Club History
The Central Maine Ski Club formed in October 2008 to work alongside the Quarry Road Recreational Area project in Waterville, Maine.
The mission of the Central Maine Ski Club is to develop and implement cross country ski programming for skiers of all ages to help create an active outdoor-oriented winter lifestyle for families in central Maine. The club also works to support the creation and maintenance of the Quarry Road Ski Trails project.
An informal club coached by Pat Cote supported skiers from Messalonskee High School from 2002-2005 and included Lindsay Mathes, Sam Mathes, Ben Koons, and Nils Koons. The Koons brothers and Sam Mathes are currently top collegiate skiers in NCAA Division I competing for Dartmouth and Colby. During their high school years, the unfunded athletes took home 4 individual state championship titles. Other programs in the area provided recreational programs for kids of varying ages; and an informal group of enthusiasts have been frequenting the Colby trails.
We hope that this newly organized club will provide more formal program that brings together all of these pieces of the xc skiing community in the area.
Quarry Road Recreational Area History
The land we ski on is owned by the City of Waterville. Formerly owned by Colby and operated into the 1970’s as the “Colby College Ski Hill” there is a long history of skiing at this site. We hope that over time the skiing heritage can be re-captured with a long-term vision for the site including many outdoor activties including a winter-time terrain park for “hike-up” snowboarding and downhill skiing.
We hope that the development of the Quarry Road trails will create a leisurely loop for local recreational skiers.
In addition, the club strongly supports the development of a 5 kilometer race loop that might eventually host events like the Colby College Carnival, a Division I collegiate ski race that would bring to Waterville all of the top Eastern Collegiate Teams and other major events through the New England Nordic Ski Association. The potential to host hundreds of skiers and families at local hotels presents a wonderful opportunity to impact the local economy; and Colby’s current position as one of the very best xc ski teams in the East gives additional incentive for completing this portion of the trails project.
