Willard

The Little Mountain That Could

By Linda Waxman Finkle

Here’s a David and Goliath story if there ever was one, girls from Willard Mountain’s Freestyle Team crush the competition from Killington and Stratton at the 2020 Empire State Winter Games, taking 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th place overall. That’s right, Willard Mountain in Easton, “New York’s Coolest Little Ski Area.”

I first heard about Willard more than 20 years ago when a cousin had her kids take lessons here. My kids were at a much bigger, well-known place in Massachusetts, but her kids became much better skiers. Spend just a few short hours here and you’ll see why.

Maryann and Tim Kelleher have been coming to Willard for many years. This is where he learned to ski and worked as a teen. “I couldn’t afford it, so the deal was that I could ski for free, and would help in the cafeteria when they needed me,” said Tim. These days, their four kids spend several nights a week and weekends here, perfecting their skills, among friends and family – Willard’s size allows for that familiarity. Everyone knows each other, and kids have many adults and teens looking out for them – on the mountain, in the lodge, and when they’re away on trips. Many of the instructors learned here and return to teach year after year, Tim and his nephew are just two examples.

Named after Stephen Willard, a Revolutionary War scout, the mountain continues to be affordable for families. While the cost of an adult lift ticket hovers around $100 at other nearby areas, Willard’s half that rate, a true bargain. It’s part of the mission of making skiing accessible to all. Owners Chic and Kris Wilson, who purchased Willard in 1994, work hard to keep prices down with many discounts, season passes, early bird specials and family plans. Maryann, who grew up skiing at Hunter and Windham mountains, concurs: “We both work but with four kids we still couldn’t afford to do this at the prices other places charge. Here, we know everyone, it’s reasonably-priced, and they’re accommodating to all of the other activities in our lives.”

As a smaller mountain, Willard doesn’t typically get those who travel a big distance to ski. That translates to fewer lift lines, and more time skiing down the mountain for everyone. Although the runs may not be as long, they’re certainly challenging enough to produce champions, year after year. Bruce Bolesky, who competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, credits Willard with his success: “The coaches were exceptional. The staff and management at Willard made it so easy for me to progress in the sport.”

Willard’s teaching reputation is no mystery in the Capital-Saratoga Region. In the afternoons, its parking lot is filled with school buses from around the area, bringing in kids for afterschool ski programs. But what is it that turns these kids into such great skiers? Everyone will tell you that it’s the STAR Program, their progressive program for five to 12-year-olds. Participants commit to 14 Saturdays, and two holiday weeks, and can’t move into more advanced programs before completing designated tasks in each STAR level. After this, they can go on to the Mountain Masters and All Mountain programs, and the freestyle and race teams.

When Dave Vanderzee, Chet Hack, and Joe McGrath looked at what was originally a farm, and started cutting trails and a lift-line for a rope tow in 1954, they couldn’t have envisioned what Willard has become today. With two chair lifts, multiple learning tows, a tubing park, 16 trails, and a welcoming lodge, complete with rental shop, cafeteria, and bar and restaurant, it’s a place where families spend many of their winter hours. Like their parents before them, the youngest ones may start in the Little Colonel group program at four, before moving on to STAR. Sometimes exceptions are made for age if kids are really ready. “If the parents are skiers, the kids will be skiers. My twins started at two-and-a-half!” said Maryann. According to Chic, these lessons almost always sell out.

The Wilsons are responsible for much of what you see at Willard Mountain today. Their greatest joys, though, seem to be watching people of all ages learn to love skiing, sharing stories with everyone there, and taking tremendous pride in what the Willard teams have accomplished over the years. Chic recalled how, after one competition, the kids continued to ski until things shut down for the night. That’s just one small sign of the special feelings that so many have for this very special place! Learn more at willardmountain.com.

Linda Waxman Finkle (lwf518@gmail.com) is a writer, kayaking instructor, and event coordinator in Albany. She also enjoys hiking and cycling, and learning something new each day.