Berkshire East 11/16/19

[urungus]

First a couple comments on the new trail map, first time it has been redrawn in a couple decades: https://berkshireeast.com/sites/default/files/2019-09/Berkshire East Map with Legend.pdf

Added to the map are three glades:
Horaces Grove - well known glade behind the ski patrol shack at the summit
Hawleywood Glade - between Exhibition and Hemlock
Rogers World - between Thunder and Bolt

Chute is now a black diamond

Removed from map:
Lennys Leap
Broken Arrow
Big Chief Access
Sundance renamed to War Dance
Snow dance renamed to Exhibition
Flying Cloud Access renamed to Little Mohawk

 

[urungus]

Today was earliest opening day ever at Berkshire East.

Bathroom in main lodge has been nicely upgraded, but no change to large window that provides direct line of sight between urinals and parking lot:



Here is first chair of the season going up, delayed until 9:27 by mechanical issues. They were running the old Mountain Top Triple instead of the Quad. Guy in front of me in line was a Catamount season ticket holder who had driven up from Long Island to take advantage of the shared season pass between the two areas. At bottom right is Berkshire East legend Charlie, for the uninitiated here is a video of him in action:

https://www.vimeo.com/196671123



There were two ways down from the top, Outback / Deer Run / Lower Comp, and Big Chief, all groomed. Coverage on those trails was great, ground was bare everywhere else. Active snowmaking was continuing along most of the open areas. In the early morning hours the surface was verging on frozuroy but lower comp had been softened up by direct sunlight and was very nice.

Outback:


Lower Comp:

 

[urungus]

The other way down started on Mohawk:





Before cutting over to Big Chief:



Halfway down, you can cut over to Lower Comp on Little Mohawk, or stay on Big Chief all the way to the bottom:



Snowmaking rainbow on Lower Comp:

 

[speden]

Looks like a good opening. These early season cold temps are letting a lot of places get an early start on the season.

 

[bdfreetuna]

They're open? Geez had no clue, that's awesome.

I LOVE the new map, EXCEPT it looks too flat! Usually you don't see trail maps that make the mountain look flatter than it actually is.

Horaces Grove is an awesome tree shot, I guess that's a cool name

Gonna have to get up there real soon, my midweek 50% off is now is effect

 

[sugarbushskier]

Just be careful on Horace's Grove as it needs a lot of snow, otherwise very "ledgy". Agreed though it's got some nice lines for the short run.

 

[bdfreetuna]

Just be careful on Horace's Grove as it needs a lot of snow, otherwise very "ledgy". Agreed though it's got some nice lines for the short run.

I guess they call it "grove" because it slopes up on both sides, making it kind of a funnel-skiing experience. Maybe that's not what grove means. The most similar tree shot I can think of is the lower-lower off-map extension of Lost Boyz at Bolton Valley. Like skiing a nice long "U".

 

[The Sneak]

Hawleywood Glade is super fun. Here’s a pic from a couple of seasons ago

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