THESE MIGHT NOT BE THE SKI RESORTS YOU REMEMBER

If you haven’t hit the Berkshire ski slopes in a while, you might be in for a big surprise

BY MIKE WALSH

I’m more snowboarder than scientist, but it’s pretty clear that our planet is changing — and not in the way that is going to provide long and plentiful powder days in western New England.

So, resorts have had to adapt and advance with upgrades to technology and infrastructure. Lifts, lights, and snowmaking have become the way of life, and in and around Berkshire County, we’ve been spoiled. Whether it’s some of the most environmentally friendly skiing on the planet or massive investments for the user experience, our mountains have done right by us and Mother Nature.

Here’s a dusting of what you can expect to see that’s new and exciting at Jiminy Peak, Bousquet, Berkshire East, Catamount and Ski Butternut this winter.

Bousquet Mountain

101 Dan Fox Drive, Pittsfield

If it’s been a minute since your last stroll through Dan Fox Drive, you might need to do a double-take when you catch a glimpse of Bousquet. It’s been more than two years now since Mill Town purchased the historic ski spot in Pittsfield, and the transformation is pretty jaw-dropping. From a completely new lodge and restaurant that debuted last season, to new equipment, lifts and an altered face of the summit, there’s been little downtime in getting Bousquet up to par with some of the top small resorts in the country. If you missed Bousquet last year, you might not even recognize the spot when you pull into the parking lot. It certainly doesn’t look like one of the oldest ski resorts in the country anymore, but that charm is still there on the hill, and 

From a completely new lodge and restaurant that debuted last season, to new equipment, lifts and an altered face of the summit, there’s been little downtime in getting Bousquet up to par with some of the top small resorts in the country.

PHOTO BY BEN GARVER

The refacing of the summit last year was a brilliant move that made for a great panorama of the city. Off the hill, Bousquet is packing five-star amenities into a small-town package. LIFT Bistro Pub has been humming all summer and has a new executive chef, but hit the second-story bar up and lose yourself in the view of the hill through wall-to-wall glass windows. Bousquet has been boasting a world-class tuning machine in-house that can get you sharpened up to carve away. Last season also debuted the new “Yellow Chair,” which gets its name from the storied double that lined the right perimeter of Bousquet. Now, it’s a highspeed triple with better placement right outside the lodge and a more beginner-friendly exit. There’s still a single yellow chair pulling laps, though. Advancements in the snowmaking technology and infrastructure at Bousquet have allowed a lot more of the hill’s advanced terrain to actually be open in-season. That added variety is a boon to a spot punching well above its weight class.

Ski Butternut

380 State Road, Great Barrington

The folks at Ski Butternut have toed the line of new-age upgrades while maintaining that old-school, small-town mountain charm better than anyone. That’ll continue right into the 2022-23 season. Butternut is the proud owner of 45 new snow guns, around 6,000 feet of new snowmaking pipe and a new Prinoth Bison X Groomer. The upgrades in snowmaking tech should make for a longer, deeper and whiter winter in Great Barrington — as the website boasts: “In summary, more snow faster,” but the key here is the Bison X. Per the Prinoth website, “While the BISON is an all-purpose vehicle, it is a true leader when it comes to parks. The incredible range of the blade and tiller, the custom-designed park blade with side cutters, and an inclinometer enable precise and efficient preparation and maintenance of all park elements.” Butternut has been on the leading edge of terrain parks in New England for years now, and the move to purchase this puppy only pushes them further toward dominating that area of winter sports. On the face of it, Butternut has put some serious work into their infrastructure and layout as well, with a new walkway to the upper lodge with improved traction and drainage, and a boss new patio with stamped concrete and radiant heat. Adam Tresselt is the new snowsports director and he’s got a hefty resume including cutting his teeth out at Copper Mountain in Colorado.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort

37 Corey Road, Hancock

The longest ski season in the Berkshires gets a bit better this year, especially for you p.m. powder hounds. Jiminy Peak has added lights to four additional trails this offseason, bringing their lit total to 25 trails. Nighttime shredders can expect the trails Winding Brook, Riptide, Willie’s Gulch and Kimber’s Way to remain open even after the sun sets over the summit. Three of those trails, Riptide, Willie’s Gulch and Kimber’s Way will provide an additional path down from the west side of the mountain. Riptide is the third of Jiminy’s four off-shoots before the main line of West Way becomes Grand Slam. It now joins the other three with illumination, and riders can carve down the solid blue trail and into the blue/green Willie’s Gulch before exiting on Lower Slingshot to the base. Kimber’s Way frequenters may know as the nifty and narrow little delta that hangs off the right tail of Grand Slam ahead of the terrain park. It’s a minor trail with major implications, especially for snowboarders who generally have to labor to get from the true end of Grand Slam up to the Berkshire Express chair. Winding Brook is an addition to the night owl season that everyone can get behind. Taking a left off the summit chair doesn’t offer as much terrain after dark, but now the long novice journey down Left Bank comes with some variety. Winding Brook is the parallel trail to the forearm of Left Bank that cuts back toward the lifts. The two trails are separated by a sparse tree run that remains closed at sunset, but now you’ve got the option of tacking on a perimeter bubble before rejoining to finish on Grouse Run to the base.

Catamount Mountain Resort

78 Catamount Road, Hillsdale N.Y.

If it’s been a couple of years since you checked in down on the New York-Massachusetts border, just make sure you prepare yourself. No mountain in New England has undergone quite as much change over the past four years as Catamount. Since the Schaefer family, of Berkshire East, purchased the resort in 2018 it’s been non-stop upgrades and facelifts in Hillsdale — per the website, around $20 million worth. Much of that work was obscured by the pandemic, so 2022-23 is your perfect chance to enjoy the new look spot. Catamount has installed two new chairlifts and two additional magic carpets. There are also 100 new snow guns, additional lighting on Mountain View and Upper Promenade and a new courtyard that will connect the two base lodges.

A lower mountain quad chair is replacing the Catamount Double, while a summit triple replaces the Glade Double. Both new lifts flank the main attraction Ridge Quad, and will motor more butts up the hill faster, while alleviating the stress and lines on Ridge. The new Catamount Quad services the race trail, while the Glad Triple drops you off atop Lynx and Upper Glade for some double-black diamond action. There’s been a handful of new trails cut the past couple seasons, but the freshest newbie is mostly for the newbies. Homeward Bound is a green circle that will mostly serve those trying to move from the lower left side of the mountain back to the main base.

Upgrades in snowmaking tech at Ski Butternut should make for a longer, deeper and whiter winter in Great Barrington mountain back to the main base. The new lighting will also provide for a true top-to-bottom green course for night skiers. Upper Promenade and Mountain View are also primarily accessible from the top of the Meadows Triple chair. Catamount also has a completely reconfigured learning area with those magic carpets and new and improved tubing, including lights for some night sledding.

Molly Goodrich is also the new director of snow sports. She’s been there since 2016 after stints at Butternut and Jiminy Peak and was previously the youth programs director.

Since the Schaefer family, of Berkshire East, purchased Catamount Mountain Resort in 2018 it’s been non-stop upgrades and facelifts in Hillsdale, N.Y. — about $20 million has been invested.

PHOTO BY BEN GARVER

Berkshire East Mountain Resort

66 Thunder Mountain Road, Charlemont

The vibes out in Charlemont have stayed true to the mountain’s old-school roots, but once you leave your car in the lot off Thunder Mountain Road, you’re stepping into some serious high-tech and new-age stoke. The most skiable terrain in the area gets a little deeper this season, with or without the help of Old Man Winter. Berkshire East added 50 new snow guns to the mountain while investing over $1 million into snowmaking upgrades that will now cover 100 percent of the trails. And that whole package comes with the comfort of knowing that while you’re skiing white, it’s all green.

Per Berkshire East’s Nate Marr, the resort is the first in the world to produce 100 percent of its energy needs on-site. With the great ability to pump out man-made snow comes the great responsibility of shaping it into some of the best corduroy you’ll find in the Northeast. Berkshire East added a pair of new groomers to the motor pool this offseason. Some more nitty-gritty upgrades and updates include season-long rentals with new Rossignol equipment.

The Ski School building is being renovated to include ticketing, but there are also new self-service kiosks available. The Crazy Horse Bar & Grill is adding some upstairs seating as well. ■