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MA skiing

skef

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Jul 31, 2016
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Metro Boston
I live in eastern MA, inside 128, 50-some minutes to WaWa when traffic is light. If I’m going to be a good boy this year, following all the rules, that probably means all my skiing will be in-state. (Confession: I broke the rules once for a special day-trip to Sunapee with my daughter last month; I had not skied with her in multiple years, and a friend of hers made those plans. Did not feel great about rule-breaking, but it was an awesome day.)

How would you rate the places out in western MA, relative to each other and to WaWa? I have never been to Berkshire East, Bosquet, or Jiminy Peak. I’m pretty sure I’ll go crazy if WaWa is my only mountain.

I’m assuming Catmount is out because the way in is via NY — is that right?

Anyplace else I should be looking at?
 

skimagic

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Jan 13, 2012
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361
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Location
Western New England
Both Jimney and Berk East are worth a trip over, not so sure on Bosquet since was only there once years ago for a night ski.
Jimney is steeper with more straight wide trails down the fall line. Berkshire East is fun when there is snow for glades and a few natural runs. Runs are wide to narrow so good variety. Semi steep pitch up top that mellow s as you go down .

Both are better than Wawa iimho. Not sure on crowds at Jimney, its a bit more VT like than Berk east.
 

Razor

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Nov 15, 2005
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EMass
You can go to New Hampshire from Mass. without breaking any laws. As far as I know, NH is open to all the New England states.
 

foofy

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Dec 30, 2005
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41
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8
Been skiing Berkshire East a bunch this season for the same reasons, rather than my usual VT. Very pleasantly surprised so far. Even with limited trails open, I like the terrain and am impressed with the quality of their snowmaking. Friendly place, limited crowds, and great parking situation for car as day lodge.

Beats WaWa by a long mile...
 

Zand

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Dec 30, 2003
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Location
Spencer, MA
You can go to New Hampshire from Mass. without breaking any laws. As far as I know, NH is open to all the New England states.
Yes but MA currently "requires" a quarantine coming from out of state from anywhere.

While I intend on respecting the Vermont and Maine quarantine rules, MA can take a hike. I'm no worse off going to NH to ski than I am going to my local freaking Walmart.
 

Newpylong

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Dec 20, 2005
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Upper Valley, NH
I get bored just looking at Wachusett. Give Jiminy and Berkshire East a shot, both have superior terrain. Bouquet has some great runs but on a far smaller scale, likely not worth a trip.
 

urungus

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Dec 1, 2016
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Location
Western Mass
Been skiing Berkshire East a bunch this season for the same reasons, rather than my usual VT. Very pleasantly surprised so far. Even with limited trails open, I like the terrain and am impressed with the quality of their snowmaking. Friendly place, limited crowds, and great parking situation for car as day lodge.

Beats WaWa by a long mile...

Berkshire East dropped the ropes on Upper Comp today, so they have finally gotten one of the steeps re-opened after the Christmas washout. Ungroomed with pretty big moguls at the very top. Of course, it is not listed as open on today’s trail report 😡

I prefer Berkshire East over Jiminy Peak because it has more interesting terrain (Jiminy has nothing like twisty old school natural trails like Jug or Roy’s Way) and I like the vibe better. Parking is also more convenient. Jiminy Peak has slope side condos and more of a resort-y feel. More noobs in matching outfits. Jiminy’s high speed main lift does allow you to crank out laps faster if there is no line. However because it is a six-pack, you are more likely to be asked to ride with strangers. I hate the ownership of Jiminy for what they did to Brodie: bought them out, shut down the resort, and then resold it with the stipulation that the ski area could not be reopened.

Bousquet finally opened this weekend, but with extremely limited terrain and for season pass holders only. It has less vertical and fewer trails than Berkshire East or Jiminy, but does have a rich history and some interesting trails. It was getting a bit run down IMO but the new owners have already carried out a number of improvements.
 
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urungus

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Location
Western Mass
If you travel from Mass to Vermont, do you have to quarantine for 28 days ? 14 for Vermont, and then another 14 when returning to Mass ?
 

chuckstah

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Mar 22, 2013
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Berkshire East finally dropped the ropes on Upper Comp today, so they have finally gotten one of the steeps re-opened after the Christmas washout. Ungroomed with pretty big moguls at the very top. Of course, it is not listed as open on today’s trail report 😡

I prefer Berkshire East over Jiminy Peak because it has more interesting terrain (Jiminy has nothing like twisty old school natural trails like Jug or Roy’s Way) and I like the vibe better. Parking is also more convenient. Jiminy Peak has slope side condos and more of a resort-y feel. More noobs in matching outfits. Jiminy’s high speed main lift does allow you to crank out laps faster if there is no line. I hate the ownership of Jiminy for what they did to Brodie: bought them out, shut down the resort, and then resold it with the stipulation that the ski area could not be reopened.

Bousquet finally opened this weekend, but with extremely limited terrain and for season pass holders only. It has less vertical and fewer trails than Berkshire East or Jiminy, but does have a rich history and some interesting trails. It was getting a bit run down IMO but the new owners have already carried out a number of improvements.
Comp was fun today under the guns!
 

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foofy

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Dec 30, 2005
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Upper Comp was open yesterday too. Lapped it most of my day, and part of today. They blew a ton of snow on Exhibition as well and opened the chair today. No lift lines. It's a green but some good skiers were having an absolute blast on it.
 

xlr8r

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Feb 7, 2009
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So for fun--let's say Vail did want to spin off Wildcat, Attitash, and Crotched. Who would be in the market? Boyne? Fairbanks? Someone else?

According to https://catamountski.com/covid-19 it looks like they're trying to be both in NY and in MA. Hmm
Catamount is the prime example of how these travel restrictions have gotten completely out of hand. By definition it is impossible to ski Catamount without quarantining. If you come from MA you need to quarantine when returning from any other state, therefore you have to quarantine after skiing. If you come from NY you need to quarantine before skiing as again MA requires quarantine if you come from any other state.

Why follow the rules when the rules make no sense whatsoever
 

MG Skier

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May 19, 2015
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North Attleboro, MA
Thanks for the info on Berkshire and Jiminy! I skied Wachusett 4-7 PM last night. It was good, but I also can really only ski a few hours there before I get bored, unfortunately. Steeps were a bit scraped off, skied the edges and it was fine. The triple was open so I came down what looked like a freshly opened trail that I have never skied, Piece of Cake, a short trail that was really quick and firm. I have never been on that triple lift since it was repurposed, I'm sure I rode it when it was one of the other lifts previously.
 

xlr8r

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Thanks for the info on Berkshire and Jiminy! I skied Wachusett 4-7 PM last night. It was good, but I also can really only ski a few hours there before I get bored, unfortunately. Steeps were a bit scraped off, skied the edges and it was fine. The triple was open so I came down what looked like a freshly opened trail that I have never skied, Piece of Cake, a short trail that was really quick and firm. I have never been on that triple lift since it was repurposed, I'm sure I rode it when it was one of the other lifts previously.
Back when I was a season pass holder at Wachusett and would ski nights I would often do the quick schlep up to Piece of Cake from Frannies when they were not running the triple. They would always groom Piece of Cake even if the triple was not running, made for a nice 30 seconds of ripping cord. And on nights when it was snowing, Piece of Cake and the Triple lift line were private powder runs. There are some other short fun unofficial runs at Wachusett as long as Patrol does not see you.
 

MG Skier

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North Attleboro, MA
I saw that line under the triple chair, looked like a nice mellow narrowish run! The woods on either side could be thinned out for a nice tree run but I am not holding my breath. Looks like I need to be on the other side of I-91 for that!
 

urungus

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Dec 1, 2016
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Western Mass
Why I love Berkshire East. Here’s a photo of chairlift line Saturday afternoon of MLK weekend with 6” of fresh snow. Many natural trails reopened. Skiied Upper Liftline (including the very top by the unload terminal) and Horaces Grove, both of which were open despite trail report listing them as closed. Very top of Minnie Dole was also open. Jug was open (even the very top) and skiied pretty good. Noticed an unusual amount of “yellow snow” on Jug and Horace’s Grove.

12AEF073-6EBB-4D4E-836A-00B08A472A78.jpeg
 

xlr8r

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Why I love Berkshire East. Here’s a photo of chairlift line Saturday afternoon of MLK weekend with 6” of fresh snow. Many natural trails reopened. Skiied Upper Liftline (including the very top by the unload terminal) and Horaces Grove, both of which were open despite trail report listing them as closed. Very top of Minnie Dole was also open. Jug was open (even the very top) and skiied pretty good. Noticed an unusual amount of “yellow snow” on Jug and Horace’s Grove.

View attachment 50050

Nice, I'm headed there tomorrow
 
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