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Spring 1964 Issue

Behind The Scenes At Stratton

(5100' Heron chairlift planned for construction, Summer 1964)

By Hanson Carroll

Half million dollar base lodge designed by Sandy McIlvaine is Stratton's most talked about feature.

Half million dollar base lodge designed by Sandy McIlvaine is Stratton's most talked about feature. — Half million dollar base lodge designed by Sandy McIlvaine is Stratton’s most talked about feature.

Chairman of the Stratton Mountain Corp. is lumber executive Herbert Smith. Here he studies a painting of the Chapel which is a matter of yards from the base lodge.

One of the many chalets which have been built in the development area. All chalets must be built in traditional Austrian architecture, of course with modifications permitted.

Loading instructions graphically show the technique for fast, safe and correct loading. This is important with Stratton's Heron chair running at 550 feet/min cable speed. — Loading instructions graphically show the technique for fast, safe and correct loading. This is important with Stratton’s Heron chair running at 550 feet/min cable speed.

The 125-hp Allis Chalmers engine is installed underground. In extreme foreground is reduction gear box. Any of eight speeds can be selected in control room. Engine at right is gas-driven back-up engine. It can be started and engaged in 5 minutes.

Cafeteria, complete with the most modern volume feeding equipment, is run by Peter Pappas, who also owns one of Vermont's most famous restaurants, the Paradise, in Bennington. — Cafeteria, complete with the most modern volume feeding equipment, is run by Peter Pappas, who also owns one of Vermont’s most famous restaurants, the Paradise, in Bennington.

Stratton Vital Statistics

Uphill Equipment

	Make	Length
Chairlift	Heron	1585
	Heron	2760
	Heron	4700
T-Bar	Hall	1500
	Hall	2700

Tracked Vehicles

2 Sno-cats
2 Bombardiers
1 John Deere Bulldozer
1 OC-4 Oliver Tractor

Personnel

10 Full-time in season slope maintenance crew
12 Full-time, year-round slope maintenance crew
6 Full-time, paid professional ski patrol (augmented by separate volunteer NSPS patrol on weekends)

Attendance


Normal Sunday	2800
Weekday	800
Record Day	3431

Partial Lift Rate Schedule


All-day	$ 7.00
Afternoon	5.50
Weekly (5 day. inter-area ticket)	26.00
Weekly including 2 lessons daily	38.50
Weekly including 1 lesson daily	26.00
Season	125.00
Practice Slope – T-bar	5.50

Ski School

Emo Heinrich. Director

12 Austrian Instructors
18 American Instructors


Class lesson	$ 4.00
Semi-Private	4.00
Private	10.00

Concessionaire Pappas checks his inventory in walk-in freezer. Large space devoted to this is insurance against unexpected crowds, unexpected washouts and interrupted deliveries.

For kitchen waste disposal this omnivorous — For kitchen waste disposal this omnivorous “pig” grinds up all left-overs, including paper plates and napkins.

Ground up waste empties into cans in a form similar to papier mache. This is used as an effective mulch and fertilizer on the slopes.

Local protests over conventional sewage systems caused problems. Solution was the Dorr-Oliver Sewage Clarifier. The unit has a constantly moving paddle which processes sewage so that it can be drained off, chlorinated and entered into a brook as uncontaminated water after it has traveled about 50 yards. A small amount of solids is carried off by truck weekly. The system handles the whole development, including the chalets.

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