Brodie Mountain (ski area)

Infobox ski area
name = Brodie Mountain Ski Area (closed)
picture = Brodie-2006-1118a.jpg
caption = Brodie Mountain as seen from Rounds Rock
location = New Ashford, Massachusetts, US
nearest_city = Pittsfield
lat_degrees =
lat_minutes =
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vertical = 1,250 ft
number_trails = 40
longest_run = 2 mi
liftsystem = 4 chairs: 4 Doubles
fast_quadchar =
quadchair =
triplechair =
doublechair = 4
snowmaking =
external_link = |

Brodie Mountain was a ski resort in New Ashford, Massachusetts, in the Taconic Mountains in the far northwestern part of the state. It opened in 1964 and thrived for a time by using then-cutting-edge innovations like top-to-bottom snowmaking and lighted night skiing. Founder Jim Kelly gave the resort an Irish theme: its nickname was "Kelly's Irish Alps"; the slopes had names like "Shamrock," "Killarney," and "JFK"; and the base lodge housed an Irish-themed saloon that did a rousing business in drinks and live music. But like many small independent ski areas, Brodie lost business over time to larger, higher-capitalized, corporate-owned resorts.

In 1999 the Kellys sold it to the owners of nearby Jiminy Peak, who closed Brodie in 2002 and sold it to a Texas-based condominium developer. The area continued to operate snow tubing, in conjunction with Jiminy Peak, through the 2006-2007 season.

With a vertical drop of 1,250 feet and four chairlifts, Brodie is the largest closed ski area in the Berkshires. Part of the mountain is now proposed for a wind energy project.

External links

* [http://www.iberkshires.com/story.php?story_id=15250/ Remembering Brodie's Glory Days]
* [http://www.thevoicenews.com/News/2003/0104/Arts_And_Amusements/003.html/ My Years at Brodie Mountain]
* [http://www.nelsap.org/ma/brodie.html Brodie, MA - New England Lost Ski Areas Project]