To the Editor:

I find it very discouraging that the owner of Haystack is content to just sit and let the ski area rot and run it into the ground. Haystack is a beautiful, scenic, and wonderful mountain, and an excellent source of opportunity for Wilmington and our valley.

There is so much that could be done with the mountain, but before too long it is going to be too late. Once the equipment rusts, and the trees grow back, it’s a lost cause. Wilmington needs a ski area to call its own and that lies with Haystack. It is an important resource for our local economy and if it were open it would stimulate the area tremendously. It is my hope that Mount Snow will acquire it and perhaps use some creativity and innovation to make Mount Snow and Haystack one unstoppable team.

For example, Haystack could be the all-terrain park mountain that Carinthia currently is, or alternatively, Mount Snow could expand the linkage between Haystack and Mount Snow to render it one mega ski paradise.

After all, Mount Snow needs to remain competitive to keep up with Stratton and Killington, etc...so why not innovate and expand, bringing Wilmington into the mix to bolster our valley as much as possible? Perhaps the Hermitage could acquire Haystack? Imagine how wonderful that would be!

Wilmington is a special, unique town. It is my hope that residents will participate in civic affairs, such as fighting for Haystack to become something useful, as opposed to it needlessly rotting into the ground. Take part and take pride in Wilmington, because it’s the most beautiful small town in America. That’s not an opinion, that’s a fact, so let’s try and keep it that way!

Spencer Crispe

Wilmington