Dix Hills’ Ski Destination

When people think of Long Island, they think about the beach, the proximity to New York City, Levittown and the American suburb---but who thinks of Long Island as a ski destination? 

Yet, for Long Islanders, Dix Hills provided exactly that in the 1960s and 1970s.  That's right, right on Dix Hills Road, a quarter mile north of Jericho Turnpike, was the Hi-Point Ski Club.  With 12 snowmaking machines, two trails, a lift, lights for night skiing, and affordable prices it made the sport accessible for all.

The very first meeting of the Hi-Point Ski Club was held at Lindbergh Lodge in September of 1958.  There were about 75 people present, and reports were given on the progress of the proposed ski area.  Twenty-six members were inducted that night, and since it would be run as a not-for-profit, a larger membership drive was planned for that October.   The public was invited to a series of four lecture events designed to inform interested ski fans about what they had planned. 

This would be Long Island's first machine-made-snow ski area, (there was Bald Hill Mountain in Farmingville, and a small trail in Oyster Bay, but neither had snowmaking equipment and were therefore heavily affected by weather), and so the attendees were presented, "an illustrated talk [that] outline[d] temperature studies and [that] include[d] colored slides of typical snow-machine areas," according to the October 2, 1958 Long-Islander. 

The following week the Long-Islander published an aerial photo showing the progress of the mountain and describing it with the beginner's trail on the left and the intermediate slope on its right.  Allowing a run of just over 1/8 mile over a 110- foot vertical drop, the trails would be serviced by two rope tows, constructed next to Lindbergh Lodge.  The hills that would serve as home to the Ski Club had previously been used for motorcycle climb races. 

The official groundbreaking for the ski tows at Hi-Point was pictured in the October 30, 1958 Long-Islander and Town Supervisor Ernest Johnson, President of the Club Carl Josephson, and Lindbergh Lodge Director and Hi-Point Membership Committee Chairman Einar Johnsson, dug the first shovelful of dirt.  In the same issue, it was announced that they ordered 12 Larchmont Engineering Company snow machines. 

With all this momentum and coverage in the local papers, Hi-Point was able to raise $23,000 in just seven weeks by selling bonds at a minimum of $100 a person, with 4 percent interest, due in five years.  They celebrated with a big party at the Lodge, which also gave members a chance to see all the work that progressed so far. By 1959, they had 250 memberships, 75 percent of which were Huntingtonians, with dues at $5 for a single person, and $10 for a family with a extremely small fee charged for each usage--- considerably less than any public facility.

Despite an early battle with the Gentry Park Civic Association over the heavy traffic for the mountain through the neighborhood and the noise created by the snowmaking machines overnight and in the early morning, the Hi-Point Ski Club enjoyed its first few winter seasons.  Opening Tuesday through Saturday and concentrating on family skiers and school groups, the mountain also provided floodlights for after work skiers. 

In December 1960 they opened the local skiing season "on expanded facilities."  And in January 1961, they were host to Olympic medal winning skier Penny Pitou who participated in a program, which in addition to a live demonstration by Pitou on the slopes, included "a film, a demonstration of handling of skills, a fashion show of skiing apparel." 

That February the Ski Club held its first Winter Carnival, which included a costume contest, outdoor dancing, ski events, an obstacle course, and the crowning of the Ski Queen.  The same year, the original towrope was replaced with a polypropylene one, which did not absorb water and was much lighter, as well as an expansion done to the parking lot and ski shop.  Because it was owned and operated by members, it was the members themselves who worked nights making snow, and days operating the tow lifts.

There was a fire in January 1969, which totally destroyed a building and the artificial snowmaking machines it housed, but according to the Long-Islander, skiing went on as usual.  Only two cement walls were left of what was the Hi-Point machinery building.  Members were not concerned, however, because they had recently "installed the new type of [plastic] matting on its slopes that can be used without snow for skiing."   Though vandals did break in and start another fire just a few months later, the fireman were able to stop it before any damage was done. 

The 1970 ski season opened with an announcement that the Town of Huntington would be offering a recreational and instructional Ski Program for Huntington boys and girls aged 8 to 18.  Those under 14 could register for one afternoon per week, and the older students could register for one evening per week.  The sessions began in January and ran until the weather prevented.

By 1980, however, the weather was proving to be a real problem.  While snow could be made, it was getting harder and harder to keep it for more than a few days.  A January 27, 1980 article in The New York Times discussed the problems at Bald Hill Ski Mountain in Farmingville saying that "this winter, more than three feet of now have been manufactured… but none of it has lasted more than a few days." 

Located only 18 miles away, Hi-Point was sure to be having the same problems.  In fact in December of that year The New York Times reported that, "Despite predictions that the Island is in for a colder and possibly snowier winter than last year, prospects are not good for downhill skiers looking for a full season without leaving the Island."  And in the end it was this unreliable weather that doomed the Club to failure.  The Lindbergh Lodge was sold to developers, and today condos and townhouses sit on the land that was once occupied by Hi-Point Ski Club.

While I had trouble pinpointing which season was the last for Hi-Point, I did find this information on an Internet forum: "I was a Director of the Hi-Point Ski Club for many years.  The club was in operation from approximately 1960 to the late 70s." And later, "In my last response regarding Hi-Point Ski area, I indicated that we were in operation thru the late 70s. On further thought, it was more like the early 80s."  But since he was identified only as "Chuck D," I was unable to get in touch with him to verify this information.

Forum regarding Hi-Point: http://www.city-data.com/forum/long-island/123020-lindbergh-park-high-point-ski-hil.html#ixzz0xdoHScLa