When the British first started downhill skiing in Europe there was only one way up the mountains, to walk! Following the first cog-wheel or pinion railway created at Mount Washington, New Hampshire in 1969, similar technology was used in Switzerland to power steam trains up, over and through the Alps. It wasn’t long before skiers discovered the ski train as a far easier way to get up the Swiss Alps in order to enjoy the thrills of early skiing.
Today, although 99% of skiers use chair and drag lifts along with cable cars for transportation to the top of ski terrain, ski trains in Europe remain a popular means of uphill transportation, comradeship and social interaction. In Europe on the Zugspitz in Germany, several resorts in Austria, Chamonix in France and my favorites, the Gornergrat mountain railway in Zermatt and the exciting trains of the Jungfrau Railways transport skiers from Murren, Grindelwald and Wengen up the mountains.
To my knowledge, no American skiers have ever had the opportunity to ride a ski train up the mountains to ski terrain on the North American continent. This is about to change where cog-railway uphill trains were first invented, starting this December on historic Mount Washington, New
Hampshire. Beginning this season, skiers can take advantage of 1,100 vertical feet and a mile long slope down from the Waumbeck Water Tank at 3,800 feet down to the Marshfield Base Station.
I know most readers will be excited about the opportunity to try something new but with the limited initial downhill terrain running along the tracks, the novelty may wear off quickly. Some naysayers suggest that after one day, ski train skiers may well decide to go back across the road to Bretton Woods Ski Resort, the largest in New Hampshire.
I strongly disagree. I lived and worked in Switzerland last year and have been skiing using their ski trains for over a decade. Although ski lifts, draglines and cable cars are very efficient at taking you , up the mountain in order to ski back down again, this is not the entire ski experience. All of these modern conveniences do an excellent job of getting you up the mountain but they cannot begin to compete with scenic views and social benefits of ski trains.
Gone are the cold, fast and impersonal 5 minutes you might spend on a lift. This is replaced with the tinge of excitement of waiting for the train, the leisurely rail journey up the mountain, refreshments, the opportunity to meet new friends, take in the views of Bretton Woods Ski Resort along with the time to get to know members of the opposite sex while moving throughout the rail car. Also don't forget this attraction for your children as here skiing and trains combine to create an unforgettable experience for you and your kids.
Take a day, weekend or entire week and travel up to the Mount Washington Hotel, ski at Bretton Woods and take advantage of their 90 + trails and 400 + ski acres but make sure to schedule a day early in your visit to ski down Mount Washington using the ski train. I believe you will agree with me, that ski trains are a great addition to the North American ski experience.
Yes, train skiing will always be a rare novelty here in the US because we do not have the rail system of Europe but there is one more American resort that could offer ski train skiing.Surprisingly, its not out West or in New England but rather down South at Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia. The Cass Scenic Railroad is just next door to the Intrawest owned Snowshoe Mountain Resort and with the new backdoor entrance road and grading from Cass to Snowshoe now completed, a rail line could be added parallel the access road as a unique way to visit the resort by rail. The problem is the Cass Railroad does not use cog technology and instead uses very slow and time consuming switchbacks to climb the steep Allegany Mountain terrain. A better ski rail alternative might be for Snowshoe management to take a look at the level regular ski train layout at Murren, Switzerland. The relatively level mountain ridge topography from Top of the World could easily be used to build an environmentally friendly, light electric rail access to the vast amount of potential ski terrain waiting for development across and around scenic Shavers Lake.
But for now, there is only one ski train alternative in North America so head up to Bretton Woods Ski Resort this ski season and enjoy the experience and adventure formerly only found in Europe.
Thanks,
Ronald Holland
Note, this article was written back in 2003. Click Here To E-mail Your Questions or Comments
Links of Interest:
Mount Washington Hotel & Resort
Cass Scenic Railroad State Park
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