Colors of disappointment over breakup between Black Mountain and Ski the Whites

Ski the Whites announced it is moving its signature event to Black Mountain of Maine. (Austin Perry)

What seemed to be one of the most synergetic relationships in New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley has come to an immediate end. 

In an email sent on Monday evening, Ski the Whites’ Andrew Drummond announced that his alpine touring shop would no longer be located at Black Mountain, the small Jackson ski area where Ski the Whites had hosted more than 100 events over the past five years. 

“We are thankful for the staff who have supported us along the way,” Drummond wrote. “I couldn’t think of a better place to share the uphill experience.”

Uphill access has been a touchy subject at Black recently, despite the increased awareness that Ski the Whites has created for the ski area. Until recently, Black had offered a $10 uphill ticket, but had threatened to revoke all uphill privileges after noting the number of skiers who refused to fork that amount over in exchange for use of the land. 

On Saturday, the ski area officially made good on its threat. 

“Unfortunately, due to recent events we will no longer be offering our $10 uphill ticket for the remainder of the season,” the ski area posted on social media. “Our previous post addressing the issues we were experiencing with uphill access has continued; blatant disrespect has run rampant and we now find ourselves in a position to revoke uphill access. We apologize to all of those who understood our deep frustration, followed our policies, and respected the mountain and our incredibly hardworking employees. This change in policy will not affect our current Up Hill Only season passholders. We hope to reverse this in the future.” 

The announcement meant that Friday Night Lights, Ski the Whites’ popular skin-and-ski event that attracted some 150 people each week, has also celebrated its demise at Black. 

While Black’s sudden uphill policy certainly played into Ski the Whites’ viability at the mountain, things came to a head during what would become the final Friday Night Lights at the mountain last weekend. According to witnesses, Black Mountain owner John Fichera did not take too kindly to one of the Friday Night Lights patrons smuggling his own beer into the base lodge. Fichera wound up calling local police, and shut the Friday Night Lights event down. That also included any future Ski The Whites events scheduled at Black. 

“You’re damned right I called the police,” Fichera said. “I threw everybody out of my building and I shut the bar down. That was it for me. Last straw. I’m done.” 

At the time of the incident, Drummond was outside directing the skimo race. He said that Fichera has not spoken to him since. 

“I’ve always supported John Fichera/Black Mountain by providing media photos, articles, television spots, and sending customers their way,” Drummond wrote in an email to New England Ski Journal. “I’m grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me and Ski The Whites certainly wouldn’t be where it is without their past support.” 

One of those television spots happened to be on Monday night’s edition of “Chronicle” on WCVB in Boston. In the spot, Drummond showed producer Erika Tarantal how to navigate Black Mountain’s uphill route, one that, less than one week after filming, is now off-limits for most. 

Ski the Whites also thrust Black Mountain into the national headlines last month with its Last Skier Standing event, a test of endurance won by Brody Leven, from Salt Lake City, Utah, who took the top prize by skinning and skiing for 65 consecutive hours. 

According to the National Ski Area Association’s Kottke End-of-Season Survey Report from the 2020-21 season, 57 percent of U.S. ski areas now allow some sort of uphill access. That’s up from 29 percent during the 2012-13 season, when the survey first began inquiring about uphill policies.

Drummond also has a Ski the Whites shop in downtown Jackson. The outfit’s final event of the season will be the Wild Corn SkiMo at King Pine in nearby Madison on April 2. The three remaining Friday Night Lights on the schedule have been cancelled at Black Mountain. 

“Hopefully policies change and we can start sending people back that way in the future,” Drummond wrote. 

Discover more about Black Mountain and Ski the Whites on this episode of NESJTV: 

https://player.vimeo.com/video/382035491

Eric Wilbur can be reached at [email protected].