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Martin Buser's Family Rope Tow

1997 to 2004
Name of Ski Area: Martin Buser's Family Rope Tow
Location: North Big Lake area, next to Martin's "Happy Trails Kennels"
Type of Area: Ski Hill
Dates of Operation: 1997 to 2004 (approx)
Who Built It?: Martin Buser
Base/ Vertical Drop:

Base: ~150' / Vertical: ~200

Lifts: Rope Tow
Facilities: At the residence and sled dog kennel of 4 Time (so far) Iditarod Champion Martin Buser
History: Martin gave the history of his family ski area in an email to ALSAP:

"Before I became a "dog bum" I was a ski bum in Switzerland. So it was natural that I would have my own tow rope when the kids were little. I actually bought a entire package from the community of Paxon. When I got the poles, pulleys , motors and all the other stuff, I also received a stack of pictures with the set up. To this day I have not been able to discern where the tow rope was set up before it went to Paxon. They set up the rope tow but had a hard time coming up with three phase power. So it never ran there until I got a hold of the whole shooting match! I worked on it after the Big Lake fire and set it up on a hill behind my house. I had about 200 feet vertical and the kids burned up some gloves since the ride up was as thrilling as the ride down."

For more information on the previous site of this rope tow, check out the Paxson Rope Tow web page.

[Update] In 2008 Martin sold this rope tow to a man in Birchwood/ Eagle River (see email below).
Sources of Information:

Martin Buser

~  PHOTOS  ~

~  MAPS  ~

This map shows Big Lake.  Martin Buser's "Happy Trails Kennels" are located west of Wasilla, to the north of Big Lake.

(click on this map to expand it)

Detailed map from the www.buserdog.com web site.

Research Correspondence 
[Martin Buser - 07 April 2005 email to ALSAP]

Hi guys, Martin Buser here. Before I became a "dog bum" I was a ski bum in Switzerland. So it was natural that I would have my own tow rope when the kids were little. I actually bought a entire package from the community of Paxon. When I got the poles, pulleys , motors and all the other stuff, I also received a stack of pictures with the set up. To this day I have not been able to discern where the tow rope was set up before it went to Paxon. They set up the rope tow but had a hard time coming up with three phase power. So it never ran there until I got a hold of the whole shooting match! I worked on it after the Big Lake fire and set it up on a hill behind my house. I had about 200 feet vertical and the kids burned up some gloves since the ride up was as thrilling as the ride down. Now my snow-boarders are almost grown up and like to drive themselves to ski areas where you are seen as much as you can see others. The heck with that back yard boarding.

Also for your curiosity , if you are ever in my neck of the woods, come and look at the pictures, you might be able to place them.

Happy Trails

Martin Buser
 
[Martin Buser - 01 December 2009 email excerpt]

I sold my old rope tow last year to a gentleman in Birchwood/ Eagle river. He owns the rock quarry up there and has a place up a steep mountain and wants to pull his groceries up there with the rope tow.....

 

 

Do you have further information, stories or pictures that you would like to contribute about this ski area?