IPOS: Berkshire East

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But before any of that can happen, we have to get our 14 bags of camera gear, skis, and personal belongings into the back of this Suburban. Thankfully, Dustin was a river guide years ago and pulled off one of the most impressive games of luggage Tetris I’ve ever seen. By the time we’ve loaded our gear, it’s become nightfall. The Boston traffic is chaotic, and us mountain folk do our best to weave through the mayhem. To our collective relief, the GPS leads us off the major interstate and onto a calmer route. As we venture further away from the airport, the road becomes sinuous, the rain transitions to gentle flakes of snow, and quaint, picturesque villages pass us right and left.

It’s collectively our first time visiting New England in the winter. Dustin and I are both California natives, and Jeremy hails from British Columbia. Despite the fact we’ve never skied back East, we all knew that there was something unique about this region. I’ve noticed it with my friends who grew up out here. Whenever they talked about "back home" they’d get this far-off look in their eyes and reminisce about their little home mountain. You never wanted to get them started about maple syrup, either. The goal of this trip was to figure out what that special je ne sais quoi feeling was all about.

Morning light on Berkshire East. | Katie Lozancich photo.

Our final destination is in Charlemont, Massachusetts, which is nestled in the beautiful Deerfield River Valley. Technically, it’s not even a town but a village that was established in 1765. When we arrive, the GPS leads us up a steep road that terminates at a little farm with a big white inn called the Warfield Inn. Surrounding us are rolling fields that house happy cows in the summer and above us is a picture-perfect big red barn. Does it get any more New England than that? The inn is our new home for the next few days. Before we start schlepping our gear inside, we pause to take in the view across the valley. Directly across from us is Berkshire East Ski Resort, glowing in a complete sea of darkness. Its big lights are illuminating the slopes, and snowcats diligently shape the snow into perfect corduroy. The following morning rewards us with the rest of the view. The ski resort is actually part of a much bigger rolling mountain and flanked by other hills. These are the Berkshires, also lovingly known as the Berkshire Hills or Berkshire Mountains. As with all the mountains on the East Coast, the Berkshires are old. They formed nearly half a billion years ago. Years upon years of erosion have weathered these mountains into the undulating hills we see today, and their charm is undeniable.

After enjoying the beautiful sunrise, we load up and head out to Berkshire East. Skiing has been a local pastime in these parts since the 1930s. Back then, Berkshire East was known as Thunder Mountain and was one of five ski areas within a three-mile radius of Charlemont. Snowsports were a vital component of the economy, providing business and job opportunities for the local community. The area was a stop for the iconic New England “snow train” that whisked eager skiers right from metropolitan hubs like Boston to these little ski communities. At its peak, the train's cars carried up to 4,000 skiers a day. In one year alone, they transported 24,000 passengers. But running a ski resort isn’t a straightforward business. It requires hours upon hours of thankless work, and one poor snow season can cause the downward spiral for a small hill.

Everyone at Berkshire East seems to know how to set a proper edge. | Katie Lozancich photo.

In the 1970s skiing’s future was looking bleak in the Deerfield River Valley. Three resorts in the area had closed, and Berkshire Mountain was trailing closely in that path. The resort was in bankruptcy and likely to close. But a ski manager from Michigan—Roy Schaefer—saw the potential with the mountain. After one visit, he offered to run the resort. Upon returning home to Michigan, Schaefer loaded his station wagon with his things, and together with his family, drove East. Ever since then, the Schaefer family has been at the helm of Berkshire East. With Roy’s management, the resort went from being a quaint little hill—with a mere ski lift and t-bar—to becoming one of Massachusetts’ premier ski destinations. These days he’s joined by his sons Jon and Jim, who’ve helped transform Berkshire into what it is today. Their mark has already been left at Berkshire, with their most notable contribution being a 277-foot wind turbine perched on the resort's summit. The wind-generated energy was coupled with a new solar field, making Berkshire East the only ski area to operate from 100% on-site renewable energy.

Jon joins us on the lift with a handful of Berkshire East staff and local rippers. They take us to some of the most popular runs in the morning, and all can hold an edge with uncanny precision. It’s not surprising that they’re all exceptional skiers. While the resort is on the smaller side, the 1180-foot vertical drop is enough to make it lappable and entertaining on each run. The resort also boasts an impressive ski racing program, drawing hundreds of kids from the Western Massachusetts area to practice and race under the lights. One of these racers is Wiley , who’s a ripping grom. She and her dad join us on the slopes, and they’ve got a knack for flying over the rollers on Big Chief. Wiley’s dad is a pilot and is often flying all over the globe for work. The job comes with a few perks: namely traveling, which he uses to visit other ski destinations. Wiley often tags along for the fun, and their most memorable adventure yet was going to an indoor ski resort in Dubai. The opportunity to travel is something they both relish, but ultimately are happy to call the Deerfield River Valley their home.

The man. The Myth. The legend that is Charlie. | Katie Lozancich photo.

After a few laps on the mountain, we reconvene at the lodge for lunch. It’s a rustic building that looks directly up at the mountain. Considering it’s a weekday, we’d figured that the resort would be pretty sleepy and quiet. To our surprise, the outside seating is teaming with families, groups of teenagers, and all kinds of locals. One of the locals we bump into is none other than Charles Crosier. He’s the equivalent of a Berkshire East celebrity and is hard to miss with his bright puffy white beard and aviator goggles. Everyone lovingly refers to him as just “Charlie”. Today he’s rocking a mask that makes him look like a dog, and it causes his beard to spill over his neck like a cluster of cotton balls. While Charlie’s fashion sense is iconic and memorable, it’s not what makes him such a legend—though it’s a nice touch. It’s his ski ballet. Charlie embodies the idea of “free the heel, free the mind.” He’s an avid Tele skier, and prefers to dance his way down the mountain, doing nose butters as he glides carelessly. His performances happen daily since he regularly skis at the resort seven days a week. I caught a chairlift with him, mostly because I had to hear the story behind this mad scientist character. He first started skiing when he was 35. “My friend told me if I could conquer a tele-turn I’d conquer the world,” he exclaims. “He lied.”

One camera-shy Berkshire East skier rests after a day of fun in the snow. | Katie Lozancich photo.

Charlie and I ski together for a few more runs, and then I break away to link back up with Jeremy and Dustin. Right as we’re starting to feel settled in at Berkshire East, it’s time to pack up and hit the road. In our last interview of the day, our interviewee asks what's next for us. We tell him that we're heading to Magic Mountain, and his response is a big grin followed by “you’re going to love it there.” With that beta setting the tone for our next stop, we pack up our things and head North to Vermont. One down, 11 more ski resorts to go. 

Learn more about Berkshire East

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