Berkshire East Ski Resort

Infobox ski area
name = Berkshire East Ski Resort
picture = Berkshire East Ski Area Main Lodge.jpg
caption = The Main Lodge and Summit Triple Chairlift
location = Charlemont, Massachusetts, US
nearest_city = Greenfield
lat_degrees =
lat_minutes =
lat_seconds =
lat_direction =
long_degrees =
long_minutes =
long_seconds =
long_direction =
vertical =
number_trails = 45
longest_run = 2.5 mi
liftsystem = 4 chairs: 1 Quad, 1 Triple, 2 Doubles, 2 Surface Lifts
fast_quadchar =
quadchair = 1
triplechair = 1
doublechair = 2
snowmaking = 100%
external_link = [http://www.berkshireeast.com/ Berkshire East Ski Resort] |

Berkshire East Ski Resort is a medium sized alpine ski area located on Mount Institute in Charlemont and Hawley, Massachusetts.

Thunder Mountain

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, 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.

Berkshire East

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 By 1975, Berkshire East was bankrupt and outdated with two partially-installed chairlifts and two antiquated Mueller chairlifts.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 charlift, 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 2007, Berkshire East expanded operations to include snow tubing, serviced by 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.

Terrain and Lifts

* Summit Triple Chairlift - serves all abilities, including an array of expert trails, the intermediate Mohawk, and the beginner Outback complex.
* Diamond Express Double Chairlift - this high speed chairlift services expert terrain on the main mountain.
* 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 Handle Tow - services the Bobcat novice slope.

Snowmaking

Berkshire East can make snow on all of its trails. The snowmaking system is almost exclusively comprised of fan guns. The snowmaking fleet is dominated by SMI 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 Team members have trained and raced at Berkshire East. Berkshire East frequently hosts USSA and MIAA slalom and giant slalom championship races.

References

External links

* [http://www.berkshireeast.com Berkshire East Ski Area] - Official site
* [http://www.skiberkshireeast.com SkiBerkshireEast.com] - History and photos