Message #16546

[Liam]

Hey 'Bush,

I suspect I'll come ski with you at Stowe before you come ski at B'East (but we'd be honored to have you down here--I might bring some of the gang up to your March Epic gathering-we're usually at Jay that weekend anyway)...

And, you might want to save your southern visit for a mountain biking weekend anyway--that may be the one arena in which my region actually can stand toe to toe with your region for quality and quantity...and yes, that is an informed comment. 

We have a pretty open policy on all terrain and many on the Patrol are involved in active 'glading' pre-season.  We're more apt to close off an in bounds, groomed run than a glade on any given day (those who are seeking the groomers are usually grateful and those who seek trees know what is a risk for them and what isn't).

As far as pulling passes-I've never pulled one (I'm in it more for the medical aid and general help aspects).  We have a couple of out of bounds areas I've had to make a rescue on (one popular section has legit cliffs that the youngsters just find so enticing)...but half the time it's one of the patroller's kids involved. 

Most of us have a "If they want to trash their skis, that's there business" attitude for those who chase glades in poor snow.

The only time going off piste is a problem is at night (we have night skiing) and every once in a while we have to pull some joker out of the woods in the dark...which is a hazard for all involved.  That might get you kicked out. 

Oh, and the one thing I do get my red coat dander up about is people skiing recklessly fast on beginner trails.  I have no problem with speed on advanced trails (we are the home training mountain of the UMASS ski team-plenty of places for high speed ripping), but little kids, ski-students, mellow adults get the priority of safety and comfort on trails marked with a green circle.

Berkshire East is owned by a family of Ripping skiers who get that part of the appeal of their hill are the unusual off-piste and challenging offerings (for a smaller southern New England ski area) real skiers crave.

Most small areas (and ever increasingly larger areas) just don't want glade skiing anymore.  I remember when Jiminy Peak bulldozed Willie's Gulch and a few other glades to make another uber wide groomed boulevard for the skid happy crowds from Albany.

I don't want to misrepresent B'East either-it has plenty of groomers cruisers-like most places, that is it's main terrain in fact.  But it is tilted up a little more than some other places, and we have moguls and glades when conditions allow (every season for the last 6 years, even the leanest seasons, we have had at least 3 weeks of good glades skiing---not always consecutively, mind you-but at least 3 weeks somewhere throughout the season you can ski trees and natural snow moguls.)


Gary-I look forward to your first GO PRO HERO films!  My friend on this forum Green Trails just bought the same set up.

Lynn-I've never skied in PA (is that where Elk is?)  I'm a relative newbie to skiing myself (this will be my 12th season-I started at age 30) and don't know much about the ski areas of the mid Atlantic.  You got a 1000ft of vertical, though and that's enough to make a run meaningful in my book!  If you ever pass through MA with a pair of skis, please drop in at the B'East.