The secret may not remain one for long. With tighter economic times, clubs like Ski Wheelers and others are seizing the opportunity to recruit members.
"We just hosted a new members weekend that we publicized in Boston," LaFrance says. "We advertised on Craigslist and posted fliers, but it's also word of mouth. When your friends hear about what a great weekend you had up here, they'll want to come up too."
Membership for most of the ski clubs ranges from $200 to $600 per person, per year, based on the accommodations and level of use, LaFrance says. The fee includes year-round use of the house. "We don't close up after the ski season. . . . We do a lot of mountain biking and hiking. Some clubs are beginning to market themselves as 'all-season' and changing their names to reflect that," he says.
Ski Wheelers is one of more than 20 clubs, including the Polecats, Skidaddlers, Ski-Bees, and others in former inns and private houses nestled along backcountry roads stretching from Conway, to Jackson, to Bartlett. The clubs were formed by groups of "ski-minded" individuals, often from the same Boston-area town, or groups of employees from the same company. Original members financed the purchase of the houses and carried the mortgages. Today, most of the houses are paid off.
Members don't share ownership in the houses, but pay annual fees for usage. The clubs have 25 to 150 members and function as nonprofit trusts run by elected boards and committees.
The clubs are part of the Eastern Inter-Club Ski League (EICSL, pronounced "ice-ul"). According to Maria Rocco, EICSL president, affordability is one of the big selling points of membership. "We try to maximize the benefits to our members," she says. The organization uses its collective buying power to negotiate discounts on everything from lift tickets to ski equipment to meals at local restaurants. Lift tickets for EICSL members average 15-20 percent off regular weekend rates. Last year members could purchase weekend tickets at Wildcat, which usually cost $59 a day, for $37, and at Bretton Woods for $48, instead of $69.
