Mad River Glen, a ski area in Fayston, Vermont, became known for preserving a traditional, rugged style of New England skiing rather than expanding into a heavily commercial resort. Founded in 1947 by Roland Palmedo, it opened its signature Single Chair in 1948 and retained narrow trails, limited grooming, and terrain shaped largely by natural snow. Its steep runs and substantial vertical drop earned a reputation for especially challenging skiing on the East Coast. After passing from Truxton and Betsy Pratt to the skier-created Mad River Glen Cooperative in the 1990s, it became America’s only cooperatively owned ski area. Its unusual character is also defined by its surviving single chairlift and its ban on snowboarding.

Starksboro, Vermont · USA