Lost & Overlooked Ski Areas

Žabljak, Montenegro - what's the story?

Of all of the places to ski in the world, skiers often forget about the lesser known spots where people practice the sport; the small ski areas, where many of us learned to ski, the abandoned ski areas whose lifts have long stopped running, and the ski areas we pass in unsuspecting places.

These overlooked and forgotten spots always capture my attention. Each year, these small areas get people hooked on skiing and many of them go on to make skiing a lifelong hobby. If the lifts could talk, they’d have an abundance of stories to tell. Of their history, of those who got their start there, of what skiing means to that community. I long to know more.

For years, people have been talking about how the ski industry is dying. The expense makes getting involved cost-prohibitive for many, and as each small, less expensive area closes, it gets harder to learn for a reasonable price.

Over the years, I’ve come across many small ski areas throughout the Northeast and the Rocky Mountains. Some still operate, some are abandoned. It wasn’t until I came across some random lifts in eastern Europe that these places started capturing my attention. I began documenting these areas with photographs several years ago. My intention is to post a series on these places on this blog and one day possible delve into the stories.

• Bear Paw Snow Bowl, Montana: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2019/02/lost-overlooked-ski-areas-bear-paw.html
• Montenegro: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2018/12/lost-overlooked-ski-areas-montenegro.html
• Nebraska: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2021/11/ski-nebraska.html
• New Jersey: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2018/11/lost-overlooked-ski-areas-new-jersey.html