dad skied as a kid. The base area was still flat but with 5ft tall grass around it and all the trails cut were only slightly less wooded than the rest of the forest. He remembers going up a lift to the top of a long hill, which we saw. Walked further up the cut path, and realized the ski resort had ended.
" |
| Matthew Kibarian, Mar. 20, 2023 |
| "My very first date ever was at pine top it my date Richie Terpe took me thier those were the years I will never forget" |
| deborah peirson, Jan. 16, 2023 |
| "I grew up in Pawtucket. Graduating from Saint Ray's in 1989 my family moved to Seekonk where I am right now writing this note. Even being born in 1971, I am still to young to have ever experienced Diamond Hill Ski Area in Cumberland. Until tonight, I had not even "heard of" Pine Top. Reading these stories and seeing an original ad really makes me appreciate our New England past very very much. All that experienced this ski slope, from what I've seen here at this great trip down memory lane, I'm glad you have memories of this winter adventure in Rhode Island. That's the way it should be. " |
| Matthew Aspen, Jul. 10, 2021 |
| "I started working in 1964 with my cousin Fred Arnold a.k.a. Freddy Pine Top Howie Hamel was the manager . We hand raked out stones and roots on all three slopes and hand seeded and fertilized them. Finally in 1965 Pine Top opened . I moved inside to work in the resturant grilling hamburgers .Howie Hamel was the best boss and the funniest , Vinny Zarrela and Arvid Johnson were the owners great people.I bought a pair of Head Giant Slalom skis in 1968 from the ski shop there and last year my granddaughter asked me if I would go skiing with her at yawgoo ski area I said ok so I went and laced up my 1968 boots and head skis and skied all day . There's not enough room for the comments I still live in west Greenwich it's hard not to think of the fun and memory's that was their every time I drive by their." |
| Larry Rathbun, Dec. 12, 2019 |
| "My parents owned a log cabin at the R.I. /Conn. border on Baily Pond. Being the youngest of 5 kids (4 boys 1 girl) we spent every weekend there and all had season passes to Pine Top where we all learned to ski. With most of the snow being man made it had a base that was what we used to call "boiler plate ice" to where you'd have to pivot over what felt like skiing on a sheet of glass. I remember so many aspects of it all and can recall it like it was yesterday. Mostly the night skiing when the temperatures felt like 5 below of dangerous frost bite as you'd maneuver around blowing high pitched snow guns that left you in a fog of blindness. From the parking lot to the small ticket window where you'd get a pine tree shaped ticket you'd stick on a pipe cleaner. The to the lodge where there was a ski shop and a rental area downstairs with a pit where they would fit the boots to the skis. The main wooden staircase to the cafeteria always had the sound of ski boots going up and down and usually the sound of someone slipping trying to walk in unbuckled boots. My siblings and I always took the first table to the first at the top of the stairs to put our boots on and bundle up for the extreme cold outside. The sounds of people walking in ski boots, ski buckles clicking shut, the squeaky doors out onto the deck from which you'd hear the pitch of the snow guns going, the bell of the cash register, the motor of the hot chocolate machine and the smell of burgers and fries in the air always made me hungry. There was a stair case up to a small balcony bar above where people hung out and drank while their kids skied. That's when you could smoke inside and every table had those colored disposable aluminum ash trays on them. My brothers and their friends all raced and were very good skiers. They tuned their own skies making them razor sharp to hold and edge on any ice surface. Across from the lodge was a rope toe that a lot of the beginners used. It was a crude system that would destroy a pair of ski gloves in seconds if you held the rope too long in your hands and didn't grip it fast enough. At the bottom of the hill was the T-bar entrance where you'd ride the lift to the top along The Red Rooster and The Beck runs. The Rooster was rarely open due to not enough snow cover. It was a great run when it was open as it was the straightest run on the mountain. The t bar would pull you along a track and the seasoned skiers had time to light up a cigarette. I used to love the smell of the smoke in the air. At the top you'd turn right and make your way through this cave of trees along a cat walk to the top of the two runs. The Hall kids used to make jumps off to the right side of The Beck run. They were very fearless skiers and would do spread eagles, mule kicks and all type of tricks landing on point and able to recover and ski out of the woods. I was never to that level and if every time I tried to jump would fall and take forever to get out of the way for the next jumper behind me. At closing one of my brothers would walk out to the lot and warm up his car so it would be warm for the ride back to the cabin. The cabin couldn't have been more than 50 x 50 feet in size. It had a coal stove and fireplace and 2 small bedrooms, one with a bunk bed and small fold out bed. Not sure how we all fit in there but we did. ha During summer we'd sometimes walk up to Pine Top to see what it looked like without snow. It was along walk along a winding dirt road. A lot of great memories there at Pine Top and glad I was lucky enough to experience it as a child. Tomorrow I go back for a visit and I plan to take a drive out that way for a trip down memory lane. I'm sure a lot has changed but not all and it will always be a cherished memory that will stay with me forever. " |
| Bill Golden , Sep. 11, 2019 |
| "Would go up every weekend with our neighbor who was an instructor (Andy Depta).I eventually became part of the Ski Patrol and worked the weekends...(1977-79).Great experience for a young guy to have...lots of fond memories of all the nice people. " |
| Martin Bryson, Feb. 12, 2019 |
| "Was on ski patrol from 1966 to just before they closed. I recognize some of the names on this thread. Patrolled with Bob Bolton, Mike Zarli, Boomer, Herman Wyss, Carl Potter, Louise Potter, and many more great people. Ski instructor friends included Dan Storti, Jane Kanasset (sp), Kathy Halloran, and Diane Sullivan. The patrol and instructors would have a reunion every 5 years or so and then they just stopped. People went on with their lives and lost contact with each other. Some of the best people I ever knew. Miss them all." |
| Steve Calabro, Dec. 12, 2018 |
| "I have many happy memories of skiing Pinetop in the early 1970's. My Brother worked there, so I would ski there after school under the lights as often as possible. My father, brother and I went some nights and lots of weekends together. As I got older, it was always a good warmup for the bigger ski areas up North. I have grown into an advanced skier and have skied the biggest and steepest terrain in the West, but will always remember Pine Top with fond memories. One of my cousins also ran a Tucker snowcat there, and we also remember the summer that we tried grass skiing at Pinetop. They rented these crazy short "skis" with a belt around them running on a track. Anyone remember those?? Anyway, miss the place a lot. sad to see the lodge go and the land developed, but that's progress as they say?" |
| David Lodge, Oct. 7, 2018 |
| "My family owned Pine Top. I was very young, but still remember going with my dad during off season to watch the motor cycle races & wallk/explore the area. Always remembered the fire engines at the bottom of the hill too. I loved it there." |
| Cassie Johnson, Mar. 7, 2018 |
| "Was introduced to pine top,by a very good friend of mine from Fall River,Ma,Jimmy the Cobbler,started and learned to ski there,would ski all day, then go right to work, driving all night,NYC and back, went on to ski all N.East then went and skied Zerrmatt Switzerland, hot dogged a lot wrecked my knees,but had a great time doing it, also taught a lot of newcomers, a lot older now but the memories are great.?I " |
| Jim Perry, Feb. 20, 2018 |
| "My dad Robert Bolton was a ski patrolman and I went with him all the time Now i’m On wachusett mountain patrol " |
| Craig Bolton, Feb. 7, 2018 |
| "My friend's aunt was Hope Holbrook would gave the ski report for radio " Direct from Pinetop Ski Area."
" |
| Ron Fish, Jan. 10, 2017 |
| "Pine Top was owned and operated by my Dad's cousin Howard Hamel. There was great night skiing and the lift tickets were affordable We loved the area." |
| Jo Ann Hartge, Dec. 30, 2016 |
| "Although I later became an avid skier, I used to visit Pine Top to ride and explore some of the best and most scenic motorcycle trail riding courses in the region. Even in winter-time, skiers and riders would enjoy the warm lodge and go their separate ways outside. " |
| Michael Colucci, Jan. 10, 2016 |
| "I started skiing at Pine Top in 1965 when my Dad Mickey got on the ski patrol. Being on the ski patrol you got to ski for free but had to work one night a week and 1 weekend per month. The family also got to ski for free. I went with him almost every time he went. I got to know a lot of people over the years: Nagels, Waitkins and so many other families. The last day of the season they would have a festival: games, races and even got a bunny one year. So much fun! I never missed a year so I skied from 65 to 80 at Pine Top." |
| Kris Zarli-Bloomquist, Oct. 16, 2015 |
| "I started to ski at Pinetop in 1968.I was dating a serviceman from Quonset and he acquired the equipment from the recreational dept,on base.I do not remember the boys name,but have skied most of New England since and became a member of ski patrol at PineTop" |
| shelly juergens, Aug. 1, 2015 |
| "When I was in 8th grade in 1970, I had collected all my Pine Top lift tickets on my jackets and my mother counted 36 Pine Top lift tickets. Early one morning after an all night snow, the manager asked my friends and I if we would like a free $3.50 for alittle work, we said YES! We were then asked to to side step across the entire slope from bottom to the very top, so we became snow groomers, without even knowing it." |
| timothy lafayette, Apr. 24, 2015 |
| "I started skiing there in 1970 and skied there until 1974 when I could drive to the big mountains. I met my wife there at that time and we will be married 40 years this coming November. We spent almost every weekend there during those years skiing with the Wyss family, Cindy and her father who was on the ski patrol and her mother. It was a great family run ski area. It was ashame that it had to close so many years ago. " |
| John Braica, Mar. 1, 2015 |
| "we'd go up on weekends from Quonset and ski!that was 1968-1969!! I miss those days." |
| Ted Dauber, Dec. 9, 2014 |
