MagicMountain is a ski area in Londonderry, VT. It was developed in theearly '60s by an Austrian ski instructor named Hans Thorner and hisdream was to create a family ski area similar to those in his belovedAlps. It began modestly and developed rapidly into a most attractiveski area. Unfortunately, there were periods of very little naturalsnow and gradually the area declined in importance. Today it isstruggling to stay alive.
One of theearliest residents on the mountain was a Mr. Bernstein who was socaptivated by the area that he composed the following poem. It payshonor to those who dare to leave the security of the earth and soarin the unknown above!
Mountains Majestic beckoning true men
Throughout the Ages time and again
Calvary and Sinai &endash; Everest too
Rushmore and Tibet challenges anew
Pinnacles of grandeur skyward bent
Ladders to Heaven Him to us sent
Inspired are they who dream them to scale
Fulfillment whether they succeed or they fail
He meant us to reach believe it or not
Though few of us make such their plot
Cling to the Earth don't let it go
Match those others secure from below
A mountain of Globeland small if compared
Fulfilled for a man a task that he dared
Misty and vapored so he did say
Magic its name and called that today
Oh Magic Mountain standing so bold
Haven for many the young and the old
This is your calling and proud you should be
A retreat, a playland, a paradise to ski
A milestone for a mountain is rarely observed
But you have been different and this is deserved
You and your founder a myth you have made
To give pleasure to countless for now a decade
May the future bring forth more mirth from your hills
To succeeding generations a host of new thrills
And then here today this milestone will be worth
The trials and tribulations in giving it birth.
Norman J. Bernstein
June 29, 1970
The poem wasengrossed and illuminated by Gertrude Allen Toomey of Suffield, CT.Fifty copies were made and distributed to the earliest members of theMountain club. All of these were gone when I purchased my chalet inthe early seventies. Fortunately, I knew the artist as she hadilluminated a plaque for me as an award for having served as chief ofUrology for twenty-five years at the Newington Crippled ChildrenHospital at Rocky Hill, CT. This beautiful framed poem hangs in ourchalet on Magic Mountain, which you may view below:
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