He found Windblown, and at the ripe old age of 17, purchased the property with money borrowed from his grandfather. After forestry college and a tour in Vietnam, Al came back to the land. He did not want to get involved with the increasing complexities of Alpine mechanics, opting instead for the blood, sweat, and tears of cross country. He cut eight miles of trails and opened for business. In those days, grooming consisted of snowshoeing after a fresh snow, to pack the trail, and then skiing a set of tracks for tourers to follow.
Wood stoves crackle everywhere in the ski center, the restaurant, the wax shed, and the warming hut.
During Al's first winter, he ran out of his winter's supply of fuel in late February, and that March his first task in the morning was cut down a tree and chop it up for the wood stove. Since then he's felled plenty of trees and hauled stone from the property to build the ski shop, trail shelters, and picnic shed. Rental and retail equipment hangs from the walls in neat rows, and couches and cushioned benches cluster by the wood stove. Upstairs, the bright sunny restaurant serves homemade soup, cookies, and muffins, all made on the premises by Irene. On busy weekends they serve hot dogs and hamburgers from the outdoor grill.