Realizing that skiing was a strong enterprise in the southern corridor, New York State decided to build their second ski area. They chose Belle Ayr Mountain because of its massive ridge and fantastically accessible location just off Route 28. In 1951, the Belleayre Ski Center opened with a rope tow and Roebling single chairlift, the first of its kind in New York.

Through out the fifties, Simpson's, as well as the rest of the southern corridor, remained pretty much the same. Although NYS financed Belleayre controlled the masses, the single chairlift was slow and the trails were skied off quickly. Because of its variety and vertical drop, Highmount seemed to steal the crowds and loom as the real threat. The Catskills largest loss, the Princeton Ski Bowl on Bearpen Mountain, should have been king but closed after a four year run, in a bitter way.

The Simpson slopes enjoyed the return of skiers who relished its intimate and casual appeal. Families enjoyed the snow together and a feeling of great bonding enriched the souls of the faithful.