A break-in at Mystery Mountain Winter Park on June 22 caused an estimated $30,000 to $40,000 damage, says Thompson Ski Club past president Geoff Lamontagne.
"It's just a mess," he said. "They used the quad they stole from the horseowners. They tried to smash in one of the locks with an axe. They dragged our ski rescue toboggan around. It's not made to drive over gravel and sand. You've just got to wonder what the heck they're thinking."
The thieves and vandals made off with a number of items from the ski hill, including both snow machines, one of which was found in a swamp. The other, a Bearcat just purchased last year, was loaded on a half-ton that members later saw driving through town, unaware that it was Mystery Mountain's snowmobile in back.
"The one that's stolen, that's like $13,000 new," said Lamontagne. "The machines are integral to the operations."
Also stolen were approximately $2,000 worth of high-end tools, most of which were recovered with the quad stolen from the stables, which got stuck and was abandoned.
A full accounting has yet to take place.
"We don't even know what all is missing," said Lamontagne.
The break-in comes at a time when the ski hill is just emerging from a deficit position after being about $25,00o in the hole five years ago, and while the club is undertaking upgrades such as a $30,000 roof repair job and the installation of a new T-bar.
"When you do damage after a break-in upsetting," said Lamontagne, noting that the club has experienced break-ins before. "They just ripped one window right out of the garage. They backed the quads into the overhead doors."
"The important thing is that volunteers built this place for the last 45 years. It gets upsetting when you realize how many volunteer hours were put in. Do they even think when they're doing this?"
Lamontagne is hopeful that the police will receive information about who is responsible.
"Somebody knows who did this and somebody will talk," he said, adding that Mystery Mountain has seen convictions in the vast majority of previous break-ins. "We always want to send a message. We'll prosecute to the fullest extent to get our money back."
For now, however, the primary concern is getting the hill ready for next season.
"It's going to be a lot of work fixing all that stuff up," said Lamontagne. "Who's going to do all the repairs?"