Pomfret ski area to announce name change this summer

Published: Jun. 30, 2022 at 5:03 PM EDT

POMFRET, Vt. (WCAX) - A name change is coming to a popular local ski mountain in the Upper Valley, and while not everyone is on board, the decision is being celebrated by mental health advocates.

Suicide Six in Pomfret has a rich history, including being home to one of the country’s first rope tows. But after decades of welcoming skiers and riders, the mountain is changing its name.

“I can’t imagine having a better place for my kids to learn how to ski,” said Amy Morel of Barnard. But while she loves the mountain, she’s glad the name will soon go. “Given the fact that we are in an epidemic of adolescent suicide, it’s appropriate to be aware of that and adapt.”

Mountain officials announced this week that they will be changing the name due to “growing concerns about the insensitive nature” of it.

Phil Dechert of Pomfret says while most locals are used to it, he understands the decision. “If people are coming up here from other parts of the country, it would seem a little strange,” he said.

But others, like Joan Reese, do not support the decision. “The name should not change,” she said. The South Pomfret resident has been skiing at the mountain since she was 10. “It meant something. When you change the name you take the meaning. It’s not a health hazard in any way.”

When the ski area first opened in 1936, it was called Hill No.6. But after the man who installed the original rope tow joked that “skiing the steep pitch would be suicide,” the new name stuck.

Mental health advocates say the decision to change it shows empathy. “We really shouldn’t be using the term suicide in a lighter context,” said Vermont Mental Health Deputy Commissioner Alison Krompf.

In 2021, 142 Vermonters took their own lives, the most in over a decade. The state is currently working on a campaign highlighting survivors and officials say the issue needs more awareness. “If it is happening for you, it is ok to say something about it. Also, you are not alone,” Krompf said.

And as the mountain goes through change, some things will remain the same. “I always completely enjoy it with all my family. Still ski,” Reese said.

The new name is expected to be announced later this summer. Regardless of what it becomes, skiers and riders will be back once the snow falls.

Copyright 2022 WCAX. All rights reserved.