Excited by the 1932 Winter Olympics, three brothers, from the small town of Phoenicia, in the heart of the Catskills, created the beginnings of ski areas in New York State.

James Adam

1892 - 1971

Carroll Ferdinand

1894 - 1965

Augustus Jay (Mickey)

1904 - 1994

The winter of 1934, the Simpson brothers witnessed Gilbert's Hill, Woodstock, Vermont. The simple application of a model T Ford, which powered a loop of rope, completed their ideas.

The Simpson family owned land on the northwestern face of Romer Mountain.

The brothers convinced their mother to donate a portion of the land to the State of New York. This donation allowed the CCC boys to cut the trees and develop the land into a ski-able surface. On the surrounding land, still owned by the family, a ski tow and jump were envisioned. The jump never saw construction.

The ski area was given its first name