For half a century, Shawnee Mountain Ski Resort has been the place where families, friends and ski enthusiasts come to enjoy the slopes, and this year they celebrate their fiftieth anniversary, honoring the history, community and love of the sport that have kept guests returning season after season. Deanna Fontanez sat with the family to talk about the evolution of Shawnee over the past fifty years, as the mountain prepares to come alive once again for a new season.

Nick Fredericks recalls that on day one, “We started without a lodge, even at the summit. It was an upside-down ski area. The lodge was at the summit. You skied down the mountain and then you found your way back up.” He explains that when they opened in December of 1975, the lodge wasn’t yet completed, so “we had a Jeep station wagon that we offered free doughnuts and hot chocolate to anybody who skied,” and rentals cost two dollars and were handed out of a U-Haul trailer. With only four trails and two chairlifts then, the resort has since grown from a seven thousand–square-foot lodge to fifty-five thousand square feet and now operates about eleven lifts.

As a family-run operation, Nick, Rachel and Josh witness firsthand what guests experience when thousands of people visit the mountain each year. Rachel Wyckoff says, “It’s really fun to see, like the generations of people coming across the bridge,” noting that kids she once skied or snowboarded with now bring their own children and ask how to get them started. Josh Urciuoli adds that former employees often return, sometimes after entire careers elsewhere, creating a unique extended-family dynamic that defines the mountain.

The three also shared personal family memories of growing up on the slopes, with Rachel recalling an old photo of her, her sister and her parents getting off B Lift in the eighties and laughing about “fun 80s pictures… in our jeans and Carhartts.”

When asked what sets Shawnee apart, Rachel explains that guests frequently see the three of them walking the grounds, interacting directly with visitors, which builds a deep sense of connection.

Long-time guests who have been coming for fifty years are often the ones who proudly share their stories with others, something Rachel finds “really special.” One such longtime guest is Eileen, a season pass holder since the early days, who first came to Shawnee after a family ski trip. Eileen Gilgallon recalls taking her first lesson there in the eighties, joining a newly formed adult program and appreciating that “the instructors never gave up on me.” Over the years, she and her family have made countless memories, including the twenty-fifth-anniversary celebration with its fireworks and watching the youngest SKIwee participants grow up, becoming like family. Celebrating fifty years, she says, is a major moment “for something a small mountain, a family mountain,” rich with history.

Grateful for the community that has embraced them, Rachel emphasizes, “Thanks for choosing us...there's a lot of options, and we don't take it lightly that they decided to come here, and it means a lot to us and we appreciate it."

From its first chairlift to today’s busy slopes, Shawnee Mountain continues to be a winter destination for all ages, marking fifty years of snow, adventure and amazing memories!