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Butternut-Otis-Blandford- a threat to other "Flatland" hills?

The Sneak

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
683
Points
18
Location
SK, RI
I never did get to ski Brodie. I drive by it sometimes en route to and from Jiminy and think back to the old brochures for Kelly's Irish Alps. First time I ever skied Jiminy was Veteran's Day 1992 at age 14. In the pouring rain on half a trail, wearing a garbage bag to stay dry. One of about 20 or 30 skiers.

Jiminy is meh. Berkshire East rules. Never been to Catamount.
 

urungus

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
1,779
Points
113
Location
Western Mass
Yep. I love Catamount. Never busy. Actual trail variety. Multiple ways down that are all on different fall lines. Most importantly they don't groom everything. Catapult's been groomed more and more often but Off Stage is still bumped up always, same as the skiers right of the Glade trail.

Given how close it is to NYC, I’m surprised to hear Catamount isn’t busy. Why do you suppose that is? Will have to check it out.
 

ss20

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
3,919
Points
113
Location
A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
Given how close it is to NYC, I’m surprised to hear Catamount isn’t busy. Why do you suppose that is? Will have to check it out.

There's a few reasons.
It's the same amount of time to Hunter and the Catskills as it is to Catamount from NYC.
Butternut is the more well-known mountain in my experience living around here.
Catamount has a limited-sized small parking lot- I've been there when the lot is full and things are still reasonable.
The trails are much longer than Butternut and Jimminy, where everything goes straight down the fall line. There's no straight way down at Catamount for beginners or intermediates...people spend more time on the trail than the lift.

I know they had a billboard advertising themselves on Route 22 just south of Thunder Ridge last season. I'll see if it's still there next time I go to TR this fall.
 

cdskier

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6,408
Points
113
Location
NJ
Given how close it is to NYC, I’m surprised to hear Catamount isn’t busy. Why do you suppose that is? Will have to check it out.

As someone that lives in the NYC metro area, I can say that most of us would typically opt for a Catskills choice for a day trip type area. According to Google maps it is 2:18 to Catamount from where I live in NJ just outside NYC. Belleayre, Hunter, and Windham are all less than that. And Plattekill is only 15 minutes more than that. I've seen ads for all the Catskills areas I just mentioned on a regular basis, but I've rarely seen ads in this area for Catamount. I know of it (but have never been there). Mostly I looked into it only because I thought it was kind of cool that the ski area is in 2 different states.
 

podunk77

Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
119
Points
18
skiblandford.com website has been updated and is offering $199 season passes. Great deal for the locals, and a huge shout out to Butternut for stepping in and saving this ski area. Sincerely hope it works out for all involved.
 

skimagic

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2012
Messages
361
Points
28
Location
Western New England
skiblandford.com website has been updated and is offering $199 season passes. Great deal for the locals, and a huge shout out to Butternut for stepping in and saving this ski area. Sincerely hope it works out for all involved.

I agree, this place is worth saving. It has a bit of variety for a small area. Weekday tickets are only $20.
Butternut is still only $25 weekday.
 
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