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Snowtrails Ski Area (Visit this link)

Skiing in Ohio really got its start in 1961 when Snow Trails opened its slopes to enthusiastic skiers. Mansfielder's themselves were unprepared for the throngs of visitors on the snowy weekends that followed. Cars with ski racks soon became a familiar sight on the highways around the North Central Ohio area. Many thousands of Ohioans, as well as skiers from neighboring states such as Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia, have come to know Mansfield as the Ski Capital of Ohio.

Before 1961, the State had several hundred skiers and even a make-shift rope tow or two operated by private individuals or ski clubs, not for the general public. Ohio winters, up to this time, were not considered favorable for a commercial skiing enterprise.

There were hundreds of ski areas operating in the northern states, but no one had developed one as far south as Ohio. Those interested in the sport had to travel to Canada, Michigan, New York, or Northern Pennsylvania to find the nearest ski facility.

It was not just luck that made Snow Trails a resounding success. Before a tree was removed or a spade full of earth turned, climatological data and geological survey maps were closely scrutinized. The task was to select the best possible location for developing a ski slope that could be maintained by the use of snowmaking technology.

For man-made snow, average temperatures need to be in the freezing range and sufficient temperatures in the low twenties had to be available in order to make adequate snow to cover the acres of slopes. Natural snow in Ohio is neither sufficient nor dependable for winter sports.

What is man-made snow? It is simply the product of water and air combined in a special machine at the proper temperatures. The machine creates a fine mist which, in cold dry air, crystallizes as it falls to the ground and forms a snow-like granular cover.

Snowmaking is expensive. Over a million dollars is required for the necessary equipment; a larger sized ski development requires several million dollars for snowmaking outlay alone. Special high-powered snow machines and millions of gallons of water are required to provide enough capacity to cover an average hill.

The art of snowmaking and grooming the slopes for skiing is constantly improving and Snow Trails has historically been at the forefront in adapting to the latest and best technology. Snow Trails is known for superior skiing conditions and for being open longer than other ski areas in the region.

Before Snow Trails could be converted from a dream into reality, other problems had to be solved too. In 1960, skiing was a relatively new sport to Ohio. What would the skiers want in the way of rental equipment, food, skiing instruction, ski lifts, and lodge facilities? All these questions were taken into consideration when Snow Trails developers laid out Ohio's first ski area near Mansfield.

December 1962 brought the opening of the second ski season at Snow Trails and the opening of two more ski Ohio areas. December 8, 1962 saw the first operation of a double chair lift that served new terrain. There were relatively few chair lifts in operation in the United States at the time and it was almost unheard of for a ski resort the size of Snow Trails.

Through the years, Snow Trails has continued to stay on the forefront of the ski industry both in technology and service. Most recently Snow Trails implemented a guest services initiative that is called Alpine Attitude. Alpine Attitude focuses on making the work of running a ski area fun which in turn sends guests home with a memorable and enjoyable experience.

http://www.snowtrails.com