At 75, Mohawk Mountain Still Rich In History, Offerings

CORNWALL, CT — The sun was appropriately shining on Mohawk Mountain last Saturday, offering the perfect type of day to show off the snow sports area's rich history and its ability — at 75 years old — to keep up with the present day demands of the snow sports community.

The snow was good. The crowd was happy. Somewhere among the skiing deities, Walter Schoenknecht likely had a smile on his face.

The legend of Mohawk — and eventual Skiing Hall of Fame member Schoenknecht — began just after World War II. Schoenknecht secured the permits to establish the ski area in 1947 and wasted no time in putting his revolutionary mind to work. In 1950, after working with local engineers, the first snowmaking system ever used at a resort was on the hill in Cornwall.

It was the root of the modern snowmaking systems snow sports area rely on so much today.

"I do think he'd be happy," said Walt's daughter, Carol Schoenknecht Lugar. She thought of all the families out on the trails and smiled.

"He thought people needed to be out skiing. That's the message he wanted to convey."

Mohawk is a private corporation working in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection at Mohawk State Park. Access to the state park is obtained off of Route 4 in Cornwall.

Schoenknecht turned Mount Snow in Vermont into what many considered the "World's Largest Ski Area" in the 1960s. It featured an outdoor pool an indoor skating rink, a fountain in Snow Lake and innovative lifts that resembled spacecraft and bugs.

Japanese-themed lodge space influence by his wife, Peg, was also a hit.

Amid it all, Mohawk was able to offer a traditional, simple and effective theme which made families comfortable no matter what abilities were there.

So let's fast-forward to 2022, 14 years after Schoenknecht's death at age 90. After a frustratingly warm early season period, Mohawk's coverage on most of its 26 trails has been solid for the better part of January, February and now into March, thanks to its snowmaking system and some help from Mother Nature.

Conditions on the popular green trails on the uphill right side of the mountain especially on Mohawk's signature 1.25-mile Deer Run, were smooth and that kept the families smiling.

Black diamonds like Timber omg the opposite side also provided a smooth cruise down the hill.

In all, Mohawk offers quite a variety over it 650-foot vertical drop — 26 trails and eight lifts.

Both the Nutmeg and Pine lodges offer rustic charm.

It's also been a staple during the coronavirus pandemic as more skiers and snowboarders have chosen to stay close. Other sports have not been available and that turned many to either try skiing or snowboarding or take it back up, Carol said.

"And the price of gas has also caused people to stay closer to home," Carol said. "I think the pattern will continue for another season."

Carol's daughter, Cassie Schoenknecht, said the feeling around the mountain still feels like family, despite all that has gone on since the pandemic emerged late in the 2020 snow sports season.

So what does the future hold? Carol laughs that those at Mohawk "will keep doing what we're doing."

"In a way this has all been good for the industry and the ski areas our size," she said.

So would Walter really be happy?

"I think he's smiling down at it all," Carol said. "It's been a great 75 years and the future is good."

This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch