One of NENSA’s finest traditions is presenting the John Caldwell Award. This award annually recognizes a single individual, or entity, which embodies the spirit, dedication, innovation, and pride of John Caldwell. NENSA is thrilled to announce that Eli Enman of Sleepy Hollow Nordic Center is the recipient of the 2024 John Caldwell Award.
Eli’s passion for the sport is rooted in his childhood and local community. While growing up in St. George, VT, he began skiing with the Bill Koch Ski League. At CVU High School, Eli was a Vermont State Champion and multi-time All-American. After competing and achieving All-American status again at Middlebury College, Eli’s journey continued through professional skiing, a World Cup start, and decades of involvement in the sport. Year over year he has led his age group as a competitor including several victories at the Craftsbury Marathon. His dedication and passion for the sport extends far beyond the race course, though.
Carol Greenhouse, resident innkeeper, describes Eli’s professional contributions at Sleepy Hollow. “When Eli Enman was a student at Middlebury College, his parents purchased 880 acres in Huntington with the intention of opening an inn and asked Eli if he wanted to operate a Nordic center on the property. An All American Skier, Eli didn’t hesitate. He was helping design and build what would become Sleepy Hollow before graduation, clearing 32K worth of trails and at the same time, making a reputation for being the salt of the earth: an honest, authentic, kind guy who innovates tirelessly to prevent climate change and gives as much to as many skiers as possible. Under his leadership, Sleepy Hollow has become a second home for generations of skiers and an outdoor recreation industry leader in clean energy.”
For decades, Eli has also coached and mentored skiers at CVU High School. Head Coach Sarah Strack shares, “Eli has been involved in the Nordic Community on so many different levels- athlete, coach, groomer, course designer, snowmaker, and parent of ski racers. He brings the same determination he has as a racer to all he does, and always with a smile. His coaching philosophy is based not only on working hard but is also rooted in fun. This can be seen in his creative course designs and challenging obstacle courses that are enjoyed by skiers of all ages. Without Eli’s innovative approach to snowmaking so many in our area would not have been able to ski or race these last few winters.”
Molly Enman Peters, Eli’s sister and Head Nordic Ski Coach and Cross Country Coach at St. Michael’s College adds, “Eli is involved in every part of the Nordic community. He not only runs a Nordic ski area, but he also helps coach the local high school team. He still races in local ski marathons, as well as organizes (and sometimes wins) the very popular Wednesday Night World series at Sleepy Hollow. Eli is the first to volunteer to host high school races moved from other places. Most importantly, he’s always up for a chat, especially if it’s about an incoming snowstorm or his snowmaking system.”
Jake Hollenbach, longtime friend and parent of a young Sleepy Hollow skier, observes, “Eli has quietly been setting the standard in our area since he was racing in high school, into college and beyond, and now as a coach and ski area operator. Sure, he has set the standard from a competitive sense, but what has always been so special to me about him is how welcoming and friendly he treats any and everyone he meets. As a ski area operator and coach he has been a true leader in terms of environmental initiatives, community ski events, and being a calm guiding force for so many young skiers.”
Those young skiers have flocked to the Bill Koch League youth program that Eli started at Sleepy Hollow. “Eli embodies the spirit of ski racing and keeps it alive. Aside from being a racer who never grows old, he makes it possible for others feel the joy of skiing,” shares Brett Johnson, a lifelong friend of Eli’s and father of two BKL skiers at Sleepy Hollow. “As a coach he inspires young athletes to grow in the sport. As the “keeper of snow” at Sleepy Hollow, he works tirelessly to make sure skiers young and old can get out and ski and ensures kids can race even in the most challenging of winters. Without Eli, Nordic skiing in Vermont would not be as resilient and fun as it is today.”
Heather LaRocca, Program Director of Sleepy Hollow BKL, understands and appreciates firsthand the environment Eli has created for skiers of all ages: “Getting skiers of all kinds out on the trails and creating opportunities for fun on skis are at the heart of everything Eli does at Sleepy Hollow. The ski terrain park speaks for itself with a sign that reads, “Kids Fun Park- ages 2-99, no exceptions.” Skiers of all ages flock to the fun park, waiting for their turn to send the jumps, run slalom turns and ski through the carved snow tunnel. Sleepy Hollow is a frequent host for school races and BKL events, and Eli’s courses almost always run through the fun park, adding an element of play on skis for all. Through our up and down winter weather patterns, Eli and the grooming crew have put in tireless efforts to keep trails open for the countless ski teams, BKL programs, school groups and skiers who frequent Sleepy Hollow. We all so appreciate these efforts! Eli’s approach of hard work, flexibility and a twist of humor help to create a wonderfully relaxed and inviting atmosphere for all skiers at Sleepy Hollow. Check out his “Eli’s 10 point rock skiing scale” (at the bottom) if you haven’t seen it yet:).”
Eli’s commitment to protecting winter through environmentally conscious business practices has been unwavering. “Not only does he provide amazing skiing, he has dedicated himself to making Sleepy Hollow the greenest Nordic area in Vermont,” shares Molly Peters. “Eli is known for some of his creative inventions, including two electric groomers, a small nozzle snowmaking system and an electric lawn mower. Some of these inventions didn’t turn out the way he planned (you can ask the fire department for details), but he still remains steadfast in his dedication to running a green business.”
“His goal for Sleepy Hollow has always been to be carbon neutral and he has largely succeeded,” says Molly. That success is the result of many innovative projects at Sleepy Hollow where Eli has:
- Installed solar arrays, battery backups, and heat pumps that have made Sleepy Hollow virtually 100 percent solar powered; put in 3 EV charging stations that passholders can use at no cost; and traded the original fleet of gas-powered vehicles for electric-powered ones;
- Created an electric-powered series of snowmaking mini-guns set into the ground every 200 to 300 feet along 3K of wooded trails by mounting them himself on wheels and skis (the mini-guns are his design also, enabling a more even distribution of snow with less effort);
- Retrofitted a standard gas-powered groomer to become a homemade electric groomer;
- Become the first Nordic center in the U.S. to put a European electric groomer into use because contributing to climate change runs counter to his sense of right and wrong;
“Anyone who knows him will tell you that Eli is a powerhouse and a gentle leader. He has brought one of the area’s most popular Nordic centers to life from an abandoned building and a silent wood; developed a 100% sustainable system to power the business; and cultivated a thriving community of skiers who comment regularly on the quality of his grooming, now done by the first electric-powered groomer at any Nordic area in the U.S,” shares Carol Greenhouse.
Kim Coleman, BKL parent and Professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at UVM, summarizes the breadth of Eli’s contributions to the community and the environment: “Visit Sleepy Hollow at any given time and you’re likely to see Eli welcoming skiers, setting tracks, tirelessly repairing old equipment (and teaching the next generation how to do so, as pictured here!), all in his one-piece Carhart suit. On Wednesday nights in January and February, you’ll find him leading the charge at the Sleepy Hollow weekly race series. Whether it’s perfectly grooming the 2k race loop under the lights or cobbling together something creative when there isn’t enough natural snow, Eli is always doing his best to ensure there is midweek racing. Along with the post-race potlucks these Wednesday night races are the perfect mix of competition, gathering around a shared meal, and community for all ages. Eli is also deeply committed to sustainability in the face of climate change, and Sleepy Hollow is now home to one of the first electric Prinoth Husky eMotion groomers in the US. It’s truly inspiring, and Eli is extremely deserving of the John Caldwell Award.”
What inspires him to keep upping the ante with more innovations every season? Former SpaceX aeronautical engineer John McNeil, whose daughter learned to ski at Sleepy Hollow and who lends a hand when he can, thinks the answer lies in Eli’s risk tolerance. “When you’re an engineer, everything has to be perfect at the first test,” John says. “But Eli…he just tries to get *something* right on the first try. That’s the secret to his innovation. That’s how he does all the stuff he does. His desire to do things outweighs his fear of failure.”
Precisely this sort of ingenuity and dedication is what the John Caldwell award celebrates. It is a sincere privilege to recognize and congratulate Eli Enman as the 2024 recipient!
