The Greek Peak Ski Patrol can trace its lineage back to about 1945 when the Cortland Ski Patrol was formed. In late 1945, a ski area was opened on Rte. 281 outside Cortland by district forester James D. Kennedy. The area was small and featured a rope tow. However, Kennedy and others wanted a larger ski area for the public.
Kenneth Archibald, thought to be Cortland Patrol’s first Patrol Leader, and the Southern Tier Section’s first Section Chief, along with Dr. Edward Higgins, Russell Parsons, Porter Bennett, and Robert Thompson (later to become president of Greek Peak), found a site on the Lang farm on Page Green Road four miles south of Cortland. The rope tow was moved from the Rte. 281 site to the farm and Snow Crest Ski Area was born in the fall of 1947. The area grew and night lighting was installed. It was served by the Cortland Ski Patrol under the direction of Archibald. In 1953, John Doll of Dryden became the Patrol Leader.
By 1956 a committee was formed to develop an even larger ski area at Greek Peak near Virgil. Greek Peak, Inc., was formed by the end of 1956 and after a year of construction, the new area was opened on Saturday, January 11, 1958. The Cortland Patrol was supplemented by the eight-man Elmira Ski Patrol, headed by John Tewey, so that adequate coverage could be provided to both Greek Peak and Snow Crest.
The ten-man Cortland Patrol included Assistant Patrol Leader Harold Armstrong, Chip Armstrong, Larry Potter, Jim Metzger, Peter Leonelli and Henry Halstead, all from Cortland; Doll from Dryden, and three others from Binghamton. Doll served as Patrol Leader from 1953-1959.
Snow Crest continued in existence for two more years as a supplement to Greek Peak. The area closed in 1960 and the Patrol exclusively served Greek Peak after that. Larry Potter succeeded Doll as Patrol Leader and served from 1959-60. In 1960, Jack Huntley became both Patrol Leader and Section Chief. Huntley served as Section Chief until an Eastern Division ruling in 1967 forbid dual office capacities. The Patrol changed its name from Cortland Ski Patrol to the Greek Peak Ski Patrol in 1960.
Patrol Leaders
…of Greek Peak Mountain Resort
1945 – 1953
…..Kenneth Archibald
1953 – 1959
…..John Doll (Sr)
1959
…..Jack Tewey
1959 – 1960
…..Lawrence Potter
1960 – 1982
…..Jack Huntley
1982 – 1984
…..Donald Moran
1984 – 1986
…..Roberta Gamel
1986 – 1987
…..Dr. George Henegar
1987 – 1994
…..Thomas Lipa
1994 – 1995
…..Donald Moran
1995 – 1999
…..John Megivern
1999 – 2003
…..Paul Collin
2003
…..Sue Gillis
2003 – 2014
…..John Megivern
2014 – 2019
…..Mark Whitmore
2019 – present
…..Spence ‘Beaver’ Blomfield-Brown