Quarry Road Trails

Quarry Road Trails, per its own homepage, "is owned and operated by the City of Waterville Department of Parks & Recreation." Per the operator's own "Rope Tow Ski Hill" page, the site's first lift was a 1,200-foot rope tow that opened to the public in January 1938, on a slope "known initially as Dunham's Mountain Farm and later the Colby Ski Area." Per the operator's own "History" page, the area's history began "in the 1930's with a tow rope" and became "a hub of activity for local ski enthusiasts"; the hill closed during World War II, then reopened by veterans and the Colby Outing Club in the late 1940s, and operated again "in the late 60's/early 70's when operated by Colby College as a lighted ski area with limited snowmaking." Downhill operations were then suspended specifically "during the 1970s energy crisis," per the "Rope Tow Ski Hill" page, and "the area closed again and was abandoned for a number of years," per the "History" page. At its peak, per the operator's own site, "the 250-foot hill featured a T-bar, snowmaking, lights for night skiing, and a spacious lodge." In 2007, "a small group of volunteers gathered to revive outdoor recreation once again at Quarry Road," developing a year-round recreation area with the City of Waterville, per the "History" page. In February 2021, per the "Rope Tow Ski Hill" page, "we ran a snowmobile-assisted alpine ski day" on the old slope, and in December 2021 "we installed a rope tow at the base of the former Colby Ski Area," serving "the lower portion of the historical ski slope." The rope tow is run by "Friends of Quarry Road and Waterville Parks and Recreation," with Friends of Quarry Road described on the operator's own page as "a 501(c)(3) nonprofit." For the 2026-27 season, the alpine rope tow is "Open 4 days a week for lift-served Skiing: Dec. 27- Mar. 15," the sixth year of the rope tow's operation, with alpine season passes for 2026-2027 priced at $80 (adult 19-64), $60 (student 7-18 or senior 65+), and $200 (family of 2 adults + 2 students), with discounted rates for Waterville residents, per the operator's own "Ski Ticket & Pass Rates" page. Friends of Quarry Road states it has "raised over $120,000 for bringing lift-served skiing back to Waterville" toward a future capital plan for "new lift infrastructure, snowmaking, a permanent base lodge / outdoor center," crediting a challenge gift from the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation and lead donors Golden Pond Wealth Management and Ned and Erica Ervin. The Quarry Road Ski Club runs an "introductory alpine skiing program for area youth in grades 2-8" using the rope tow, per the Club's own site, in two 4-week sessions costing $65 for the 2025-26 season.