AUBURN — The Lost Valley Ski & Banquet Resort in Auburn is appealing to the public for financial help, saying it will be forced to close for the 2014-15 season unless it can raise at least $50,000.
The ski area, which opened in 1961, posted a plea for help on the resort’s Facebook page saying that it needs $50,000 to partially open and $100,000 for a full opening.
The resort says that a group called Friends of Lost Valley has established a campaign on Crowdrise, a social media fundraising site. As of late Wednesday, the effort had resulted in more than $2,700 in donations.
Lost Valley’s Facebook page says it has declined in repair and appearance over the years. The 2008 recession also hit it hard.
“Years of operating in the red has the nail and hammer poised over the coffin of this cherished family institution,” the message says. “But it’s not too late to grab the nail and hammer out of the reaper’s hand.”
Otto Wallingford and Dr. Camille Gardner opened Lost Valley in 1961. Wallingford, who had a degree in agricultural engineering, put together the state’s first snowmaking system and introduced Mainers to night skiing. In 1971, he began towing a steel grate behind a tractor that converted hard crust into skiable snow.
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.