Magic Mountain Ski Area facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Magic Mountain Ski Area
Magic Mountain
Magic Mountain Ski Area Location in Vermont Show map of Vermont Magic Mountain Ski Area Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Londonderry, Windham County, Vermont, United States
Nearest city	Londonderry
Coordinates	43°11′34″N 72°45′36″W / 43.19278°N 72.76000°W / 43.19278; -72.76000
Vertical	1,500 ft (460 m)
Top elevation	2,850 ft (870 m)
Base elevation	1,350 ft (410 m)
Skiable area	205 acres (83 ha)
Runs	39
Longest run	1.6 mi (2.6 km)
Lift system	6 total 1 fixed-grip quad chair, 2 fixed-grip double chairs, 1 carpet, 2 handle tows
Lift capacity	3,000 passengers/hr
Snowfall	145 inches (12.1 ft; 3.7 m)
Snowmaking	50%
Night skiing	Yes terrain park
Website	www.magicmtn.com

Magic Mountain is a fun ski resort found on Glebe Mountain in Londonderry, Vermont. It's a great place to ski with a 1,500-foot drop from top to bottom! The very top of the mountain is 2,850 feet high, and the base (bottom) is 1,350 feet up.

Magic Mountain has a cool history, starting in the 1960s. A ski teacher and filmmaker named Hans Thorner started it because the mountain looked like his home in the Swiss Alps. Magic was part of Vermont's "Golden Triangle" of ski spots, along with Stratton Mountain and Bromley Mountain. It was very popular in the 60s, 70s, and early 80s.

Later, Magic was bought by a company called Boston Concessions. They also owned Bromley Mountain. After some tough times for real estate in the late 1980s, Bromley decided to close Magic in 1991. It stayed closed for several years but reopened in 1997. Ski fans loved Magic because of its classic and challenging trails.

However, the ski area faced challenges with different owners and old equipment during the 2000s. Even so, more and more people started visiting. When it looked like Magic might not open for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the owners looked for someone new to buy it.

A group of local skiers, called SKI MAGIC LLC, raised enough money to buy the resort in November 2016. They invested over $2 million to make big improvements. These included better snowmaking, new lifts, and upgrades to the bar and lodge. SKI MAGIC LLC still runs Magic Mountain today, working to make it even better for skiers and snowboarders.

History of Magic Mountain

Early Days and Growth (1960s-1980s)

In 1960, Hans Thorner opened Magic Mountain with a T-Bar lift on the lower part of the mountain. A longer double chairlift, about 5,000 feet long, was added in 1962. In 1971, the 5,400-foot "Red Chair" double lift was installed. During this time, more trails were created, and snowmaking equipment was added.

In 1985, Bromley Mountain's owners, Boston Concessions, bought Magic Mountain. They made the ski area much bigger by buying and connecting it to the old Timber Ridge Ski Area. This new part, on the eastern side of Glebe Mountain, became known as Timber Ridge at Magic. In 1987, Magic Mountain added a new Poma triple chairlift for beginner and intermediate skiers.

Challenges and Reopening (1990s-2000s)

In 1991, Bromley closed Magic Mountain and Timber Ridge because of bad ski seasons and a slow real estate market. Most of the lifts were removed, except for the summit Heron-Poma double chairlift (Red) and the Pohlig-Yan triple chairlift (Black).

Magic Mountain reopened in 1997, thanks to private investors. By 2001, a group called Magic Mountain Management LLC owned the property. In 2003, they started building a new double chairlift. This lift, which came from Stratton, followed the same path as the old Poma triple chairlift. SKI MAGIC LLC finished installing this lift in December 2018.

New Ownership and Improvements (2010s-Present)

From 2006 to 2014, Jim Sullivan managed Magic Mountain. He tried to create a cooperative ownership plan to help the ski area's future, but it didn't work out. In November 2016, after a difficult winter, SKI MAGIC LLC, led by Geoff Hatheway, bought the ski area.

In August 2017, SKI MAGIC LLC got permission for many upgrades. These included better snowmaking, new lifts, and lodge improvements. They added a new "magic carpet" style lift and a beginner area. They also put in new snowmaking pipes and a bigger snowmaking pond. A new-to-Magic fixed-grip Poma Quad lift was planned to replace the old Black Triple Chair. This new quad lift finally opened on February 22, 2024, making it much easier to get up the mountain!

The Mountain Experience

Magic Mountain might not be as tall as some other mountains, but it offers a great skiing experience. It has a 1,500-foot vertical drop, similar to its neighbors. Some of its trails are very steep, like "Master Magician," which has a 45-degree slope at the top! Magic is also famous for having the most tree-skiing and gladed trails in southern Vermont. This means you can ski through areas with trees, which is a fun challenge for advanced skiers.

Ski Trails at Magic Mountain

Magic Mountain has 39 trails spread over 135 acres of skiable land. The trails are grouped by how difficult they are:

• (g) – gladed trail with trees (skiing through trees)

Ski Lifts

Magic Mountain has several lifts to take you up the mountain:

Past Lifts

Here are some of the lifts that used to operate at Magic Mountain:

Images for kids

• 

  Base lodge at Magic Mountain, around 2008