Glen: The Little Mountain That Could

Glen: The Little Mountain That Could

By Anne Stairs

Back in the 1960s, Glen Mountain opened alongside five other ski centres in what would become known as the Ski East region. Glen, Mont Sutton, Bromont, Mont Echo, and Owl’s Head all launched within a few years of each other. (Mont Orford had opened decades earlier, in 1941.)

Though Glen had a modest vertical drop of only 1,000 feet—less than its neighbours—it made up for that with direct fall lines, which allowed for the creation of a fun and challenging network of trails.

A Vision Rooted in Adventure

The project was sparked by none other than Jack Rabbit Johannsen, the legendary Quebec skiing pioneer, who encouraged local couple Hank and Deborah Rotherham to pursue their dream of building a ski hill outside Knowlton.

Hank, a decorated Royal Navy Air Arm veteran, had been an observer on the WWII reconnaissance flight that led to the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. His understanding of topography, honed during wartime, was instrumental in identifying Glen Mountain’s potential. Jack Rabbit’s endorsement sealed the deal.

The Early Days

Start-up funding came from local business leaders, including Eddie Persons of Cowansville, with executives from J.J. Barker and Slack’s Mushrooms joining the board of the Bolton Glen Development Company. But despite enthusiasm and local support, financial success proved elusive in the 1960s due to stiff competition and operational challenges.

Still, Glen attracted talent. Canadian champion and Olympic skier Bob Richardson was recruited as manager, and Lucile Wheeler Vaughan, a world champion and Olympic medalist, launched a local ski school. Her legacy lives on through the Knowlton Academy ski program, thanks to John Parry and Nicolas Lemaître.

Golden Years and Flying Stunts

By the 1970s, legal disputes over ownership threatened the hill’s future. In 1978, the business was bought out by Peter White, Mike Murray, and Hank Rotherham. White would later become sole owner.

Under the management of Pat Côté and Dick Shea, Glen thrived. Côté’s strong organizational skills combined with Shea’s flair for fun created what many remember as the mountain’s golden years.

“The family atmosphere was Glen’s greatest strength,” says Peter White.
“Parents would drop off their kids and pick them up at day’s end, never worrying. Everyone looked out for each other.”

Talent on the Slopes

Glen was a training ground for many excellent skiers, including:

Peter Smart
Paul Cunnius
Rob Côté
Leigh-Jay Quilliams
Trevor Gavura

In 1985, Glen hosted a demo by the “Quebec Air Force”, a freestyle skiing group from Magog. Not to be outdone, Jack Price, a former RCAF colonel and bartender at the time, performed aerial stunts overhead in his golden Chipmunk plane—while the skiers dazzled below.

From Glen to Norquay

Glen must have seen a financial upswing in the 1980s, because by the early 1990s, its owners bought Mount Norquay in Banff, the oldest ski resort in the Canadian Rockies.
Pat Côté moved west to manage Norquay, while his brother Bernie Côté took the reins at Glen. Norquay was eventually sold a decade later.

The Final Run

In its later years, Glen faced mounting challenges:

Outdated ski lifts
A fledgling snowmaking system
Building maintenance
Financial strain

Each year, reopening was uncertain, and when the mountain finally closed in 2004, it was bittersweet—but perhaps not a total surprise. Glen had become a breeding ground for expert skiers and a cherished part of local family life.

Gleners Forever

To this day, former patrons—“Gleners”—still share memories. Some trails remain cleared and visible, maintained by the property’s private owners, standing as a reminder of what once was a small but mighty mountain.

With thanks to Brian Eddington for historical details drawn from his book,
“Out of Bounds: The Glen Mountain Ski Story”
📸 Photos by Shelley Paige