Conditions Report
Report from Saturday, January 11, 2025
For most East Coast skiers, when you think of ski destinations you quickly look north to the famed ski states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Yet out to the west in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts lies Berkshire East, a mountain that swings above its weight class when it comes to what one would typically picture Massachusetts skiing to offer.
Quick Facts & History
- Date Opened: 1960
- Multi-Destination Pass: Indy Pass
- Number of Trails: 45
- Skiable Acres: 180
- Vertical Drop: 1180′
- Base Elevation: 640′
- Summit Elevation: 1840′
- Average Annual Snowfall: 69″
- Terrain Breakdown:
- Beginner: 13%
- Intermediate: 27%
- Advanced: 47%
- Expert: 13%
- Number of Lifts: 6
- Night Skiing: Yes
- Other Activities:
- Snow Tubing
- Mountain Coaster (summer)
- Aerial Adventure Course (summer)
- Mountain Biking (summer)
- Ziplines (summer)
Locally owned and operated since its founding, Berkshire East has always served its local community proud, and for years stayed under the radar as an untouched hidden gem. But in recent years, the resort has increasingly become recognized as a great ski resort option for people outside of Western Massachusetts, thanks to a growing reputation, the mountain becoming an early-adopter of the Indy Pass, as well as having well-thought-out investment. The resort put in its first high-speed lift just one year ago, significantly reducing ride times to the top of the mountain while taking the burden of crowds on its busiest days. In addition, like most East Coast ski resorts, it has also continued to invest in improving its snow-making capabilities.
As a non-local myself, I was drawn to Berkshire East as an Indy Pass holder who has family in the area. It was because of that combination that I got my first ski day in Massachusetts, and I got to spend it with my girlfriend, who I am in the process of teaching how to ski.
After waking up in Boston to the delightful surprise of a fresh inch of snow on the ground, my girlfriend and I drove the two and a half hours to roll into Berkshire East at around 10 am, where even on a Saturday, we were easily able to find parking, swiftly redeem our Indy Passes, and find space in the lodge to get suited up and store our gear. From there, the day started off on the beginner slopes of the Top Notch double. This true old-school lift has classic wooden seats and might be the first diesel-powered lift I have ever ridden. While the lift line for this small beginner area could get long at some times, the Bobcat Carpet, alongside the Top Notch Double, allows for steady progression for beginner skiers to get a feel for things. The only downside is once you have mastered the short greens alongside those two lifts, you require a big jump up to the Wilderness Quad.
My girlfriend was in this exact situation but remained confident about a jump to the bigger lifts, which she was well rewarded with in terms of the additional variety of beginner/family-friendly terrain that covers the entire mountain. From Roundabout and Exhibition off of the Wilderness Quad to Outback and Mohawk off of the summit, Berkshire East gives all levels of skiers long, easy-going trails to enjoy.
When it comes to more advanced skiing terrain, most expert skiers may find themselves out of a diverse range of options, which likely makes this Berkshire East’s biggest weakness. While the resort does offer several black diamond trails along the mountain’s fall line, these trails are all lined up next to each other, giving them a similar feel to one another. The resort does offer gladed terrain, but at the time of visiting none of these trails were open, and most remain closed for the majority of the year due to a lack of natural snowfall and consistently low temperatures. Regardless, any level of skier can still easily have fun spending a day at Berkshire East exploring all the terrain the resort has to offer.
As the ski day went on, conditions got tracked out quickly, even with about an inch of fresh snow on the ground. The busy crowds of a Saturday in January quickly exposed sheer ice below the fresh snow from the constant freeze and thaw cycles a resort this far south is consistently exposed to. Yet even near the end of the afternoon, if you were willing to ski on less frequented trails such as Big Chief or Flying Cloud, there were still good turns to be had.
Conditions
Additional Photos
While Berkshire East only had half of its trails open in early January, the lack of openings gives a great reason to return. Berkshire East serves as a great example of a ski resort that still serves its local community right while continuing to open itself up to a bigger market from New England. Doing this, without upsetting or hurting anyone involved is a delicate balance, which many ski resorts across North America have failed to maintain. Berkshire East’s success in doing this is a testament to how it is simply doing its own thing outside of the major titans clashing at the top of the industry for ski resort dominance.
For more information, check out Berkshire East’s website.
