“Little Changes at Big Squaw”
 

This story was Published in The Maine Sunday Telegram 

Written: February 2002

By Heather Burke

During the two and half hour drive from Portland to isolated Greenville, we see only snowmobile trailers, no ski racks. The expansive Moosehead Lake is a centerpiece for winter fun seekers. Snowmobilers, snowshoers, moose spotters and ice fisherman have discovered this outdoor retreat, but not too many skiers.

We are finally greeted by indication of a ski area. “Ski the View,” the vintage billboard reads at the base of Squaw’s narrow access road. This is the only promotion for Big Squaw Mountain Resort you are likely to see, as they don’t have a marketing campaign, and certainly not a web site.

The photocopied brochure and trail map states, “Maine’s Own Little Gem.”

We set out to explore this self-proclaimed jewel first by riding the triple chair on the lower mountain. Here we ski the handful of meandering intermediate trails, and delight in having the Saint John trail all to ourselves. The soft, quiet natural snow underfoot is a treat.
Squaw’s principal lift is the 1967 summit double, which climbs 1,750’ vertical in about 12 minutes. (See 2005 note below concerning lift malfunction.) As we are scooped up by the quirky old lift, I have a flashback of riding a chair just like this as a kid. Flash-forward, I am seated next to my child, professing about skiing in the good old days when I wore Rossi Stratos and a hat with a huge pom-pom.

Along the ride, Moosehead Lake and mile-high Mt. Katahdin come in to magnificent view. Now I “See the View” and can begin to appreciate the genius behind the ski area slogan.

At the top, there’s a rustic warming hut and aging signs pointing to a choice of time-honored trails. Black diamond runs like Seboomok, Piscataquis and Saint Croix offer exciting pitches from the summit mixed in with twists and drop-offs for unpredictability along the way. The lift line trail offers steeps, jumps, and cliffs – skiing the way Mother Nature intended.

The exceptions to these challenging trails are the two and a half mile East Branch trail and two-mile Penobscot, these more wide-open staples have substantial snowmaking and daily grooming, making them popular for cruising and incredible sightseeing.

32-year ski patrol veteran Sandy McFarland explained that Sel Hannah, the legendary trail designer, laid out Squaw’s trail system, including recently developed glades that were part of his original plans. “The Penobscot Trail was mentioned in Sel Hannah’s obituary as his best work,” said McFarland.

If Sunday River represents the so-called new school with high-speed lifts and terrain parks, then Big Squaw is old school. Little has changed since 1963, when Scott Paper began this mountain playground. “Here at Squaw, we’re mired somewhere between 1968 and 1972,” says McFarland.

Some of the lift towers are padded with mattresses shrink-wrapped at a local Moosehead marina. There are no half pipes, but the entire mountain plays like an adventure park with natural contours and winding glades. Riders hand pack their own jumps and hits.

New at Squaw, (an oxymoron), are a few wild glade trails like West Branch and Jacob’s Ladder. These natural paths warrant their double black status, which are handwritten on the trail map and on mountain signs.

Beyond the unbelievable view and unaltered terrain, there is an indomitable aura at this time-tested ski area. Kids brought up on quads and white carpet boulevards would do well to ski the natural snow conditions and ride the modest (did I mention long?) double chair.

During one of our 15 ascents, my nine-year-old shared something that had been troubling him. He would not have had the time to find the words during a speedy detachable ride. So this is what they mean by quality time, in a land where time stands almost still.

Big Squaw Mountain is humorously humble. There is neither resort village nor mid-mountain eateries. The base lodge is pure 70’s, hosting a rental shop, game room and bar. Lunch is a buffet table lined with crock-pots of homemade soups and chili, plus the usual fare.

“Who could ask for more?” reads the print material. At 50 cents for a hot cocoa, I couldn’t think of anything. The prices are old-fashioned, lift tickets are $20 midweek and $28 on weekends for adults, kids 4 and under ski free.

The “new” owner, as of 1995, James Confalone of Miami car wash fortunes, has plans to continue upgrading the on-mountain hotel, which currently rents basic rooms for $109 a night.

“Mr. Confolane has permits for a top of the mountain restaurant, and plans for a new indoor heated pool and hot tubs in the Hotel,” said Willie Charles, Hotel Manager at Big Squaw.

For now, things remain rather rustic and unchanged. That includes the controversial name of Squaw itself. “No one wants to offend anyone, it’s an historical name,” said McFarland. “As far as Mr. Confalone is concerned, that discussion is over.” Good news, since the ski area is on what appears to be a shoestring budget. Replacing thirty-year-old signs, retyping the trail map and make new photocopies would be pricey.

If you long for ultra-wide man-made corduroy, high- tech lifts, cushy chairs, slopeside spas and boutiques, then Squaw is not your ticket. If however, you want to get away from that scene and ski some truly awesome classic New England terrain on natural snow that holds up all day due to minimal skier traffic - head to Squaw.

Fulltime patroller E.J. Gerrier said, “Come here on a weekday and 30 people on the hill is a lot.”

On a February weekend, we parked within a stone’s throw of the base lodge, skied two- mile-long trails without seeing another skier, and a peak lift line was maybe eight people.

Among the hundred or so skiers we saw on the slopes, several were patrollers out skiing together and with their families. The folks who live and play here appreciate their homespun gem of a mountain. “In the afternoon, when we’re doing patrol sweep and the sun lights up Katahdin in the distance, it looks like Kilimanjaro,” says McFarland.

The Moosehead Lake Chamber of Commerce website proclaims, “As Yellowstone is to Montana, Yosemite is to California and The Grand Canyon is to Arizona, Moosehead Lake is to Maine.”

Leave the fancy ski outfit at home, but go ski this “retro” alpine treasure above the shores of Moosehead Lake. Big Squaw, with its 32 trails, two chairlifts, a handle tow and t-bar, can be reached at 207-695-1000; they even have music on hold these days.

(Note: Squaw's summit lift is in need of repair and not scheduled to operate for the 2005-06 season, therefore the only lift is the lower mountain triple accessing 800' vertical of modest beginner/intermediate terrain)
 

 

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