There’s a storm heading to where I live this weekend, and it’s expected to dump a lot of snow on us, which means that everything will likely shut down, grocery stores will be stripped bare of milk and bread, because when you’re stuck in your house who would want anything but milk and bread, and civilization will begin to degrade and collapse under the weight of a few inches of beautiful, pristine alabaster snow. This got me thinking about getting around in the snow, which got me thinking about skiing, which got me thinking about how the oldest operating rope tow ski slope in America is powered by the remains of a ’73 Dodge Dart. Oh, and there’s a tie-in to the movie Beetlejuice.
Are you familiar with rope tows? For skiing? I’ll admit, I’m really not. Do I look like someone who skis regularly? There’s duct tape on one of my socks! I’m no skier, but I am a fan of old cars doing things, even if those things aren’t strictly driving, and I think this 1973 Dart absolutely qualifies for that. You see, a rope tow is a sort of cheap alternative to a ski lift; because of the cruel nature of gravity, you can really only ski by going downhill. That means, barring a terribly opportune and beneficial act of plate tectonics, after each downhill run, you need to get back up a mountain, which is difficult.
So, many ski slopes use ski lifts, but that’s a lot of hardware, and the tickets are expensive. The cheaper and easier way is the rope tow, which is just a big loop of rope, driven by a motorized pulley system that you hold onto and let it drag you up the slope on your skis. See? Like I said, cheap and easy! It seems that the oldest one of these, which has been operating continuously since 1936, is Northeast Slopes, in East Corinth, Vermont.
And it is powered by a 1973 Dodge Dart:
Well, most of a Dart; looking at these pictures from Northeast Slope’s Facebook page, it looks like most of the interior of the Dart has been removed, replaced with a series of pulleys that transfer the power from the Dart’s Leaning Tower of Power Slant 6 to that rope yanking yankees up the slope. I think those white wires going up are for the starter/emergency cutoff switch, and the black hoses below, I suspect, lead to the large fuel tank outside of the barn.
The radiator appears to be housed in there as well; I’m not sure why, exactly, as it doesn’t seem like there’s any better airflow in there than under the hood, but there must be some reason. The location of those pulleys also suggests that the engine is still sending power rearward via the driveshaft, which may be what is turning that rearmost pulley?
It’s hard to tell. Here’s a little video of the Dart in action, if that helps:
From what I’ve read, those wheels acting as rope pulleys are from a Ford Model A, and have been part of the setup since the very beginning, as you can see in this picture here:
This picture, which is likely from the 1930s, shows what I think – based on the shape of that radiator shell there – is a Model T being used to power the early rope tow setup. Those early powerplants for the rope tow system were just out there in the open, but, as you can see from the pictures above, the Dart lives a fairly luxurious life inside what appears to be an old, red barn.
Well, that’s not really a barn; it’s a movie prop. Specifically, it was a covered bridge built for the 1988 movie Beetlejuice, where it played a role as the place where Geena Davis drove a yellow 1977 Volvo 245 wagon through the side of the bridge, and then, with the help of a dog, into the water and death:
After the movie was shot, that whole red covered bridge was relocated to Northeast Slopes, where it became the home for the Dart:
Look at that! Amazing, right?
It’s very likely this is not just the oldest operating tow rope in America, but also the oldest continually (or near enough) operating Dodge Dart in America, too, even if it may not have the mileage numbers to corroborate that. That old Slant 6 must still be running pretty well, too; it seems that tow rope can reach speeds up to 27 mph, which is why they sell leather gloves at the slopes, because that rope burn would be no joke.
A hardworking Dart doing a job it was never designed for for decades, housed in a prop from a well-known comedy-horror movie. It doesn’t get any better than that, does it?
Top image: Northeast Slopes Facebook, Warner Bros
There’s a golf course in Tacoma, WA that has a rope tow up a steep slope between the 17th green and 18th tees to help people haul their bag and clubs up the hill.
While most skiers have gloves anyway, 27 mph is a ridiculously high speed to be dragging skiers uphill.
Another NC resident here: you forgot the bananas! Our local Wegmans ran out yesterday. Their canned soup supply was nearly wiped out Tuesday.
Wow. Weggies made it down to NC? I lived in Rochester, NY (where they are based) for about a year. I LOVED that store. Their produce section looked like a farmers’ market. San Antonio based H-E-B was kind of like that, too while I lived in Texas.
Yep! It’s one of the nicest grocery stores in our area. I visited Corning, NY last year and had the chance to check out a couple of older Wegmans stores; both were great!
I was pleasantly surprised to find a Wegmans in Cockeysville MD oh, ten years ago. We moved out west to Seattle 31 years ago and it was fun to surprise my wife with a couple of Wegmans branded seasonings.
Another Vermonter here, you just had to run this story on a Wednesday, did you?
Already I had to remind myself once that this story ran here, not in Seven Days.
Fellow NC resident here. In addition to milk and bread, there is also a run on eggs. The reason: French Toast is the exclusive meal of snowy days. I will say this is looking more like a ice event for the central part of the state, and rain for eastern NC where I am.
In Dummerston Vermont there is the shell of a defunct ski area that has two lifts and some tow ropes. One of the lifts was operated by a Ford 4.9 straight six and the best part was that there was a long throw floor shifter that they could use to put it in reverse if needed.
If this isn’t the best example of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, then I don’t know what is.
1) A janky Dart running a janky tow-rope lift is about the most old-school Yankee thing I can think of.
2) I learned to ski on the various ice-sheets and groomed sno-cones of the Mid-Atlantic we called “ski resorts.” Finally experiencing powder was a revelation. I say the same about cars- learning to be a good driver in a shitty car is good training.
My house turns 100 this year, and was built by the man who is documented as having built the first ski park in Colorado with a motorized ski lift. The first lift is still there, but I don’t know if the engine is (I believe I recall it was the also a Buick V8). His second ski park had a motorized lift as well, and is now a public park. One of the hiking trails goes up near the top of the lift, and the Buick V8 is still there.
My master suite started out in 1935 as a garage big enough to house “3 Model As”.
Ah, my first car was a ’73 Dart but I had the 318 8cyl in the Swinger. Loved that car, and wish I’d had the foresight to save it way back when.
If upgrading to a more efficient power plant is not worth it, than fuel is to damn cheap over there.
Efficient isn’t always about just fuel consumption. The I-6 and slant-6 engines are an overall efficient design in general, good torque production at constant, low rpm operation, combined with low complexity so a lack of breakdowns, and when something does fail, simple repairs and ease of sourcing inexpensive parts continue to keep costs at a minimum. All while still achieving favorable fuel consumption. This is why many industrial and emergency backup generators are still powered by the Ford 300 I6. And they are easily converted to run on propane or CNG. The up-front cost to replace with a more modern powerplant may not be something the resort can budget especially if there is no issue with the current one. And the fuel “savings” could take years or even decades to recoup. It really is the perfect example of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
Only in Murica.
Back when I was dailying my ‘68 Dart I spent a ton of time deep diving /6 usage in non-automotive applications. Lull used them in telehandlers, John Deere and Massey Ferguson (and I think Hesston as well) both used them in swathers and combines, Onan and several other manufacturers used them in standby generators, and on and on. And that’s not including homebuilt machines. I recall seeing some pics of a /6-powered sawmill, /6 tractor repowers, and at least one self-propelled air compressor that utilized a /6. Have I heard of a /6-powered ski tow rope? No, but given how many places and applications the Slant has been utilized, I’m not surprised. There’s probably powering the sun, though I don’t have any clue whether it’s a 170 or a 225.
The oldest established, continually-operating, ski tow rope in Vermont?
There are low budget skiers everywhere, everywhere
There are low budget skiers everywhere
And awful lot of lettuce for the fella who can get us to the top of the hill
with a motor provided by Mopar
Where there are no neighbors to squawk?
When I was 16 I ran the rope tow behind Union Street School in Springfield Vermont.
It was powered by a ancient huge electric motor with a backup slant six from a early model Valiant with a straight pipe going through the roof.We had to start it daily as part of warming up the tow shed as there was no heat in there.
A all day pass was 50 cents ……this was 1972.
All of us that worked there got 1.75 an hour plus free skiing.
Lots of great memories and now that hill is overgrown and all the buildings torn down.
Torch-
Being from VT and a lifelong skier, I can assure you that having duct tape on your socks is considered a badge of honor on the slopes. My gloves and my ski pants currently have the same accoutrements
This is so cool! I went down a Google rabbit hole and found more photos of the Dart and the entire setup: https://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/bdd/reportage-telecorde-small-rope-tow-7547.html
Thanks for the link! I bet the pulley system mounted on 4x4s is much older than the dart, might even be original to the model T based system.
Awesome link Jake!
I love the concrete blocks acting as the tensioner on the rope.
These photos show the radiator in the front of the “car”, I wonder when it was relocated? One reason I can think for the location Torch’s picture show is that the opening of the barn where the ropes come in has to be open, but the others don’t, I imagine airflow is pretty good, maybe even the prevailing way the wind blows. Having more doors open just lets the “barn” fill with snow.
A salvage yard near where I used to live had an aluminum can crusher/shredder that ran off the front half of a baby-blue Ford Pinto with the stock 4-cyl and manual transmission providing the power.
Neat use of the old Pinto. It might still be there, for all I know.
Slalom Six power plant 😉