Saskadena Six Ski Area Announces New Name

A Vermont ski resort has changed their name to Saskadena Six Ski Area. The word “saskadena” means “standing mountain,” in the language of the area’s indigenous community, the western Abenaki people. The Woodstock Inn & Resort, the owners of the ski area, worked with Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk-Abenaki Nation to decide upon the name change. In a release, Chief Stevens commented “As a place-based people, the Nulhegan Abenaki tribe appreciates the opportunity to work with the Woodstock resort team to rename this place and recognize its historic context as part of the land. This ‘standing mountain’ has been used by thousands of Abenaki ancestors for over 11,000 years and hopefully many more in the future. By acknowledging the original language of this place, the name Saskadena Six will honor the ancient legacy of the Abenaki alongside that of the generations who have loved it over the past 90 years and into the future.”

The popular ski area was previously called “Suicide Six,” a name that was generating growing concern. On the need for the name change, Courtney Lowe, president of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, stated “we embrace the need for the increasing awareness of mental health and share the growing concern about the insensitivity of the word and the strong feelings it evokes on those in our community who have been touched by the tragedy of suicide.”

The name change was announced about 10 months after a Tahoe ski resort changed its name in order to respect and honor both its history and the area’s Native cultures.

Image: kirkikis, Adobe Stock