• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

The first permanent closure in NE

prsboogie

Active member
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
1,764
Points
38
Location
Swansea
Sad news today. Blandford Ski Area, a small local ski hill in Blandford Ma. Made the decision shut their doors for good today. This past season was just too much for them. They are offering discounts for season pass holders to their sister hill, Butternut, in Great Barrington, Ma. This is my local hill I skied on this many times l while growing up and it was a fun hill. We will joe need to rethink next season.

Sent from my SM-G975U using AlpineZone mobile app
 

icecoast1

Active member
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Messages
757
Points
43
I fear (and hope I am wrong) that there will be others.

Some probably will, but only those that were already on the edge. The major day of reckoning will be next winter and whether or not the economy is recovered, the virus under control and people actually go skiing. If not, closed ski areas will be the least of our worries
 

ss20

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
3,919
Points
113
Location
A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
That is a shame for the locals but I have no sympathy for ownership (Butternut). Apparently they purchased Windham's old Wonderama triple so it's not like no money is there. But you can't say that you're there to support a smaller ski hill and then be not willing to take a loss on it (especially in a season like this) while the flagship property is still getting new toys. Especially after only operating two seasons.

It's a shame because the club sold to Butternut so it could continue operating Blanford because the club could no longer do so. That's what's real crappy about what Butternut is doing. I hope they sell it back to some members for a fraction of what they paid for.
 

urungus

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
1,779
Points
113
Location
Western Mass
That is a shame for the locals but I have no sympathy for ownership (Butternut). Apparently they purchased Windham's old Wonderama triple so it's not like no money is there. But you can't say that you're there to support a smaller ski hill and then be not willing to take a loss on it (especially in a season like this) while the flagship property is still getting new toys. Especially after only operating two seasons.

It's a shame because the club sold to Butternut so it could continue operating Blanford because the club could no longer do so. That's what's real crappy about what Butternut is doing. I hope they sell it back to some members for a fraction of what they paid for.

I don’t get the hostility... if Butternut hadn’t purchased Blandford, it would have closed in 2017 instead of today.
 

Pez

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2016
Messages
336
Points
18
Location
WMASS
I have so many thoughts on this. It’s tough to process. I knew sooner or later this was going to happen. I thought we’d get one more season before they called it quits.

I grew up skiing there. I learned there. I skied with my mom and dad there. I ski there now. I always have my pass clipped on my ski jacked whether I’m on VT or out west. Always represent.

Ugh this sucks.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone
 

Vaughn

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2017
Messages
146
Points
18
Thinking this has nothing to do with covid-19


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

Bingo - no way they were making any money that would move the needle in March when all these closures hit. Their goose was already cooked and there's no reason not to pull the plug right now.
 

Slidebrook87

Active member
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
584
Points
28
Location
CT
I’m surprised they didn’t pull the plug on Otis first. I guess that Blandford costs more to operate. I understand why this happened, but it’s really unfortunate. It’s not as much that I’m worried about Blandford, but it’s more about me worrying about a trend that could come with smaller ski areas. I’m thinking of Whaleback, Tenney, Hermon, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

skimagic

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2012
Messages
361
Points
28
Location
Western New England
I don’t get the hostility... if Butternut hadn’t purchased Blandford, it would have closed in 2017 instead of today.

Very true, according to NESH, they spent a lot of money fixing the neglected lifts , renovating a neglected Lodge and putting two snowcats in and fixing the leaking snow-making system. And the club membership dwindled significantly. I'm not sure of their market, I guess east to Springfield area. I didn't see much advertising however I would see butternuts& catamounts

I I thought the trail system made the most of the mountain it was actually quite interesting. It's too bad ,maybe they'll sell it.
 

dblskifanatic

Active member
Joined
May 24, 2019
Messages
767
Points
43
That is a shame for the locals but I have no sympathy for ownership (Butternut). Apparently they purchased Windham's old Wonderama triple so it's not like no money is there. But you can't say that you're there to support a smaller ski hill and then be not willing to take a loss on it (especially in a season like this) while the flagship property is still getting new toys. Especially after only operating two seasons.

It's a shame because the club sold to Butternut so it could continue operating Blanford because the club could no longer do so. That's what's real crappy about what Butternut is doing. I hope they sell it back to some members for a fraction of what they paid for.

This tells the story of the improvement Butternut made and why. Sad to see feeder hills go away. I wonder if that is because people have an appetite for driving further for bigger places and less of an appetites to ski more frequently on shorter runs closer to home.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blandford_Ski_Area


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
Just found out about this recently via a post on social media. How sad! I learned to ski there in the 1980's. Definitely one of the older ski areas out there too.

It's tough when these smaller hills close down.
 

Cobbold

Active member
Joined
Apr 2, 2020
Messages
424
Points
28
Here’s hoping to the Berkshire East/mill town crowd buying it and adding it to the growing Berkshire East empire
 

skijay

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
911
Points
16
Location
MA
Blandford would make a great downhill bike park. The Glades lift could service the entire mountain. When I've skied there I've always thought this place would be a great place for some lift serviced mountain biking.

Perhaps it could be resurrected for a bike park only destination.
 
Top