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Located between Bristol, Waterbury, and New Britain, Mt. Southington is a popular local ski area.
Early Surface Lift Years
The base area (1970s) |
Circa the early 1960s, Dr. Harold Richman and his wife were inspired to start a local ski area after a trip to Vermont. Soon thereafter, the Richman and Palmisano families pulled together a group of investors to purchase a dairy farm and construct a ski area on it.
Mt. Southington debuted as a 300 vertical foot surface lift area on December 10, 1964, managed by Walter Avre. Initial offerings included two T-Bars, multiple rope tows, snowmaking, and night skiing. A third T-Bar was added for the 1965-66 season.
Upper Mountain Expansion
Mt. Southington circa the 1970s |
After three years of operating with the lower slopes, Southington began its expansion upward in 1967 by cutting five new trails. While a chairlift line was surveyed at the time, the upper mountain was served by a rope tow for the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons. In order to develop more skiers, Southington had special programs such as Ladies Day, in which free babysitting was offered.
The Avalanche double chairlift was installed for the 1969-70 season, giving the mountain its first top to bottom lift.
NASTAR racing was added circa 1973-74, reportedly claiming the second highest participation rate in New England.
Southington's next expansion build up took place in the late 1970s, starting with the installation of a J-Bar for the 1977-78 season. The following year, Mt. Southington's first triple chairlift, Stardust, was installed, giving the mountain its second top to bottom lift.
Growth continued in the 1980s, including the night skiing business when a liquor license was procured at the start of the decade. Trails were improved, as were snowmaking capabilities. The expert Tester trail had lights and snowmaking infrastructure installed for the 1982-83 season.
Night skiing at Mt. Southington circa the mid 2010s |
Lift improvements resumed in the 2000s, as the Avalanche double was rebuilt and the Northstar double chairlift and Thunderbolt double chairlift were installed.
By the mid 2010s, all of Mt. Southington's trails were lit for night skiing, while the area also featured 100% snowmaking with a 1,800 gallon per minute system served by a million gallon reservoir.
NewEnglandSkiConditions.com Reports
NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com News
Image Gallery
Lifts
Click on lift name for information and photos
Maps
Year by Year History
Adult Weekend Full Day Lift Ticket; Adult Full Price Unlimited Season Pass
| 2020s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 2022-23 | $68.00 |  | $725.00 | | 10.7 days | December 17 | March 19 | | | | | 2021-22 | $64.00 | | $675.00 | | 10.5 days | December 26 | March 20 | | | | | 2020-21 | $62.00 | | $650.00 | | 10.5 days | December 18 | March 27 | | | | | 2019-20 | $62.00 | | | | | December 12 | March 8 | | | |
| 2010s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 2018-19 | $60.00 | | $660.00 | | 11.0 days | December 1 | March 24 | | | | | 2017-18 | $59.00 | | $580.00 | | 9.8 days | December 16 | March 25 | | | | | 2016-17 | $58.00 | | $560.00 | | 9.7 days | December 17 | March 26 | | | | | 2015-16 | $58.00 | | $560.00 | | 9.7 days | January 5 | March 11 | | | | | 2014-15 | $56.00 | | $550.00 | | 9.8 days | December 7 | March 29 | | | | | 2013-14 | $55.00 | | $550.00 | | 10.0 days | December 1 | March 29 | | | | | 2012-13 | $54.00 | | $540.00 | | 10.0 days | December 30 | March 30 | | | | | 2011-12 | $53.00 | | $540.00 | | 10.2 days | December 20 | March 11 | | | | | 2010-11 | $52.00 | | $535.00 | | 10.3 days | | | | | | | 2009-10 | $50.00 | | $535.00 | | 10.7 days | | | | | |
| 2000s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 2008-09 | $48.00 | | $535.00 | | 11.1 days | | | | | | | 2007-08 | $44.00 | | $524.00 | | 11.9 days | | | | | | | 2006-07 | $42.00 | | $499.00 | | 11.9 days | | | | | | | 2005-06 | $37.00 | | $469.00 | | 12.7 days | | | | | | | 2004-05 | $35.00 | | $459.00 | | 13.1 days | | | | | | | 2003-04 | $32.00 | | $449.00 | | 14.0 days | | | | | | | 2002-03 | $30.00 | | $439.00 | | 14.6 days | | | | | | | 2001-02 | $30.00 | | $429.00 | | 14.3 days | | | | | | | 2000-01 | $30.00 | | $389.00 | | 13.0 days | | | | | | | 1999-00 | $29.00 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1990s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1998-99 | $28.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1995-96 | | | | | | December 9 | | | | | | 1994-95 | | | | | | December 17 | | | | | | 1992-93 | $26.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1991-92 | $26.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1989-90 | $24.00 | | $440.00 | | 18.3 days | | | | | |
| 1980s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1988-89 | $23.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1987-88 | $22.00 | | | | | | | 100,000 | | | | 1986-87 | $20.00 | | $357.50 | | 17.9 days | | | | | | | 1985-86 | $19.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1984-85 | $17.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1982-83 | $15.00 | | | | | December 16 | | | | | | 1980-81 | $12.00 | | | | | | February 18 | | | | | 1979-80 | $12.00 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1970s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1978-79 | $10.50 | | | | | | | | | | | 1977-78 | $9.50 | | | | | | | | | | | 1976-77 | $9.00 | | $160.00 | | 17.8 days | | | | | | | 1975-76 | $8.75 | | $165.00 | | 18.9 days | | | | | | | 1974-75 | $8.50 | | | | | November 27 | | | | | | 1973-74 | $8.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1972-73 | $7.50 | | | | | November 18 | | | | | | 1971-72 | $7.50 | | $140.00 | | 18.7 days | | | | | | | 1970-71 | $6.50 | | | | | | March 21 | | | | | 1969-70 | $6.50 | | | | | | | 29,000 | | |
| 1960s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1968-69 | $4.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1967-68 | $4.50 | | | | | | | | | | | 1966-67 | $4.50 | | | | | | | 21,871 | | | | 1965-66 | | | | | | December 22 | | | | | | 1964-65 | | | | | | | | 18,000 | | |
Visitor Memories
External Links
Mount Southington - official site
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Last updated: December 10, 2018
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