Butternut Mass any love or reports?

[hrstrat57]

Thinking of trying something new this Thursday in the Berkshires....love Berkshire East but don't love the new $38 midweek tix.....the Butternut $25 deal looks sweet and the website shows 100% cover.

I am told it is a bit flat but heck for $25 I could love a day of easy cruizin'

Any members have recent Butternut visits to tell about? How much more time to get there vs. B East from RI // is it as easy a drive as B East?

Thanks in advance as always!

 

[ScottySkis]

Look at the trip reports.

 

[Bacon]

Head down the road to Catamount....much steeper, and $20 tickets when bought online...

 

[Ski the Moguls]

Butternut tends to have better conditions than Catamount, because it is so flat. If you really don't mind that, then it is a nice place for a day. Very nice grooming, lifts and lodges -- for the Berkshires.

 

[2sons]

Butternut seems kinda far over your coming from RI

 

[2sons]

If you're coming form RI maybe better served hitting WaWa rather than Flatternut

 

[planb420]

Butternut is one of my Fav local small spots, I lean on it for its parks mostly though. The others saying its kinda flat are pretty on par, although there is speed to be found if you know where to look (I regularly hit 50+ MPH on Main Street, Hob Nob, and Lucifers.) Fun rolling terrain that usually wide open side to side on weekdays. Not a bad choice IMO.

 

[bousquet19]

(snip) ... Very nice grooming, lifts and lodges -- for the Berkshires.

I think Butternut's grooming and snowmaking stacks up well to most areas in the Northeast. Skied there on January 22 and it was 100% open. (No, that's not a misprint.) Yes, you'll find steeper steeps at Catamount, Jiminy and the upper part of Bousquet, but Butternut is a fine place to spend a day unless you demand high-speed lifts and super steeps.

I had a fine time there.

Woody

 

[40Berg]

Looking to take a first-timer out end of this month to Butternut. What are weekend crowds like there?

 

[ts01]

Looking to take a first-timer out end of this month to Butternut. What are weekend crowds like there?

If it's a holiday weekend (ie, Prez Week) I'd go elsewhere. With apologies to Yogi Berra, on holidays it's so crowded nobody goes there. Any other time it's a perfect place for never-evers.

Non-holiday weekends it still can be crowded at peak times and places, but the crowds are manageable with common sense planning - i.e., start early, lunch break early, and ride the side lifts not the two quads up the front. (The triple behind the upper lodge is my favorite.) IIRC they lifts start spinning 8:15 on weekend mornings - so if you're actually on the snow by 8:15/8:30, you'll have the place to yourself for an hour or so.

 

[C-Rex]

I was there saturday. conditions were ok considering the lack of snow. It was a lot of loose granular with strait ice in spots where it got too scraped away. But definitely enought loose stuff to keep it fun. I only really hit the parks but the other stuff looked about the same.

 

[hrstrat57]

Just read a pretty good trip report on Harvey's NY ski blog and the one I missed here on AZ.

Looks like a fun day of easy cruizin for $25!!

I think it might be game on for Thursday at Butternut, too many trips to Wa, and at $48 (yikes) time for something different!!

Just mapped out the drive, actually appears might be quicker than B East via M Pike.

More comments please, don't stop and thanks!

 

[hrstrat57]

..also the most important question, where's the best stop for good cheap chow on the ride home in that area??

 

[NotEasyBeingGreen]

Have been to Butternut once - on a packed Saturday in January, but it was absolutely worth the easy drive from MetroWest area to try something new. For the midweek price, it's a great bargain. Lots of boarders - I'd say they outnumbered the skiers. Lift lines and lift speeds seemed to be pretty average. Runs did get a bit too icy for my liking staring around 2. I'm going to gamble on President's Day and drive out there rather than try Wachusett, although I'm betting it will be just as crowded.

 

[planb420]

Have been to Butternut once - on a packed Saturday in January, but it was absolutely worth the easy drive from MetroWest area to try something new. For the midweek price, it's a great bargain. Lots of boarders - I'd say they outnumbered the skiers. Lift lines and lift speeds seemed to be pretty average. Runs did get a bit too icy for my liking staring around 2. I'm going to gamble on President's Day and drive out there rather than try Wachusett, although I'm betting it will be just as crowded.

And you will be right :sly:

 

[skimagic]

I was there yesterday. B Nut did a great job grooming- very little scratch around, but there was low ski traffic, especially on the west side. Wind was not a problem due to low lift height. Yes it’s a little flat- like a mini-Okemo but its only 25 bucks midweek, best deal around. Scenic mountain and surroundings- feels like VT.

Sorry, no bumps of any sort, terrain park is extra $...

 

[zinger3000]

Butternut is a fun, little place to ski. I only ski greens and blues, but I can handle the black diamonds there. (Each black diamond there is so designated because of a short, steep drop on the trail.) I like the variety of trails there; each trail seems to have its own, unique characteristics. They do a really good job with grooming. Each of the 3 times I’ve been there midweek, they draw a halfway decent sized crowd, though the lifts are ski-on. Weekends can get pretty crazy; I’d say from about 10:30-2:00 especially (probably due to their very reasonably-priced season passes). There are no high-speed lifts there, so lift rides can seem to take forever sometimes. If you don’t mind the lack of black diamond terrain, it’s definitely worth a midweek visit.