Holiday Valley Resort

The Holiday Valley ski area opened during the winter of 1957-58 and today has grown into a resort with 60 slopes and trails as well as base lodges, hotels and more

Doc Northrup and Karl Fahrner started the first organized skiing in Ellicottville on Fish Hill in 1935. The Ellicottville Ski Club was formed in 1938 and enthusiasts began to flock to Ellicottville from Buffalo, Rochester and Cleveland. The Lincoln Hotel, now the Ellicottville Inn, was a popular gathering spot.

A rope tow was built on Greer Hill. In 1956 Dick Congdon, John Fisher and Bill Northrup decided to pursue their dream of opening a larger, modern ski area. Shares of stock were sold for $100 from a card table in the parking lot in 1956. On January 7, 1958 the first skiers rode a T-bar up to ski down Yodeler, Champagne, Holiday Run and Edelweiss.

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FLT Map M3