Berkshire East Ski Area
Encyclopedia
Berkshire East Ski Resort is a medium sized alpine ski area located on Mount Institute
in Charlemont
and Hawley
, Massachusetts
.
Parker spent the balance of the decade gathering investors for a much larger operation on the same mountain. The first double chairlift
, a Mueller
, was installed for the grand re-opening 1961-62 season. A second double chairlift, another Mueller, was installed in 1962.
Notable skiers during this time included former Massachusetts Governor Endicott Peabody
and Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy
.
New ownership took over in late 1965, changing the name to Berkshire East at the end of the decade.
A Hall double chairlift was installed in 1978. A fourth chairlift, an SLI
, was also installed in the late 1970s.
In 1995, the first Mueller double chairlift was replaced with a Poma
triple chairlift. A Hall
double chairlift was added in 2001. In 2003, the second Mueller double chairlift was replaced with a Borvig-Leitner
quad chairlift.
In 2008, Berkshire East replaced a novice handle tow with a magic carpet lift.
As of 2008, the ski area has 45 trails and five lifts, in addition to the tubing slope and lift. Berkshire East is currently the only alpine ski area in Franklin County
open to the public.
In 2010 the Diamond Express Hall
double chairlift (1978) was replaced with a Poma
triple chairlift.
In 2011, the ski area added a PowerWind 56 900 kWh wind turbine. This addition, makes Berkshire East the first ski area in the world to be 100% powered by onsite renewable energy.
system is composed almost exclusively of fan guns. The snowmaking fleet is dominated by SMI
Polecats and Wizzards, as well as Areco fan guns.
members have trained and raced at Berkshire East. Berkshire East frequently hosts USSA
and MIAA
slalom
and giant slalom championship races.
In 2009, Berkshire East announced the construction of multiple zip lines, creating a canopy tour
business called Berkshire East Canopy Tours.
Berkshire East Canopy Tours is one of the largest zip lines companies in North America. It boasts nearly 4.5 miles of zip lines, and features two of the longest zip lines in the United States with X1, and X2. These zips are about a half mile in length and are nearly 200' above the ground.
Mount Institute
Mount Institute, 1,538 ft., is a peak located in Hawley, Massachusetts, just south of the village of Charlemont.-History:Mount Institute was named by Horace Mann when he had an educational institute in Charlemont that overlooked the mountain....
in Charlemont
Charlemont, Massachusetts
Charlemont is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,358 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Hawley
Hawley, Massachusetts
Hawley is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 337 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Thunder Mountain Ski Area
Organized skiing started on Mt. Institute in the mid 1950s when Arthur Parker opened a small rope tow operation. Due to weather and other difficulties, it closed after one short season.Parker spent the balance of the decade gathering investors for a much larger operation on the same mountain. The first double chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
, a Mueller
GMD Mueller
GMD Mueller Lifts AG was a Swiss aerial lift manufacturing firm.GMD stands for Gerhard Mueller Dietlikon.Founded in 1947 by engineer Gerhard Mueller, who is credited with the invention of the modern detachable chairlift in the late 1940s, it was one of the most prolific and respected aerial lift...
, was installed for the grand re-opening 1961-62 season. A second double chairlift, another Mueller, was installed in 1962.
Notable skiers during this time included former Massachusetts Governor Endicott Peabody
Endicott Peabody
Endicott "Chub" Peabody was the 62nd Governor of Massachusetts from January 3, 1963 to January 7, 1965.-Early life:...
and Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
.
New ownership took over in late 1965, changing the name to Berkshire East at the end of the decade.
Berkshire East Ski Resort
The ownership group struggled, trying a variety of ill-fated expansion plans. By 1975, Berkshire East was bankrupt and outdated with two partially-installed chairlifts and two antiquated Mueller chairlifts. Current management soon took over and began a steady series of investments.A Hall double chairlift was installed in 1978. A fourth chairlift, an SLI
Ski Lift International
Ski Lift International was an aerial lift manufacturer based out of Incline Village, Nevada. SLI was established by co-founders Samuel G. Bonasso and Joseph Sugarman, with Bonasso as its first president. The company built 46 lifts, mainly double chairlifts, from 1965 until 1973. SLI had a...
, was also installed in the late 1970s.
In 1995, the first Mueller double chairlift was replaced with a Poma
Poma
Poma, also known as Pomagalski S.A. is a French company, specialising in construction of cable-driven lift systems, including fixed and detachable chairlifts, gondola lifts, funiculars, aerial tramways, people movers, and surface lifts. Poma has installed more than 7800 devices on five continents,...
triple chairlift. A Hall
Hall Ski-Lift
Hall Ski-Lift was a New York based ski lift manufacturing and installation company. Popular because of pricing and durability, Hall's lifts sold by the hundreds between 1955 and 1982, ranging from T-Bars to fixed grip quad chairlifts...
double chairlift was added in 2001. In 2003, the second Mueller double chairlift was replaced with a Borvig-Leitner
Leitner Group
Leitner Group is an Italian conglomerate, based in the province of South Tyrol, that owns and runs several industrial and equipment companies....
quad chairlift.
In 2008, Berkshire East replaced a novice handle tow with a magic carpet lift.
As of 2008, the ski area has 45 trails and five lifts, in addition to the tubing slope and lift. Berkshire East is currently the only alpine ski area in Franklin County
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
open to the public.
In 2010 the Diamond Express Hall
Hall Ski-Lift
Hall Ski-Lift was a New York based ski lift manufacturing and installation company. Popular because of pricing and durability, Hall's lifts sold by the hundreds between 1955 and 1982, ranging from T-Bars to fixed grip quad chairlifts...
double chairlift (1978) was replaced with a Poma
Poma
Poma, also known as Pomagalski S.A. is a French company, specialising in construction of cable-driven lift systems, including fixed and detachable chairlifts, gondola lifts, funiculars, aerial tramways, people movers, and surface lifts. Poma has installed more than 7800 devices on five continents,...
triple chairlift.
In 2011, the ski area added a PowerWind 56 900 kWh wind turbine. This addition, makes Berkshire East the first ski area in the world to be 100% powered by onsite renewable energy.
Terrain and Lifts
- Summit Triple Chairlift - serves all abilities, including an array of expert trails, the intermediate Mohawk, and the beginner Outback complex.
- Mountain Top Triple Chairlift - serves all abilities as well reaching to the top of the mountain slightly beyond the Summit Triple lift. The same trails serviced by the Summit Triple Chairlift can be accessed via. This chair was previously the Diamond Express Double Chairlift which was upgraded in the 2009-2010 season.
- West Quad Chairlift - services beginner and intermediate terrain on the west side of the mountain, including the intermediate Wilderness Peak complex and the beginner Exhibition and Roundabout trails.
- Top Notch Double Chairlift - services the novice Top Notch slope.
- Bobcat Magic Carpet - services the Bobcat novice slope.
Snowmaking
Berkshire East can make snow on all of its trails. The snowmakingSnowmaking
Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun" or "snow cannon", on ski slopes. Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski...
system is composed almost exclusively of fan guns. The snowmaking fleet is dominated by SMI
Snow Machines, Inc.
Snow Machines, Incorporated is a Midland, Michigan based snowmaking equipment manufacturer. Founded in the 1960s, SMI is considered the leader in fan gun snowmaking technology in the United States.- Present snow guns :* PoleCat Family** Super PoleCat...
Polecats and Wizzards, as well as Areco fan guns.
Racing
Berkshire East and Thunder Mountain have both been known for strong racing programs. Numerous successful racers, ranging from Massachusetts high school state champions to United States Ski TeamUnited States Ski Team
The United States Ski Team, operated under the auspices of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association , develops and supports men's and women's athletes in the sports of alpine skiing, adaptive alpine, freestyle skiing, cross country, adaptive cross country, ski jumping, and nordic combined....
members have trained and raced at Berkshire East. Berkshire East frequently hosts USSA
United States Ski and Snowboard Association
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding. Founded in 1905, the century-old organization provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders from over 400 member clubs who share an Olympic...
and MIAA
Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , comprising 365 high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is an organization that sponsors activities in more than thirty sports. The MIAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules...
slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
and giant slalom championship races.
Other activities
In 2007, Berkshire East expanded operations beyond skiing and snowboarding by opening a snow tubing slope, serviced by a magic carpet surface lift.In 2009, Berkshire East announced the construction of multiple zip lines, creating a canopy tour
Canopy tour
A canopy tour is an established route through a wooded and often mountainous landscape making primary use of zip-lines and aerial bridges between platforms built in trees. Tourists are harnessed to a steel cable without interruption throughout the entire tour for safety...
business called Berkshire East Canopy Tours.
Berkshire East Canopy Tours is one of the largest zip lines companies in North America. It boasts nearly 4.5 miles of zip lines, and features two of the longest zip lines in the United States with X1, and X2. These zips are about a half mile in length and are nearly 200' above the ground.
External links
- Berkshire East Ski Area - Official site
- Berkshire East Canopy Tours - Official site
- SkiBerkshireEast.com - History and photos