SKI RESORT INFORMATION
Charlemont, Massachusetts 1339
ABOUT BERKSHIRE EAST SKI AREA
Berkshire East Ski Resort is a medium sized alpine ski area located on Mount Institute in Charlemont and Hawley, Massachusetts.
The ownership group struggled, trying a variety of ill-fated expansion plans. By 1975, Berkshire East was bankrupt and outdated with two partially installed chairlifts and two antiquated Mueller chairlifts. Current management soon took over and began a steady series of investments.
A Hall double chairlift was installed in 1978. A fourth chairlift, an SLI, was also installed in the late 1970s.
In 1995, the first Mueller double chairlift was replaced with a Poma triple chairlift. A Hall double chairlift was added in 2001. In 2003, the second Mueller double chairlift was replaced with a Borvig-Leitner quad chairlift.
In 2008, Berkshire East replaced a novice handle tow with a magic carpet lift.
As of 2008, the ski area has 45 trails and five lifts, in addition to the tubing slope and lift. Berkshire East is currently the only alpine ski area inFranklin County open to the public.
In 2010 the Diamond Express Hall double chairlift (1978) was replaced with a Poma triple chairlift.
In 2011, the ski area added a PowerWind 56 900 kWh wind turbine. This addition, makes Berkshire East the first ski area in the world to be 100% powered by onsite renewable energy.
