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Hard'Ack Ski Area St. Albans, Vermont Status: Open First Season: 1937-38 Vertical Drop: 160 feet Standing Lifts: Surface lift Past Lifts: Left: Hard'Ack Ski Area Recent NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com News: Located on the southeastern slope of Aldis Hill in St. Albans, Vermont, Hard'Ack is a small recreational facility that features downhill and cross country skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and sledding during winter. Early Ski Activities Skiing at "Hardack" may date back to the 1920s. In early 1923, there were multiple ski and snowshoe excursions on "Hardack Hill" noted by the St. Albans Daily Messenger. By December 1929, the Burlington Free Press noted more than 100 people were skiing and tobogganing at the area after Christmas, declaring, "Facilities on this hill are the best of any in this vicinity." During the winter of 1929-30, members of the St. Albans Rotary were active in promoting and improving the area, including constructing a ski jump on the slope. An event was planned for mid-February, however a thaw led to its postponement or cancellation. A larger jump was constructed during the winter of 1930-31, while a toboggan slide was constructed the following year. A snow train was explored for the 1934-35 season, with the intent of bringing Montreal guests to St. Albans to use Hard'Ack, Bellevue Hill, and French Hill for snow sports activities. A visit was made by Central Vermont and Canadian National railway officials in January, but "the absence of snow" was noted. The Civilian Conservation Corps reportedly brushed back and built up the snowpack on the ski trails on Aldis Hill, as snow was reported as scant. The Hard'Ack slope was not used for ski racing events, as there was insufficient snow. 210 members of the "Ski-To" club visited, 60 of whom came by train. The event was held again in 1936, organized by the new St. Albans Ski Club. Frederick J. Buck headed the new group. The turnout was so large that the St. Albans Daily Messenger referred to it as the worst traffic jam ever experienced in that part of the state. Events included a slalom race on Hard'Ack, downhill and cross-country races on Bellevue Hill, and a dance at the K of C Hall. The St. Albans Ski Club reportedly obtained a lease for the Hard'Ack area in advance of the 1936-37 season, quickly proceeding to widen the slope and install night skiing lights. The St. Albans Daily Messenger opined, "There are bigger hills to be sure. We have them here in Bellevue and French hill [sic]. However, it is seldom that one finds a clear, steep slope of the length of Hard'Ack so handy for those who may have only an hour or so to get out in the open on winter afternoons or evenings." The area briefly opened in late November or early December, with the newspaper declaring it "The best early season skiing in many years." A thaw a few days later paused the season until February, when the area debuted its night skiing operations. Recent arrival and future Stowe legend Sepp Ruschp provided lessons. The First Rope Tow 1938 Hard'Ack Rope Tow Advertisements As the 1937-38 season approached, rumors began to circulate about plans to install a rope tow at Hard'Ack. An 800 foot tow was installed circa January, but did not open until the end of February due to a lack of snow. Alan Soule reportedly constructed the lift, which had a gas motor on the top of the hill. Also known as the St. Albans Ski-Tow, the lift may not have operated long that season, as an early March race had to be relocated to Bellevue Hill due to ice. Circa December 1938, the Aldis Hill playground trustees purchased 11.5 acres on the east slope of Aldis Hill, including Hard'Ack, from H. B. Fisher. With the purchase, the St. Albans Ski Club reportedly planned to cut new trails and develop a new ski jump. Skiing started in January, but it is not known if the rope tow was still in place. In April, some of the night skiing lights were shot out by vandals, resulting the Aldis Hill park being closed to hunting and shooting. First-aid toboggans were built for the 1939-40 season and were put to use after a few serious crashes. The area continued to operate into the early 1940s, though fundraising was always a concern. At the February 1942 annual meeting, on director suggested staging a "blackout" on some evening to observe non-paying non-members reacting to the expensive floodlights being shut off. The club remained in operation during World War II, even though key figures were away serving in the military and Red Cross. Post-war, the local American Legion sponsored youth ski instruction at the area. A snow fence was installed in the fall of 1946 with the hope of retaining more snow on the slope. Meanwhile, the St. Albans Ski Club noted that if the popularity of the slope increased, a rope tow could be installed again. The club struggled nevertheless with a lack of volunteers and with vandals shooting out some more lights. St. Albans Ski Club co-founder Frederick Buck passed away on April 5, 1950 at the age of 51 after suffering from brain tumors. His brother John remained active in the club and the local ski scene. Interest in the slope may have waned in the late 1940s and into the early 1950s, as the St. Albans Daily Messenger noted that snow "had been conspicuously absent from the Railroad City's slopes in recent years." The Vermont Sunday News noted, "in this atomic age weather conditions seemed to be unpredictable. Snow has become as scare as the food rations of World War II." In late 1951, the St. Albans Ski Club started "Operation Ski Tow." Preston Leete, future Burke Mountain general manager and uncle of future Killington founder Preston Smith, reportedly loaned the club poles, pulleys, and rope with an option to buy. Vern Hazard loaned the club a tractor to power the lift, which was installed in early February but did not operate until later in the month due to a lack of snow. The lift likely did not operate again. A late January 1953 column in the St. Albans Daily Messenger noted that "Snow on Hardack has been as conspicuous as a frost in July," adding, "a Florida winter has cheated skiers." The St. Albans Ski Club soon disappeared. In the fall of 1956, the St. Albans Kiwanis Club decided to reclaim the Hard'Ack slope after a half decade of inactivity. Initial efforts were focused on clearing the brush "so that basic and elementary skiing could be enjoyed." In January, Walter Foeger, director of the ski school at the new Jay Peak ski area, taught lessons for an afternoon at Hard'Ack. The Third Rope Tow Hard'Ack in January 1966 A new effort to redevelop the slope was started by local dentist Dr. A. Gould Susslin in late 1963. The St. Albans Recreation Commission discussed installing lights, constructing a warming hut, and obtaining a used rope tow from Jeffersonville. In 1964, the St. Albans Rotary Club hired a bulldozer to build an access road and clear the slope. A new trail was reportedly cut and plans were made to install lights, construct a rope tow, and obtain a scale car with a stove from the Central Vermont Railway to serve as a base shelter. However, in the fall of 1964, the rotary decided not to officially sanction any further development over liability concerns. Work subsequently proceeded when the St. Albans Kiwanis Club joined the effort, helping to sponsor the acquisition of lights and constructing a base shelter. Combined, the two clubs raised more than $1,000 for the project over the course of two months. In January, Central Vermont Public Service and Central Vermont Railway workers installed a 1,000 foot power line on Hard'Ack. In February, a ballot petition was generated to assess a two-cent property tax to raise an estimated $1,800 to insure and operate a rope tow facility. The measure was defeated by a vote of 1,122 to 780. In early September 1965, Hard'Ack once again fell victim to vandalism, as the warming hut windows and doors were smashed in, the insulation ripped out, the stove knocked over, and graffiti sprawled on the walls. More than a dozen minors were subsequently identified by local law enforcement in taking part in the destruction. Despite the setbacks, work progressed as the rotary transitioned operations to a new entity. On October 15, 1965, the Hard'Ack Outing Club was formed and a membership drive commenced. The club offered its members year-round recreational opportunities including a summer hiking and picnic area, a skating rink, and the ski area served by a 600 foot rope tow with night skiing lights. After years of partial or complete bans of sledding, the revitalized complex also included a dedicated toboggan slope. Thirty-four youths were trained to form a junior ski patrol. Project chairman Dr. A. Gould Susslin declared in late December, "Everything is just about ready except the snow." The keys to the new Hard'Ack rope tow were formally handed over by the Rotary and Kiwanis to the Hard'Ack Outing Club on January 4, 1966. A lack of snow prevented skiing or sledding from happening that evening. Hard'Ack, Inc. was registered as a State of Vermont business entity on January 6, 1966. It is not known when the tow opened for the season, but it was likely in operation at some point in January. "Exceptionally mild weather, rain and thaw" impacted operations soon thereafter, but the season nevertheless reportedly spanned 12 weeks. 180 families reportedly purchased memberships for the first season of the Hard'Ack Outing Club. After the season, the Hard'Ack Outing Club awarded Dr. A. Gould Susslin a scroll honoring him as "Mr. Hard'ack" for his role in getting the development underway. Meanwhile, plans were made for a larger warming hut and lengthening the ski area by 200 feet. Long-term plans included snowmaking, an ice skating rink, a swimming pool, and tennis courts. Many changes took place for the 1966-67 season, thanks to volunteer labor. The rope tow was extended 100 feet and the truck drive relocated from the top of the hill to the bottom with a new lift house. The Rock Graden trail was cut to the north of the main slope, leaving a few trees to create a glade-like feel. A 50-ton boulder was moved 100 yards. A former turkey coop was added to the relocated warming hut to create a larger space with a bathroom and first aid room included. Finally, two skating rinks were constructed, including a regulation hockey rink with lights. The 1966-67 season kicked off during Christmas weekend. A 15 to 20 meter ski jump was constructed for the 1967-68 season. University of Vermont coach Bob Stone conducted a clinic at the facility in January. Three tennis courts were constructed in 1975. Hard'Ack announced it would cease downhill ski operations in 1986 after vandals cut the rope, broke lights, and damaged the warming hut. However, after local volunteers and businesses rallied to make repairs, the area reopened, only to be shuttered again in early February after losing insurance coverage. The area subsequently reopened with new insurance coverage in mid-February 1987. In January 1998, a 10-year-old girl was seriously injured when her sled hit a rope tow pole in icy conditions, resulting in hospitalization. Hard'Ack, Aldis Hill Playground Trust, and the city faced a lawsuit as a result of the accident. The facility was reportedly shut down around this time. Resurgence The Hard'Ack Ski Slope (February 2025) After the lawsuit was settled, proposals emerged in the spring of 2000 to reopen Hard'Ack. Plans included a $2.3 million skating rink and reopening the ski area. The ski area reopened during the winter of 2000-01. Continuing to face poor winters, Hard'Ack looked to install snowmaking circa the 2002-03 season. Residents of the neighboring Eastview condominium complex objected during the permitting process, raising concerns about municipal water pressure, noise, and utility easements. A holding tank was procured in 2003 and 12 tower gun bases installed. Later that year, Hard'Ack entered into an agreement to acquire 60 acres of land adjacent to the facility for non-alpine-skiing activities. Longtime Hard'Ack supporter Dr. A. Gould Susslin passed away on April 28, 2015 at the age of 87. In September 2017, Hard'Ack, Inc. agreed to transfer its 95 acre property and merge operations and maintenance activities with the City of St. Albans. The Greg Brown Lodge (February 2025) The Greg Brown Lodge opened in July 2021, replacing the former turkey coop building. Dedicated in the memory of an area businessman who had been involved with Hard'Ack, the $750,000 project was funded by over $500,000 in donations. A new pool opened in 2022, complete with an inflatable dome for winter operations. A new playground opened in August 2023. Year by Year History Adult Weekend Full Day Lift Ticket; Adult Full Price Unlimited Season Pass. Window price, including RFID fee and taxes when known. 2020s Ticket Price Season Pass Price Pass Payback Opening Day Closing Day Skier Visits 2024-25 February 1 March 9 2021-22 January 15 March 4 2010s Ticket Price Season Pass Price Pass Payback Opening Day Closing Day Skier Visits 2018-19 January 19 March 10 2017-18 January 18 March 25 2016-17 December 26 2015-16 January 23 February 28 2014-15 January 25 2012-13 December 29 1980s Ticket Price Season Pass Price Pass Payback Opening Day Closing Day Skier Visits 1982-83 $2.00 1970s Ticket Price Season Pass Price Pass Payback Opening Day Closing Day Skier Visits 1976-77 $15.00 1975-76 December 26 1960s Ticket Price Season Pass Price Pass Payback Opening Day Closing Day Skier Visits 1966-67 $1.50 $15.00 10.0 days 1965-66 $10.00 1950s Ticket Price Season Pass Price Pass Payback Opening Day Closing Day Skier Visits 1951-52 February 24 1930s Ticket Price Season Pass Price Pass Payback Opening Day Closing Day Skier Visits 1937-38 February 27 Visitor Memories "I grew up in St. Albans in the 1960s - early 1970s. It was absolutely idyllic. I LOVED Hardack. We did a lot of night skiing, and the rope tow was soooo much fun. You had to make sure not to grab it too tightly or you'd suddenly jerk forward. It was a safe place, fun, and then we did Saturday ski lessons for $2.00 for a bus ride, and half-day skiing at Madonna Mountain / Sterling. Hardack Mountain had a myth about the silver wolf that was a ghost on the mountain and there was a big flat rock that was supposed to be where the wolf lived. St. Albans back then was safe, wonderful, and a terrific place to grow up. " Laura K, Jan. 29, 2022 "I grew up in St Albans in the 80's and we ALWAYS went to Hard'ack. Whether it was for sledding in the winter, or biking/hiking the trails, it was always fun. And kept us out of our parents hairs for HOURS!!! Great memories as a kid. From the look out point on the west side to the stone plack of the grey wolf that was shot there. Herb Mitchell was my neighbor as a kid. From what I understand he was one of the people to donate time, resources, and fabricate the tow rope system. Hopefully they find a way to remember him for his help." Brian Jackson, Jan. 30, 2018 "I remember skiing there for the first time in 1974, the cabin at the top of the rope tow contained half of a Pontiac with no doors. It had the tow rope connected to the rear differential. A man sat in the seat and operated the car which pulled the skiers up the hill. He said he had no need for the doors so sold them to a skiier that had an identical Pontiac." Trapper Johnson, May. 25, 2017 "I was one of the reincarnators, the above statements are pretty accurate. The Hard'ack Trustees shal be building the Greg Brown Lodge a 64'x54', 1 1/2 story structure." Tim Hurlbut, Dec. 10, 2016 Add a memory of Hard'Ack Ski Area First Name: Last Name: E-Mail Address: Comments: External Links Hard'Ack, Inc. - official site Last updated: March 4, 2025

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