Millinocket, Maine — New downhill ski operations are pretty rare in the United States, so it comes as a surprise when one randomly pops up on your Facebook feed on Friday morning.
On Friday, the Town of Millinocket opened up its new rope tow. Millinocket’s small ski hill has three trails and a vertical drop of 60 feet. The new lift appears to be from TowPro, which has been popping up across the country recently. There are
The rope tow operated on Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A good write-up on the skier experience this past weekend can be read here.
While it comes as a bit out of the blue, it’s been something the town has been working on for the past few years. According to New England Ski Industry, the town secured grants from the American Rescue Plan, Maine WinterKids, and Katahdin Winter Trails.
The ski area dates back to the 1930s. A rope tow was added in the 1950s. However, it sat abandoned next to Stevens High School for decades and was used mostly by sledders. There was also a ski area near Millinocket known as Black Cat, which closed in the 1960s.
Millinocket, which I’ve mispelled at least fifty times while writing this article, proclaims itself as “Maine’s biggest small town.” It’s the gateway to Maine’s tallest peak, Mt. Katahdin. The town has been trying to refocus on recreation since its paper mill closed in 2008, but a biofuel company that moved in is helping the local economy.
For Maine’s ski industry, it’s the first new ski area to open up since 2022. That was when Quarry Road Trails, a Nordic ski center situated next to an abandoned ski area, opened a rope tow. It added a rope tow, which services part of that slope. The hill was expanded for this past winter.
Image/Video Credits: Sam Shirley, Town of Millinocket, Eric Hendrickson, CBS 13 News, Quarry Road Trails
