Mental Health Considers, Vermont's Famous Ski Resort Decides To Change Name

Kawasan Suicide Six Ski Resort Aerial (Wikimedia Commons/Jared C. Benedict)

JAKARTA - A popular ski resort in Vermont, United States, Suicide Six announced that it will make a name change that is considered 'insensitive' in the next few weeks.

This is known from the ski resort's upload on its website which shared the news on June 28 last. However, this legendary resort is already known as the Suicide Six.

"Our resort team embraced increased awareness around mental health and shared the growing concern about the insensitive nature of the historical name. The feelings evoked by the word 'suicide' can have a significant impact on many people in our community," the announcement reads. June 29.

"It's important the name better represents and celebrates what makes it such a loved and passionate part of this community. Although, some may find change difficult, we stand by our belief, this evolution is guaranteed to be an iconic treasure and more importantly, needed to continue its rich history of inclusion and accessibility."

The ski and snowboard resort is in Pomfret, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of the Vermont state capital, Montpelier.

This area north of Woodstock, Vermont, is considered the first major ski area in the United States. US Ski Hall of Fame awardee Wallace "Bunny" Bertram installed a primitive rope crane system on the mountain there, an innovation that many call the first ski lift.

Bertram, who died in 1981, dubbed the area the "Six Suicides", which he found more interesting than the existing name "Hill 6".

The resort is also a member of Ski Vermont's Fairness, Equity and Diversity initiative. Forty-eight state ski resorts signed an open letter supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

To note, skiing and outdoor destinations across North America have been reconsidering their names in recent years.

Last year, the California resort of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, which hosted snow events at the 1960 Winter Olympics, decided to change its name to Palisades Tahoe.

"While we love our local history and memories we all associate with this place because it has been named for so long, we were faced with a lot of evidence that the term 'squaw' was considered offensive," Ron Cohen, the resort's president and COO, said at the time, adding ownership the property has worked with the local Washoe tribe on a name change project.

Meanwhile, in Canada, a collection of mountain cabins within Jasper National Park chose to change their moniker, from Pocahontas Cabins to Miette Mountain Cabins after dialogue with the First Nations community in the area.