NELSAP intel - Conditions at Mt Tom in Holyoke?

[Jisch]

Anyone know what conditions are like at Mt Tom in Holyoke right now?

Thanks,
John

 

[Glenn]

Not sure. I did see an article in the paper up there (my inlaws life up there) a few weeks ago about the guy who bought Mountain Park having a squable with the town over some work he's been doing. So not sure if the old access road would be a good place to park or not.

 

[loafer89]

I would imagine that the trails are now located on private land. You might want to check before risking getting caught trespassing.

I skied there in February of 1998 just before they closed.

 

[Jisch]

Parking

From Puke over at Bikerag:

"You cant park at the old base, basically, right after the access road crosses the highway it is gated.. If the gate is open, I would still not cross it, just park there"

John

 

[drjeff]

Always seems to be a bunch of cars parked on the bridge over I-91 that goes to the base of Mt Tom when I drive under it twice a week. And based on the snowpack right now, I'd bet that it's close to as good as it would get.

 

[TheBEast]

Not sure and I actually live on the back side of the mountain in Easthampton. On my list to get up there and earn some turns. There are a couple of other ways to get in if you can't park on the entrance road. PM me if you want some other options.

My guess is the solid base has made most of the hill skiable with the fluff on top. At some point I'll get around the skiing one of the steep lines on the back side of the ridge facing Easthampton. I eye the line every time I head to I-91 north from my house.....

 

[marcski]

Not sure and I actually live on the back side of the mountain in Easthampton. On my list to get up there and earn some turns. There are a couple of other ways to get in if you can't park on the entrance road. PM me if you want some other options.

My guess is the solid base has made most of the hill skiable with the fluff on top. At some point I'll get around the skiing one of the steep lines on the back side of the ridge facing Easthampton. I eye the line every time I head to I-91 north from my house.....

The Holyoke range is beautiful from the vantage of driving along 91.

 

[Glenn]

I've hiked up the Easthampton side many times back in the day. It's a really long way around, but you can get to the ski area that way. IIRC, you can also go via the reservation.

Has anyone been up there since they closed? Did they remove all the lifts? That was a nice close mountain to the Springfield area.

 

[skidmarks]

Nothing but Flowers

My father did see several groups up there skiing this past Monday. I really need to get over there while we still have the snow.

 

[Jisch]

From "TheHare" on NEMBA:

"Hey John, Skied it on Monday and it was awesome!!!!
With tomorrow's high temps and then dropping for the weekend... might change things a good bit. Like most ski hills, it is quite exposed and therefore the sun can have it's way with it. It does NOT face North at all"

 

[pepperdawg]

What the good doc said.....

 

[MrZ123]

There any steep stuff there at Mt. Tom? Cliffs?

 

[Glenn]

Nice pic skid!

 

[Newpylong]

That place was flat as a board, no steeps.

I believe all the red lifts are gone... Don't know about the T J? bars.

 

[Glenn]

Found some pics from 2004: http://depthoffieldphoto.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/mount-tom/

 

[Geoff]

There any steep stuff there at Mt. Tom? Cliffs?

I lived in Easthampton briefly back in 1992/1993. Plenty of cliffs but not skiable. The west face of Mount Tom that looks down on Easthampton might have a few spots where you could base jump.

From poking around Google Images, I found a cool old photo looking at the west face where it still had the summit house built in 1897: