The history of Hunter Mountain is the story of two brothers whose desire to build would not be denied.
Orville and Israel Slutzky had a vision for a ski area on a steep, rocky mountain in Hunter New York, and no amount of adversity or skepticism was enough to deter them from their goal.
In the mid-1950’s the sport of skiing was gaining popularity in New York and across the northeast. At the same, as people became more mobile and began to travel farther for vacations, the Catskills’ appeal as a summer vacation destination was declining. Meanwhile a few miles to the south, Belleayre Ski Center was attracting visitors and driving economic activity in the town of Pine Hill.
A group of businessmen led by the Slutzky brothers lobbied New York state to create an anchor attraction in Hunter New York: a second state sponsored ski mountain. The state’s refusal to participate in the project was the first roadblock of many that the brothers would face and overcome. Orville and Israel were determined to build the largest ski area in the East. Please take a few minutes to read…
NY Ski Directory’s
History of Hunter Mountain