{"id":6982,"date":"2018-03-17T16:27:54","date_gmt":"2018-03-17T21:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/?p=6982"},"modified":"2026-10-13T13:10:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T18:10:44","slug":"skiing-at-chadds-ford-peak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/skiing-at-chadds-ford-peak\/","title":{"rendered":"Skiing at Chadds Ford Peak"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chadds Ford Peak was Chadds Ford’s very own ski resort. Located on the hill behind Chadds Ford Knoll, it opened in the early 1970’s or so and was started by two athletic coaches from P.S. duPont High School in Wilmington. It closed between 1988 and 1989. The last owners also owned the miniature golf course on route 202 toward Wilmington. There was a summer camp with a pool. The trails were lit at night for night skiing.<\/p>\n

Here’s a brochure from probably the 70’s. <\/p>\n

\"Chadds<\/a>
Chadds Peak Ski Area Brochure, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chadds<\/a>
Chadds Peak Ski Area Brochure, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The land was sold to a local group for speculation who tried a number of times to get some development schemes approved by the Township, but none were approved. It was sold to a private owner and the land is now empty space. Here’s an article about that.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Inquirer
\nNovember 25, 1983<\/p>\n

SEEKING A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS AT SKI AREA<\/p>\n

Gregory R. Byrnes, Inquirer Staff Writer<\/p>\n

Two chemists, backed by several partners and a 30-year loan from the Delaware County Industrial Development Authority, hope to give a new face to Chadds Peak Ski Area.<\/p>\n

Horng-Yih Chen and Edward C. Liu bought the resort, about 15 miles south of Philadelphia, for $500,000 from Richard and Marie Paciaroni.<\/p>\n

Chen, 46, and Liu, 42, are gambling that they can add additional runs and market the hill’s charms to area schools, colleges, hotels and businesses.<\/p>\n

They also will try to develop a camp for children next summer. The camp would stress instruction in computers, music and crafts.<\/p>\n

But Chadds Peak, they said, is not being groomed or touted as a major ski resort.<\/p>\n

They recognize that it could not qualify as a mogul at Aspen, Vail or Killington. And its apres-ski activity is confined to a cup of hot chocolate in its cafeteria.<\/p>\n

And that’s the way Chen and Liu want to keep it.<\/p>\n

“We won’t try and serve liquor here,” Liu said. “We want to retain the family atmosphere that exists now.”<\/p>\n

Chadds Peak, built in 1964, has four ski runs: two 300-foot-long gentle slopes for beginners and two slopes with vertical drops of 285 feet and a length of 1,000 feet to challenge the more experienced skier.<\/p>\n

It offers ski lessons, night skiing, equipment rentals and baby-sitting.<\/p>\n

“What we have here is a place to learn to ski; our slopes won’t intimidate the novice,” said Chen, a Du Pont Co. chemist and president of Garlan Park Associates Inc., the holding company for Chadds Peak.<\/p>\n

“It is also a place where the intermediate and advanced skier can have an afternoon or evening of fun. They don’t have to spend a couple of hours driving to the Poconos. We’re a backyard ski resort.”<\/p>\n

“We’re geared to beginners and to families,” he said. “Here, they can afford to learn to ski. When they can handle these slopes, they can graduate to the Poconos or Vermont.”<\/p>\n

On a blustery day last week, Chen had visions of skiers’ hurtling down the scraggly woodlands that become ski slopes after they are covered with snow.<\/p>\n

“It feels like snow, doesn’t it?” asked a hopeful Chen, rubbing his hands together for warmth as he gave a walking tour of the ski area. “We’re scheduled to open Dec. 15. We are hoping Mother Nature cooperates.”<\/p>\n

“The weather does have us kind of nervous,” he conceded. “Once every 10 years, the global weather pattern suffers a gross abnormality. Last year was such a year -it was unseasonably warm, and ski resorts throughout the East suffered financial losses.”<\/p>\n

Temperature is more important to ski-resort operators than precipitation, because most areas are equipped for snow-making at 28 to 30 degrees. Chadds Peak is equipped with 36 powerful snow guns.<\/p>\n

Last year, the lack of snow and the mild temperatures, which prevented many areas from making snow, resulted in a 20 percent to 50 percent drop in business at many Eastern ski areas, according to the National Ski Areas Association.<\/p>\n

Chadds Peak was open only 42 days last year, compared with a yearly average of 55 to 65 days for ski resorts, Chen said.<\/p>\n

“Chadds Peak, like the mountains in the Poconos and New England, had little or no snow during the Christmas school break last year,” which is usually the busiest and most profitable week of the year, said Liu, who resigned his chemist’s job to become the ski and summer camp’s resident manager. “A year like last year could cripple us.”<\/p>\n

To make a profit, said Liu, Chadds Peak must operate 60 of the 90 days that it is scheduled to be open. It also must attract an average of 200 skiers a day.<\/p>\n

“This area has been expanding rapidly, and we want to take advantage of that,” Liu said. “Cigna Corp. has recently built a major office near here, and State Farm is in the process of building a regional headquarters here. There is an office park close by and several hotels. We’ll offer special package deals for their employees.”<\/p>\n

“Creating the right image is going to be the key to our success,” said Chen. “The market is here. This is a densely populated area, and the income demographics are right. The people have money to spend on recreation.”<\/p>\n

Liu and Chen said they would invest money and plow profits back into the business.<\/p>\n

“We won’t continue the policies of the past,” said Liu. ”We’ll put money into upkeep and the improvement of facilities. We’ll have a new surprise each year for our skiers.”<\/p>\n

So far this year, Chen and Liu have paved the entrance road to the ski area and have built a large, two-tier deck attached to the restaurant. And they plan to introduce Chinese cuisine in the restaurant.<\/p>\n

“This is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream,” Chen said. “Winter and snow have always held a fascination for me. As a youngster in Taiwan, I always felt sorry for myself. I had always wanted to learn to skate and ski.<\/p>\n

“Now I can provide kids the opportunity to learn to ski, to enjoy a winter sport,” he said. “They won’t have to grow up miserable like I did.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Chadds<\/a>
Chadds Peak, Seeking a Formula for Success at Ski Area, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Fri, Nov 25, 1983, sm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For photos and commentary, see the following links:
\nhttp:\/\/www.dcski.com\/lostareas\/viewlostprofile.php?id=30<\/a>
\nhttps:\/\/allthingsmediapa.blogspot.com\/2013\/02\/what-ever-happened-to-chadds-peak-ski.html<\/a>
\nChadds Peak Alumni Facebook Page<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chadds Ford Peak was Chadds Ford’s very own ski resort. Located on the hill behind Chadds Ford Knoll, it opened in the early 1970’s or so and was started by two athletic coaches from P.S. duPont High School in Wilmington. It closed between 1988 and 1989. The last owners also owned the miniature golf course…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6987,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[63],"tags":[62],"class_list":["post-6982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-around-chadds-ford","tag-chadds-ford"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3viLY-1OC","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3772,"url":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/pennsbury-mill-at-hilandale-farm-chadds-ford-pa\/","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":0},"title":"Pennsbury Mill at Hilandale Farm, Chadds Ford, PA","author":"Karen","date":"February 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Pennsbury Mill at Hilandale Farm is a historically significant twentieth-century hydro-electric and pumping mill located in picturesque Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Owned by John Danby, a Wilmington, Delaware, banker, the mill and dam were built in 1919 by the Fitz Water Wheel Company before a commercial supply of electricity was available\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Around Chadds Ford"","block_context":{"text":"Around Chadds Ford","link":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/category\/places\/united-states\/pennsylvania\/delaware-county\/around-chadds-ford\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pennsbury Mill","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/PennsburyMillBeforeRestoration.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/PennsburyMillBeforeRestoration.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/PennsburyMillBeforeRestoration.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/PennsburyMillBeforeRestoration.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":217,"url":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/around-chadds-ford-book\/","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":1},"title":"Around Chadds Ford Book","author":"Karen","date":"May 22, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The 20th century was a time of great change for the people of Chadds Ford. The horse and carriage became obsolete as the automobile gained popularity. Dirt roads were paved with concrete and became highways as the automobile replaced the railroad as the main means of transportation. Farmland became housing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Delaware County"","block_context":{"text":"Delaware County","link":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/category\/places\/united-states\/pennsylvania\/delaware-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brittons-mill-Chadds-Ford-1s08579u-loc-gov-ed-cr-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brittons-mill-Chadds-Ford-1s08579u-loc-gov-ed-cr-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brittons-mill-Chadds-Ford-1s08579u-loc-gov-ed-cr-header.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brittons-mill-Chadds-Ford-1s08579u-loc-gov-ed-cr-header.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brittons-mill-Chadds-Ford-1s08579u-loc-gov-ed-cr-header.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brittons-mill-Chadds-Ford-1s08579u-loc-gov-ed-cr-header.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6910,"url":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/turners-mill-chadds-ford-pennsylvania\/","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":2},"title":"Turner’s Mill, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania","author":"Karen","date":"March 7, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Joseph Turner built his 30 foot by 40 foot limestone grist mill with 18 inch thick walls on property once owned by colonist Benjamin Ring along \"Ye Great Road to Nottingham\" in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Using stone from earlier mills along Harvey's Run, a nearby creek that runs parallel to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Around Chadds Ford"","block_context":{"text":"Around Chadds Ford","link":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/category\/places\/united-states\/pennsylvania\/delaware-county\/around-chadds-ford\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Turner's Mill, 2018","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Turners-Mill-2018-pic1-sm.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Turners-Mill-2018-pic1-sm.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Turners-Mill-2018-pic1-sm.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Turners-Mill-2018-pic1-sm.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Turners-Mill-2018-pic1-sm.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Turners-Mill-2018-pic1-sm.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4004,"url":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/chadds-ford-area-timeline\/","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":3},"title":"Chadds Ford Area Timeline","author":"Karen","date":"March 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"1655 Dutch ship wrecked within the mouth of the Brandywine River, laden with brandy or \u201cbrandewijn.\u201d 1684 Birmingham Township settled and incorporated. Chichester Meeting founded. 1686 Concord Meeting established. 1690 Birmingham Meeting founded. 1670 Andrew Braindwine received a grant of land near the mouth of the Brandywine River. 1704 William\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Around Chadds Ford"","block_context":{"text":"Around Chadds Ford","link":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/category\/places\/united-states\/pennsylvania\/delaware-county\/around-chadds-ford\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chadds Ford Inn, 2007, Photo Courtesy Karen Furst, for web","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chadds-Ford-Inn-2007-Photo-Courtesy-Karen-Furst-for-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chadds-Ford-Inn-2007-Photo-Courtesy-Karen-Furst-for-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chadds-Ford-Inn-2007-Photo-Courtesy-Karen-Furst-for-web.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chadds-Ford-Inn-2007-Photo-Courtesy-Karen-Furst-for-web.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6592,"url":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/the-battle-of-brandywine\/","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":4},"title":"The Battle of Brandywine","author":"Karen","date":"January 13, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"On September 11, 1777, the hamlet of Chadds Ford played host to one of the largest and deadliest battles of the American Revolutionary War, today called the Battle of Brandywine. An estimated 29,000 British and American troops gathered at the fledgling town populated mostly by peaceful Quakers. Britain's campaign for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Around Chadds Ford"","block_context":{"text":"Around Chadds Ford","link":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/category\/places\/united-states\/pennsylvania\/delaware-county\/around-chadds-ford\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Americans Holding their Ground at the Battle of Brandywine","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Americans-Holding-their-Ground-at-the-Battle-of-Brandywine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6662,"url":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/jefferis-ford-on-the-brandywine\/","url_meta":{"origin":6982,"position":5},"title":"Jefferis’ Ford on the Brandywine","author":"Karen","date":"October 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Jefferis Ford was an early crossing of the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek in East Bradford Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It became historically significant during the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, when the main British flanking column under Generals Sir William Howe and Lord Charles Cornwallis crossed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Around Chadds Ford"","block_context":{"text":"Around Chadds Ford","link":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/category\/places\/united-states\/pennsylvania\/delaware-county\/around-chadds-ford\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jefferiss-Ford-Lossing-The-Pictorial-Field-Book-of-the-Revolution-cropped.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jefferiss-Ford-Lossing-The-Pictorial-Field-Book-of-the-Revolution-cropped.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jefferiss-Ford-Lossing-The-Pictorial-Field-Book-of-the-Revolution-cropped.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jefferiss-Ford-Lossing-The-Pictorial-Field-Book-of-the-Revolution-cropped.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jefferiss-Ford-Lossing-The-Pictorial-Field-Book-of-the-Revolution-cropped.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chadds-Peak-Ski-Area-Brochure-page-1-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6982"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7149,"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions\/7149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karenfurst.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}