Ski Tour the White Mountains

The Citizen’s Dec. 6 article about Bethel area Nordic ski centers to offer combined pass by Alison Aloisio recalls the much broader but similar program named Ski Tour the White Mountains. This early 1980’s plan came from touring centers suffering serious snow shortages during the 1979-1983 era. Bethel ski touring got good name recognition from its White Mountains connection.

I believe the idea came from the head of Jackson New Hampshire’s ski touring foundation whose name I don’t remember. Jackson’s trails connected a number of lodging places. Ski Tour the White Mountains members were ski touring centers at The Bethel Inn, Sunday River Inn, Jackson, N.H.; the Balsams, Bretton Woods and Waterville Valley. A ski around ticket could be purchased at any one of the participating centers that would then allow ticket holders to ski where the snow was best.

This co-op had its own logo, which was Ski Tour the White Mountains – blue letters on white. Citizen Printers produced envelopes and letterhead stationery used in sending out news releases to New England newspapers. News about the program told of the participating members, the ski around ticket deal and updates on ski conditions in each area.

News releases went to both the sports and travel editors of over 50 newspapers. (Maybe this was how Bernie Wideman learned about the Citizen.) At first the newsletters were printed at the Citizen, but I think later they were done by stencil on letterhead paper. Expenses for the association were low and consisted mainly of postage, printing, stationery and tickets with the rest done by volunteers. During the first year of the project, we had a Danish girl staying with us and attending Telstar Middle School. She and our daughter helped stuff envelopes.

Donald G. Bennett

Bethel