DCSki Lost Ski Areas Archive

Lost or Flying Dutchman

Allentown area, Pennsylvania

Historical profile · Updated August 19, 2011 · 8 reader comments

DCSki Editorial Overview

The story in brief

The area remembered as Lost Dutchman or Flying Dutchman was likely a small ski hill at Eagle Point, north of Kutztown in the Allentown area. Accounts identify it with a Flying Dutchman Ski Club operation that ran for roughly seven years in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Skiing was informal and basic: two fields, a single rope tow powered by a flat-head Ford engine, and terrain that included trees near the top and a creek at the bottom. An endless rope was spliced on site, and the tow reportedly used only about three gallons of gasoline per night.

The hill’s identity remains somewhat uncertain. Flying Dutchman was also the name of a ski club, and some accounts connect the name with Hahn Mountain or Big Valley as a proposed, never-used area name. Club members later skied at Sharp Mountain and Heidelberg, where the group held instructional programs. Peter G. recalled that the Eagle Point tow was moved to Crystal Ridge near Virginville, which opened in the mid-1960s. A 1956 map overlay still shows the lift location, while faint trail traces are barely visible today.

Generated from DCSki's historical profile and reader-contributed memories.

DCSki reader Steven Berkoski remembers an area north of Rt. 78 in Pennsylvania around the Allentown area that was called either “Lost Dutchman” or “Flying Dutchman.” At this time DCSki does not know any details about this potential lost ski area.

In September, 2010, Kirby wrote:

“The comment by Peter G., below, is most accurate. The original slope of the club was at Eagle Point, PA which is really now considered part of Kutztown, PA. The following image from Google Earth with a USGS Topographical Map Overlay from 1956 shows the ski lift location. The Lat/Long coordinates are 40”32’50 N , 75”45’20 W Elevation 600 feet. The aerial photo view in Google Earth just barely shows the faint traces of the old trails.”

Photo provided by USGS/Google.

A comment from DCSki reader Rich K. in January, 2011 indicates that “the Flying Dutchman” may have been a proposed name (which was never used) for Big Valley / Hahn Mountain. “The name appeared on a map of Eastern PA ski areas, but the name was never actually used,” Rich recalls.

Living history

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Community archive

Reader Comments

Jeffrey Zweizig

December 26, 2006

This entry probably refers to Hahn Mountain. The Flying Dutchman is a ski club, not a ski area. They sometimes skied at Hahn Mountain. See www.fdsc.org

Tom

July 25, 2007

There is a small, seemingly long-defunct operation just west of Schnecksville off Route 309 on Kernsville Road that seems to have been a ski area at some time. Evidence is an assortment of old lift towers and cables, plus various buildings. It doesn't have more than a couple hundred feet of vertical, but it looks like it was a ski hill...

J.T. Wetzel

September 22, 2007

The ski area that the above poster is referring to is Apple Hill (off of Kernsville Road near Rt.309 Orefield, PA) near Schnecksville,

Cindy Knittle

January 16, 2008

My dad belonged to the Flying Dutchman in the 1960s-70s. They had a ski club and my siblings and I were signed up for ski lessons. We skiied every Saturday day and Monday nights at Heidelburg Country club (name changed to Blue Marsh ski area) near Berks county. The boots were lace up, the hill was icy, the tow was rope- and we loved it! Our lodge was a trailer. The nice country club lodge was off limits, at least to me:)

Tim Longenecker

January 27, 2008

The flying dutchmen had a ski area outside of kutztown. There also was an area near virginville which is close to kutztown.

Peter G.

February 29, 2008

The Area near Kutztown was the Flying Dutchman Ski Hill on Eagle Point Road, according to my friend Fred Jopp, who was involved in the construction and operation of this area. Fred was also involved with 11 partners in Crystal Ridge Ski Area which was located near Virginville on Crystal Ridge Road.

It had one rope tow powered by a flat-head Ford motor, located on the top of the hill. They hauled gasoline up the hill, can could operate on about three gallons a night.

There were two fields to ski. One of the fields had trees at the top, which you could ski through or go around, and there was a creek at the bottom, which you had to be careful to not to ski into.

They used an endless rope that the purchased from Jackson Rope company in Reading, where the company's rep would weave the rope together at the area.

The area was on Eagle Point Road, just north of Kutztown, and operated for about 7 years in the late fifties until about 1962 or 1963.

The rope tow then was moved to Crystal Ridge Ski Area, which was begun in 1962 and opened around 1964 or 1965.

When The Flying Dutchman Ski Hill closed they moved their home mountain to Sharp Mountain, and later Heidelberg Ski Area, where there was snow making and could accommodate the club for their weeknight instructional ski programs each winter.

If anyone wants to contact Fred, he's still Skiing like crazy and is still active in the Flying Dutchmen Ski Club. www.FDSC.org

Steven Berkoski

April 22, 2010

Thanks so much Peter, I knew I wasn't crazy!

ciscokid

April 8, 2011

is it possible this area had operated a motocross track in the late 70's?

Snowcat got your tongue?

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