>> THIS TIME ON "POINTS NORTH," WE TAKE TO THE HILLS.

FIRST AN INSIDE LOOK AT ONE OF VERMONT'S BEST-KEPT WINTER SECRETS.

THE SPORT OF BIATHLON.

THEN ATTENTION ALL SKI DUDES, HERE'S THE LATEST IN HALFPIPES AND SICK TRICKS, AND FINALLY, FOR THE YOUNG AND GENTLE, WE VISIT A VERMONT TRADITION, COCHRAN SKI AREA, THE STORY OF A FAMILY WHO REMAINS COMMITTED TO THEIR SKI MISSION.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE THE ENVY OF NEARLY EVERYONE RIGHT NOW.

WHERE ELSE TO BE THAN IN THE MIDDLE OF A GREAT WINTER IN VERMONT ON SKIS?

WELCOME TO "POINTS NORTH."

I'M ROB MICHALAK.

IN OUR FIRST STORY, WE TRAVEL TO THE FOOTHILLS OF MANSFIELD NEAR THE TINY TOWN OF JERICHO, A PLACE WHERE ATHLETES COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO TRAIN AND COMPETE IN ONE OF WINTER'S LITTLE KNOWN EVENTS.

IT'S AN EVENT THAT COMBINES SPEED AND ENDURANCE WITH THE PATIENCE AND PRECISION OF A GREAT ATHLETE.

WHAT DOES THAT ADD UP TO?

THE SPORT OF BIATHLON.

>> IT'S NEARLY 5:00 ON A COLD WINTRY AFTERNOON.

BUT THE TEMPERATURE DOESN'T STOP A FEW HARD CORE ATHLETES UP TO THE CHALLENGE.

>> I COMPETED IN 1980 ON THE ALL ARMY MILITARY TEAM, AND ACTUALLY COMPETED RIGHT HERE ON THIS RANGE 20 YEARS AGO.

AND LITTLE DID I KNOW I WOULD BE BACK UP HERE COACHING A JUNIOR BIATHLON TEAM 20 YEARS LATER.

>> TOM LANE IS FROM ALASKA WHERE HE GREW UP HUNTING AND NORDIC SKIING.

HE JOINED THE MILITARY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, AND SAW THE SPORT OF BIATHLON AS A WAY OF COMBINING FOR THINGS HE LOVED TO DO.

>> YOU ARE MARRYING TWO WILDLY DIFFDIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, ONE WH PATIENCE AND A SLOW HEART RATE, AND ANOTHER WITH FAST SPEED AND EXTREMELY HIGH HEART RATE.

YOU ARE GOING OVER AND DOWN, MAYBE?

>> TOM COACHES FOUR ATHLETES IN THE JUNIOR BIATHLON PROGRAM AT THE ETHAN ALLEN REGIONAL SL CCENTERFOR EXCELLENCE IN JERICH.

IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.

WHILE TEAMS HAVE BEEN TRAINING HERE FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS, THE SPORT, ITSELF, IS MUCH OLDER.

>> IT IS NOT TOO BAD.

>> HISTORICALLY, IT'S EUROPEAN.

THEY HAVE CAVE PAINTINGS IN SCANDINAVIA, 4,000 PLUS YEARS OLD THAT PICTURE HUNTERS ON THE SKIS.

TRACKING LARGE MAMMALS, AND SO THEY HAVE GOT IT STARTED 4,000 YEARS AGO, AND HAS ENDED UP WHAT WE SEE HERE IN THE MODERN SPORT OF BIATHLON.

>> I JUST RESET THE TARGET.

>> IT REALLY IS TWO DIFFERENT SPORTS, AND TO TRAIN TO BE A BIATHLON, VERSUS TO TRAIN TO BE A STRAIGHT NORDIC ATHLETE REQUIRES TWICE AS MUCH TIME.

A LOT OF NORDIC RACERS TRY BIATHLON AND GET DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE YOU CAN BE THE FASTEST SKIER IN THE COUNTRY, AND YOU MISS ALL YOUR TARGETS.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WIN THE RACE.

THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES.

>> >> 22 CALIBER RIFLES ARE USED ON 50-METER RANGES, TARGETS ARE TWO SIZES.

APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF A C.D.

FOR OFF-HAND SHOOTING AND THE SIZE OF A DOLLAR COIN FOR THE PRONE POSITION.

>> IT'S BASICALLY GETTING THE FLEX WHERE YOU GET A SIGHT PICTURE AND Y YOU GET YOUR PICTE TO PULL THE TRIGGER, AND IT'S JUST DOING IT.

YOU ARE SHOOTING IN BETWEEN HEARTBEATS.

IF YOU LET YOUR BREATH OUT SLOWLY AND GET A SIGHT PICTURE AND CAN, YOU CAN PULL OFF, SQUEEZE OFF THE TRIGGER THERE, AND GET IT TO WORK EVERY TIME, THEN YOU WILL CLEAN THE TARGETS AND YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD RACE.

>> RACES ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO CLASSES.

SPRINT RACES ARE 7.5 KILOMETERS WITH TWO SHOOTING POSITIONS, AND PURSUIT RACES ARE 10 KILOMETERS FOR WOMEN, AND 20 KILOMETERS FOR MEN, WITH FOUR SHOOTING STATIONS.

>> YOU TYPICALLY START A BIATHLON RACE WITH THE RIFLING OF THE SKIS, SKI TWO KILOMETERS AND COME INTO THE RANGE AND SHOOT IN PRONE OR ON YOUR STOMACH POSITION.

YOU WILL GET UP AND SKI FORE2.5 KILOMETERS, AND COME IS IF AND SHOOT OFFHAND, WHICH IS STANDING.

YOU SHOOT AT FIVE TARGETS EVERY SHOOTING POSITION.

IF YOU MISS ONE OF THE TARGETS ON THE SHORTER RACES YOU SKI PENALTY LAPS.

>> THE MILITARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONNECTED TO THE SPORT OF BIATHLON.

IN THE EARLY 1970s, THE TEAM WAS CENTERED IN FORT RICHARDSON, ALASKA, WHEN THE STATE DECIDED NOT TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM, VERMONT'S ADJUTANT GENERAL SENT BRIN-- SUBSEQUENTHOWARD BUXTON .

THEY DECIDED IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD SUPPORT AND HAS BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

>> AND THIS RANGE GETS ITS USE.

NOT ONLY DO AMERICAN ATHLETES TRAIN HERE, BUT BIATHLON ATHLETES COME HERE YEAR-ROUND, AS WELL AS THE BIATHLON ASSOCIATION.

RIGHT NOW MOST OF THE TRAILS ARE QUIET SINCE ATHLETES HAVE MOVED WEST TO CONTINUE THEIR TRAINING FOR THE 2002 OLYMPIC GAMES IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

>> IT'S A LABOR IN OBSCURITY, REALLY.

THERE IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED IN BIATHLON.

TOP INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE, FROM THIS COUNTRY, ANYWAY, DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.

>> RIGHT THERE.

YOU SEE WHERE YOU ARE HITTING THERE?

NOW, ON THAT ALPHA.

>> AS A COACH, TOM TRAINS HIS ATHLETES A MINIMUM OF 500 HOURS A YEAR.

IN THE SUMMER THEY RUN, ROLLER SKI AND FINE TUNE THEIR SKILLS, IN THE WINTER NECESSITY WORK ON SKIING TECHNIQUES, MORE SHOOTING, AND ADJUSTING TO COLD WEATHER.

CURRENTLY, THERE ARE FOUR STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM.

NOT ONLY DO THEY TRAIN EVERY DAY, BUT THEY PROVIDE THEIR OWN CLOTHING, SKIS, BOOTS, AND RIFLES.

THE RIFLES ALONE CAN COST OVER $2,000.

BIT FIRST APPEARED IN 1924 BUT WAS DROPPED OFF WORLD WAR II.

IT REAPPEARED IN THE SQUAW VALLEY OLYMPICS OF 1960, AND HAS BEEN AN EVENT EVER SINCE.

BUT NOT UNTIL 1992 DID WE FIRST SEE WOMEN COMPETING ON AN OLYMPIC BIATHLON TEAM.

>> WE GO OUT ON A 2.5-HOUR RUN, FROM THE SUMMER AFTERNOON, AND EVERYBODY ELSE GOES AND TO THE MALL OR THE MOVIES, AND TOO TIRED TO GO OUT, AND THEY ARE LIKE WHY DON'T YOU COME WITH US AND TAKE A BREAK FROM TRAINING.

GOING TO BE A LITTLE CRAZY.

>> CHAMPLAIN VALLEY ADVISOR CAPE HOPES TO WIN A PLACE ON THE JUNIOR NATIONAL BIATHLON TEAM, AND SHE JUST MIGHT DO IT.

KATE WAS THE GIRL'S CHAMPION FROM THE U.S.

IN ALBERTA, CANADA, TWO YEARS AGO.

AND NEXT YEAR, SHE PLANS TO ATTEND COLBY COLLEGE IN MAINE, WHERE SHE WILL CONTINUE TO TRAIN.

>> WHEN YOU ARE OUT ON THE LOOP, AND YOU ARE GETTING CLOSER TO THE RANGE, YOU PICK A POINT THAT YOU WANT TO START, AND SWITCHING OVER TO THE SHOOTER'S MENTALITY AND BRING DOWN YOUR HEART RATE A BIT, AND YOU COME INTO THE RANGE YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON DEEP BREATHS AND WHEN YOU GET INTO POSITION AND SHOOT AND REALLY KEEP YOURSELF NICE AND STEADY WHEN YOU PULL THE TRIGGER.

I THINK THAT WHAT KEEPS ME INTERESTED IN IT IS THE CHALLENGE OF COMING INTO THE RACE, HAVING TO CHANGE FROM BEING A SKIER TO THINKING LIKE A SHOOTER, AND JUST THAT CHALLENGE REALLY MAKES IT INTRIGUING TO COME AND SEE IF YOU CAN BEAT THE CHALLENGE AND HIT OFF THE TARGETS AND IT'S A GREAT FEELING WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO DO THAT.

>> I'VE BEEN COACHING NORDIC SKIING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

I BELIEVE THAT AS AN ATHLETE, PARTICULARLY IN SPORTS LIKE NORDIC SKIING AND RUNNING, THAT SORT OF THING, THAT YOU GET -- I GOT QUITE A BIT OUT OF THEM.

I HAD PLANNED ALONG THE ROAD TO PUT SOME TIME BACK INTO THE SPORT AND THAT'S WHAT I AM DOING NOW.

>> ARE YOU UP ON THE LATEST SKI SLOPE TERMINOLOGY?

RAILS.

BIG AIR.

SICK TRICKS.

TERRAIN PARK.

IT'S ALL PART OF A NEW LANGUAGE THAT DESCRIBES THE EMERGING VARIETY OF SNOW SLIDING.

THE SPORT THAT IS DRIVEN BY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO BEYOND TRADITIONAL SKIING.

WE GOT CURIOUS AND HEADED DOWN TO THE SNOW ZONE AT VERMONT'S KILLINGTON SKI AREA WHERE THE YOUNG AND TALENTED SHOWED US THEIR ACROBATIC SKILLS.

>> SKIING JUST AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE.

STOP AT A VERMONT SKI AREA, AND JUST THE VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT ON PEOPLE'S FEET SUGGEST THE CHANGES.

AUDITOR RAIN PARKS AND HALFPIPES, AND THE PICTURE OF SKI AREAS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MANY REMEMBER.

YOUNG PEOPLE WANT OPTIONS TO TRADITIONAL SKIING, AND THEY GET THEM AT KILLINGTON SNOW ZONE PROGRAM.

>> THE SNOW ZONE PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR 13-YEAR-OLDS PLUS AT THE KILLINGTON RESORT HERE.

IT IS DESIGNED AROUND A FORMAT OF ALLOWING TEENAGERS TO HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT HOW THEY TAKE LESSONS HERE AND WHAT THEY LEARN.

IT FEATURES SPORTS, ALPINE SKIING, SKI BOARDING, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL A NEW SPORT, DONE ON SMALL, TWIN TIP SKIS, AND THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ARE USED IN VARIOUS FEATURES ON THE MOUNTAIN FROM NEWER TYPES LIKE HALFPIPES AND TERRAIN PARKS TO TRADITIONAL VENUES LIKE MOGUL SKIING AND TREE SKIING AND OTHER NATURAL FEATURES ON THE MOUNTAIN.

>> PROBABLY THE MOST RADICAL DEPARTUR FROM THE TRADITIONAL SKIING CAN BE FOUND IN THE HALFPIPE.

A STRUCTURE BROUGHT TO THE SKIING BY SKATEBOARD ENTHUSIASTS.

SOME OF THE VETERANS OF SNOW ZONE PROGRAM PERFORM AMAZING FEET ON SNOWBOARDS AND SKIS IN THE HALFPIPE.

>> IT'S VERY EXHILARATING, AND RIDING THE PIPE IS COMPENSATIONAL, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO.

YOU GET ABOVE THE HALFPIPE, IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE FLYING AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.

>> WHILE THE HALFPIPE REPRESENTS THE INFLUENCE, -- NEW, IT ALSO S THINGS LIKE SKIING IN THE TREES.

MANY TAKE THE EQUIPMENT AND ACTIVITIES LIKE SNOWBOARDING AND JUMPS INTO THE WOODS.

>> I USED TO BE SKIER, AND THEN I GOT BORED AND I WANTED FOR SWITCH OVER TO SNOWBOARDING, TRY SOMETHING NEW.

YOU FEEL LIKE ATTACHED TO THE BOARD LIKE IT'S ALMOST LIKE JUST PART OF YOUR FEET.

IT'S REALLY FUN WHEN YOU ARE UP IN THE AIR, I FEEL LIKE I AM HIGHER THAN I REALLY AM.

>> SNOW ZONE CONTINUES AFTER THE RIDERS LEAVE THE SLOPES.

FRANK SPARROW, WHO CONCEIVED THE PROGRAM, CONSIDERED A SOCIAL ELEMENT TO THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE PLACE TO MEET.

CRUCIAL TO ITS SUCCESS.

A LOFT AREA IN ONE OF THE LODGES PROVIDED THE SPACE.

THE QUESTION FOR FRANK WAS, WOULD THE INTERACTION HE WANTED OCCUR?

>> RECENTLY OVER THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD, WE WERE PROBABLY 50 OR 60 KIDS UP THERE, AND THEY HAD JUST GRAVITATED INTO LITTLE GROUPS ALL ON THEIR OWN, AND WERE TALKING AND SOME OF THE SKIING AND RIDING, SOME OF IT IS UNRELATED, BUT THE SOCIAL ASPECT HAD HAPPENED.

JUST BY VIRTUE OF PRESENTING THE VENUE FOR THEM TO BE THERE.

AND THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR ME BECAUSE IT PROVED TO ME THAT OUR ORIGINAL CONCEPT REALLY HAD SOME BASIS TO IT.

>> WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON INDIE GRANTS, ONE OF THE EASIEST GRABS.

>> FRANK WANTED TO CULTIVATE COACHES AND INSTRUCTORS CLOSE IN AGE TO THE SNOW ZONE KIDS.

THE COACH AND TRAINING PROGRAM ADDRESS THAT IS NEED.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU REMEMBER HOW TO TUCK INTO THE JUMP, THE LIP, GET AIR, AND GO FOR THE GRAB.

LET GO.

STOMP THE LANDING.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S IT.

WOW!

THAT'S WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.

NICE FORM.

ALL RIGHT.

TUCK INTO IT, AND LET'S SEE IT.

BIG ENDING.

NICE!

YOU GUYS ALL GOT THAT.

YOU LOOKED REALLY GOOD, YOUR FORM, WAS NICE GOING IN, AND STUCK THE LANDING.

AND VERY -- VERY GOOD.

>> THE GOAL IS THE X GAMES.

DYLAN GOODSPEED DOES ACROBATICS ON TWIN-TIPPED SKIS AND HOPES THE X GAMES ARE IN HIS FUTURE.

>> I WILL BE GOING UP TO THE SQUAW VALLEY FOR A BIG AIR AND TRYING TO COMPETE.

THERE IS LIKE 100 PEOPLE THAT CAN COMPETE, AND THEY ARE ONLY TAKING THE TOP THREE.

SO IT'S LIKE, YOU HAVE TO BE LIKE UNBELIEVABLY GOOD.

IF I QUALIFY, I WOULD GO TO THE X GAMES AT MOUNT SNOW FOR A BIG AIR.

MY BEST FRICK WOULD PROBABLY BE LIKE 720 CORK.

A 720 CORK IS, YOU SPIN TWO FULL RETAREROTATIONS AROUND, AND YOUE NOT SPINNING STRAIGHT UP BY SIDEWAYS.

WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO IN SKIING, WHEN I HIT A TRICK PERFECT.

YOU JUST HAVE BEEN PRACTICING AND PRACTICING AND PRACTICING, AND FALLING AND HURTING AND FINALLY LAND IT.

AND IT'S THE GREATEST FEELING.

YOU ARE SO PSYCHED AND EVERYTHING IS AWESOME.

IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU FELL BEFORE.

>> COACHING, COMPETITION, RIDING, THE VARIOUS VENUES AND EQUIPMENT ADD UP TO THE APPEAL OF THE PROGRAM, VARIETY.

>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN ACTIVITY WHERE THERE IS NO RULES.

THE RULES ARE BEING MADE UP AS WE GO ALONG.

THE TRICKS ARE BEING MADE UP AS WE GO ALONG.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT SKIING IS IT'S REALLY CREATIVE.

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT.

YOU CAN GO INTO THE WOODS, THE PARK, THE PIPE, AND YOU CAN TAKE IT ANYWHERE THAT YOU WANT.

>> PICTURE THIS, IT'S 1961, AND NICKY AND JENNY COCHRAN BUY A FARM THAT RUNS ALONG THE WINOOSKI RIVER IN RICHMOND.

THROUGH A LOT OF HARD WORK AND WITH NICK NICKY'S TALENT, THEY TRANSFORM THIS INTO A FAMILY FRIENDLY SKI AREA, A PLACE THEIR CHILDREN AND THE NEIGHBORS COULD ENJOY SKIING AND RACE TRAINING.

SURE ENOUGH, THE COCHRAN KIDS RULED THE SLOPES FOR MANY YEARS.

FOUR DECADES LATER, COCHRAN SKI AREA IS A LOCAL LEGEND.

I VISITED WITH JENNY TO TALK TO HER ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK TO GET STARTED AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO KEEP GOING.

>> THE COCHRAN SKI AREA HAS BECOME A LANDMARK IN THE STATE OF VERMONT BUT BACK IN 1961, PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

WHAT WERE YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND, MICKEY, LOOKING FOR BACK THEN?

>> WELL, WE LIVED IN SOUTH BURLINGTON, AND OUR CHILDREN STARTED SKI RAYING AT SMUGGLER'S NOTCH SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR A PLACE FOR THEM TO PRACTICE DURING WEEK.

LOOKING FOR A HOUSE WITH A BIG, A STEEP BACKYARD, AND WE FOUND IT HERE.

>> SO REALLY, THIS WAS JUST TO BE A PLACE WHERE THE FAMILY COULD PRACTICE THEIR SKIING.

>> YES, IT WAS.

THAT'S HOW IT ORIGINALLY STARTED, AND IT WAS JUST SORT OF LIKE TOP SEAN COLVIN.

-- TOP SEAN COLVIN, ITJUST GREW.

>> THE KIDS NOW, I KNOW THAT THEY ARE GROWN ADULTS BUT WAY BACK THEN THEY WERE BECOMING THE GOOD SKIERS.

BARBARA, LINDY, MARYLAND, BOBBY, THEY HAD GREAT SUCCESS.

I THINK YOU WILL REMEMBER BARBARA AND THE GOLD MEDAL BUT THEY ALL DID GREAT THINGS.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS?

>> MARILYN WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN TO WIN A WORLD CUP LEG OF THE SILENT SLALOM.

SHE WON -- WHICH WAS, IN 1969, AND IN 1970, BARBARA WON A SILVER IN SLALOM AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AND MARILYN WON A BRONZE, COMBINED, AND BOBBY WAS THE, ONLY THE SECOND AMERICAN TO WIN A -- THE AWARD SIMILAR TO THE WIMBLEDON IN TENNIS, AND HE WON THE COMBINED, I THINK THAT WAS 1973.

SOMETIMES I FORGET.

>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR THE FAMILY WITH THESE COMPETITORS AND ESPECIALLY ACHIEVING A GREAT LEVEL AROUND THE WORLD IN SKIING, WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR THE FAMILY BEHIND THE SCENES?

WERE THEY COMPETITIVE WITH EACH OTHER?

>> I THINK THAT THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER, ACTUALLY.

I THINK THAT THAT'S MAYBE WHY THEY DID SO WELL BECAUSE THEY DID HAVE EACH OTHER.

I REMEMBER BARBARA AND MARILYN TALKING ABOUT HOW DISCOURAGED THEY WERE ONE TIME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND BOBBY AND RICK SKID OVER TO HAVE TEA WITH THEM, AND IT SORT OF BOOSTED THEM, AND THEN AS I REMEMBER THEY WENT ON AND WERE ONE OF THE TOP FIVE IN THAT PARTICULAR RACE.

SO I THINK THAT THEY JUST HELPED EACH OTHER.

>> I THINK THAT OUR FAMILY HAS JUST -- WE GREW UP WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF SKIING, AND IT WAS ALWAYS JUST FUN FOR US, AND SO MOM AND DAD KIND OF PASSED ON THAT LOVE WHEN THEY CREATED THIS SKI AREA, AND IT STARTED WITH THIS RIGHT BEHIND THE HOUSE.

WE HAD PEOPLE COME OVER AFTER DINNER, ACTUALLY, A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK, AND THEY WOULD RIDE IT, AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT MUCH ABOUT IT BUT LOOKING BACK, IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING TO THINK THAT THESE OTHER SKI RACERS THAT WE WERE COMPETING AGAINST, YOU KNOW, CAME TO OUR BACKYARD TO GET MORE TRAINING IN DURING WEEK.

BUT, IT WAS ALWAYS FUN FOR US.

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT OUR FAMILY DID, AND YOU KNOW, NOW I LOOK BACK AND I AM GOING, YOU KNOW, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE CHILDHOOD.

>> STAND UP STRAIGHT.

>> ALL OF THE VARIETY, I THINK, PLAYED A BIG PART IN THE COCHRAN SKI AREA BECOMING A PLACE WHERE MORE PEOPLE WOULD COME AND BRING THEIR FAMILIES TO LEARN HOW TO SKI.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF MAKING THIS A SKI AREA THAT PEOPLE WOULD COME TO AND KEEPING IT RUNNING?

>> MAINLY MONEY, OR LACK OF.

AS IT GREW, IT REQUIRED MORE AND MORE CAPITAL, AND WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THE BUSINESS TO SUPPORT THAT, BUT MY HUSBAND AND I NEVER TOOK A SALARY, SO WE JUST SORT OF DID IT.

MAINLY FOR THE LOVE OF THE LAND, AND AFTER MY HUSBAND DIED, I HATED TO SEE THE LAND TURN INTO DEVELOPMENT.

I REALLY -- I AM A NATIVE VERMONTER, AND I LOVED THE LAND, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT BE DEVELOPED, SO THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED THE NONPROFIT.

>> TELL ME A BIT ABOUT THAT DECISION, AND WHAT IT IS TAKING TO HAVE THIS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND KEEPING THE COCHRAN SKI AREA GOING INTO THE FUTURE?

>> FORTUNATELY, THIS YEAR IT TOOK SOME NICE SNOW TO KEEP US VERY BUSY, AND WE HAVE A VERY SUPPORTIVE COCHRAN SKI CLUB, WHICH IS A GROUP OF PARENTS AND RACERS THAT ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE.

THEY HELP OUT WHEREVER WE NEED THEM.

AND THEY ARE WONDERFUL.

RIGHT NOW AS IT IS WE ARE, WITH MOST NONPROFITS, IT'S AN ETERNAL STRUGGLE TO PAY THE BILLS, BUT I THINK THAT WE ARE GETTING THERE.

WE TRIED FRIENDS OF COCHRANS, WHICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

AND WE APPLIED FOR GRANTS.

WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY YET.

BUT WE ARE STILL HOPING.

I DON'T THINK IF WE RAISED OUR PRICES, I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE COST EFFECTIVE.

I THINK WE WOULD GET LESS SKIERS.

BY AND LARGE WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW AND TO HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP IT GOING.

>> IT'S REALLY CHEAP.

EASY TO GET TO, AND IT'S A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL.

I THINK THAT COCHRANS IS EXCELLENT.

EVERYONE, I THINK, IN THIS AREA STARTED HERE.

THIS THING HAS BEEN GOING FOR SO LONG, AND IT GOES WAY BACK, SO THEY ARE GREAT WITH THE KIDS.

>> MY DAD JUST LOVED TO SEE KIDS AND ADULTS ON THE SLOPES.

ALL HE WANTED TO SEE WAS THAT THEY WERE HAVING A GREAT TIME ON THE SKI HILL.

>> AND I THINK THAT WITH THAT KIND OF A FOUNDATION, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT, SO I THINK THAT THE FAMILY IS IMPORTANT, TOO, THAT YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO OUR LOVE OF THE SPORT TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE IT.

>> SO ONE LAST QUESTION, JUST AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE COCHRAN SKI AREA GOING INTO THE FUTURE, DESCRIBE YOUR VISION, YOUR DREAM FOR HOW THIS AREA WILL PROGRESS INTO THE NEXT 10, 20 YEARS.

>> WELL, I JUST HOPE THAT IT WILL STAY, PROVIDE AFFORDABLE SKIING FOR FAMILIES, AND I THINK YOU WILL SEE THIS AFTERNOON ALL THE CHILDREN THAT ENJOY IT.

WE HAVE SCHOOL PROGRAMS, WE HAVE ABOUT 800 SCHOOL CHILDREN THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE WEEK, AND ON THE WEEKENDS, WE ARE LOADED WITH FAMILIES, AND IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR FAMILIES TO DO THINGS TOGETHER, TO SKI TOGETHER.

THEY SAY THAT THE FAMILY THAT SKIS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.

SO, WE HOPE THAT WE CAN KEEP IT -- WE HOPE WE CAN KEEP IT IN A RECREATIONAL USE FOREVER.

>> GIVE ME FIVE!

>> WAY TO GO.

WHAT A RUN!

READY, LET'S GO AGAIN!

>> THAT'S "POINTS NORTH" FOR THIS TIME.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW.

AND WE HOPE YOU GET OUT AND ENJOY THE SNOW!

>> FOR MORE CLASSIC PROGRAMS, VISIT