BERKSHIRE EAST: The 2005 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge

[thetrailboss]

Jeremy Clark, of Berkshire East has agreed to take the AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge! This is your chance to get official answers to your ski-related questions direct from a Northeast ski resort representative! Please post some suggested questions in this thread and we'll select ten to present for official responses.

Also please don't be offended if we edit/change your question for grammar, tone, or some other minor thing. We'll do our best to keep the substance of your question. If we don't get your question in, feel free to post a follow up after we get the results...we are encouraging the representatives follow the threads. :wink:

As always, please be respectful of Jeremy and keep it civil. Also, please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. The BEast needs to be discrete about certain information.

Ask away!

 

[Greg]

I'm finding more to love about Berkshire East each time I visit. The natural terrain is the best in Southern New England when there is a recent snowfall. However, during a visit on February 20 (a Sunday), a number of AlpineZoners found many of the trails that were marked as "Natural" (we all interpreted this as meaning they were open) on the snow report actually being closed. With a race for much of the day on Competition, this only left Big Chief and Flying Cloud as options off the summit. I understand that surface conditions, especially on natural trails, can deteriorate to the point that they warrant being closed, but why didn't the online snow report reflect this? We all felt misinformed. We nevertheless had a great day and again, the Beast is hard to beat for natural snow conditions when the Berkshires are blessed with a dump, but why the inaccurate snow reporting?

At times, I see trails at the Beast marked with a small "Closed" sign, but not actually roped off. Don't you feel this encourages poaching? What is the mountain's policy on poaching these "pseudo" closed trails?

 

[skizilla]

Wilderness area

When will a left be going up on the far right area of the mountain called wilderness. There are a bunch of great trails there that are only partially accesable. I would also agree with the previous poster that Berkshire East has a problem with snow condition reporting.

Any grooming improvemnts on the way several intersection are historically bad news in terms of ice.
Also in regards to the last post i think they should have more natural conditions trails last year i went twice and at least six trails were closed that were supposed to be open that would have been fine if you posted natural conditions or thin cover or spring conditions.

 

[thetrailboss]

OK, you guys beat me...but HERE are their responses from last year.

With regards to a question from me, the Wilderness Peak area looks to be a nice expansion and I enjoyed checking it out, but the cut trails and 'future expansion' areas were closed to skiers and to be honest were a real eyesore. Any hopes of clearing up those runs and allowing people to ski on them rather than letting the undergrowth come back?

 

[thetrailboss]

Wow, no questions for the BEast?

 

[thetrailboss]

I visited the BEast in February with some other AZers after a thaw/freeze and the parking lot was really bad. Any chance you can pave it or put in some stay mat or something? The ruts were brutal. Also, while walking up to the Lodge, I saw lots of junk/equipment in the woods. Any plans on cleaning that up?

 

[loafer89]

1)Will you be offering the discount cards for returning skiers/friends like you did this past March?

2) Do you offer this type of promotion at other times during the ski season?

3)What will your adult ticket price be next year?

4) I rediscovered Berkshire East last February, after having last skied the place in 1995. It is an easy drive from Long Island. My question is if you plan to increase your advertising to New York skiers, as the area is relatively unknown there.

 

[thetrailboss]

It seems that the BEast maintains a very low profile. I don't recall seeing you at the Boston Ski Show. What do you have in store for promotions or campaigns for 2005-6?

 

[thetrailboss]

OK, get 'yer questions in...going to shut this one down at noon.

Have you considered offering season pass deals with other mountains?

How have you, an independent resort, managed to cope with increasing overhead (insurance, fuel, electricity, etc)?

 

[atomic68]

I fell in love with your area this year and I like everything about it. My family & I contributed 7 days to your totals this year. The 1 question Ive been trying unsuccessfully to get an answer on is simple: Whats the vertical of the west quad? My guess is 750 feet.

 

[thetrailboss]

Awesome! Thanks y'all!

 

[Greg]

Jeremy's responses are in!

http://skiing.alpinezone.com/articles/challenge/2005/response.htm?resort=berkshire

 

[thetrailboss]

Not too bad. Some good answers and I think he got some good input. He did not answer my question (#8) though...might have been in a hurry.

 

[Greg]

He did not answer my question (#8) though...

I think he did, indirectly, i.e. their season pass sales are strong so there is no urge to partner with other mountains.

Great turnaround time!

 

[thetrailboss]

He did not answer my question (#8) though...

I think he did, indirectly, i.e. their season pass sales are strong so there is no urge to partner with other mountains.

Great turnaround time!

Yeah, I thought that was his implication...

And yes, great turnaround!!

Overall, very good I thought.