Massachusetts ski areas improve services and accessibility in 2008-2009

Berkshire East Ski Area – Charlemont
Berkshire East has opened miles of new beginner and intermediate trails, added three lifts (a people mover ground lift, one double chairlift and one quad chairlift), expanded the rental inventory, added new grooming snowcats and tripled its snowmaking capabilities. And now, Berkshire East has a snowboarding park and a tubing park with a conveyor people mover.

Butternut – Great Barrington
In the 2008-2009 season, three new Magic Carpets will offer beginners and children programs an easy way to get to the appropriate beginner terrain. A few miles of new air and water lines have been installed on the mountain, increasing the volume of water and snowmaking capability on Leap, The Main Street Race Course, Freewheeler, and Scooter. A new groomer has been added to the grooming fleet, making the corduroy look and feel smarter this season. A new larger and longer progression park will be fun for anyone interested in experiencing terrain park features and catching a little air. This provides a spot for those less experienced to learn the nuances of the sport. This new progression park should shift some of the less-experienced terrain park users off of the more advanced features in the Twisted terrain park. This new progression terrain will be available on the far right side of the Cruiser slope below the Crosstown access running to the groomer access road to the tubing center. The terrain features have been removed from the beginner Paddy's & Scooter beginner slopes behind the rental building. These changes should create more terrain dedicated to those just learning to ski or snowboard with less conflict among users of different skill levels.

Jiminy Peak – Hancock
This year, Jiminy Peak marks its 60th year of skiing and riding at the mountain. The season-long celebration will be highlighted by monthly celebrations with fun, music and giveaways, including a special Retro Day. Celebration dates are all Saturdays, December 13, January 10, February 7, and March 21. Jiminy is hoping to make its 60 season the best ever with reduced weekend/non-holiday pricing, expanded e-coupon days, new multi-day pricing and children’s program offers, lodging specials and more than will make skiing and riding accessible to all this winter.
Non-holiday weekend pricing. Jiminy Peak has implemented a new pricing structure for the upcoming season that reduces the price of adult weekend lift tickets during non-holidays. Holidays this season are December 25-January 4, January 17-19, and February 14-22. Jiminy is also offering extensive specials for the season including tickets, lessons and lodging.

Children’s program packages. Jiminy Peak is offering new reduced pricing on multi day packages for its SKIWee and Explorers Children’s Programs (SkiWee is for ages 4-6 and Explorers is for ages 7-12). The multi-day packages offer a first day of lessons at full price and 50 percent on each additional, consecutive day of lessons. The offer is valid Monday through Thursday, except on holidays. Six Packs for Children’s Programs at Jiminy Peak are a great option for families with multiple children or those who can only come on weekends or holiday periods.

Winter specials. Jiminy Peak is offering extensive winter specials for the 2008-2009 season. Most notable is the reduction of weekend pricing. In addition, Jiminy will continue with e-coupon specials offered at www.jiminypeak.com. Jiminy Peak’s Value Card continues to be a great way for skiers and riders who frequent the mountain to save.

Wachusett Mountain -- Princeton
New programs. Wachusett Mountain is offering an expanded Learn to Turn beginner’s program with options for a one-, two-, or three-day package for new skiers or snowboarders. The three-day Learn to Turn program includes a complimentary Bronze Century pass after the third visit. Also new this year, Wachusett is offering a College Season Pass. The new UPass is available to current college students. It is valid all nights and midweek days (non-holiday) for only $129.

New facilities. This season, beginners, intermediates, and experts will all have their own terrain parks. Each park will be easily accessible to the skiers and riders it is designed for. The new Jib Jammer novice terrain park will be at the top of Sundowner and will be served by Monadnock lift and Pony lift. The new Triple Play intermediate terrain park will be on Frannie's Folly and will be served by the Vickery Bowl Triple and Minuteman Quad. An expanded terrain park will be on Look Mom and served by the Minuteman Express high-speed quad.

While many resorts offer slope side lodging, Wachusett Mountain is one of the only ski areas in the country to offer slope side “living rooms.” On the second floor of Wachusett’s base lodge addition, Wachusett’s Mountain Suites are private living room suites offering a unique alternative for small groups up to 15 people. Each suite features commanding views of the mountain, including some with outdoor decks overlooking the slopes.

The new Cathedral Room at the Wachusett Village Inn is now available for functions. Built in the old health club wing, the new room replaces the old indoor pool area. It is available to supplement the Inn’s variety of function facilities.

Discounts. Wachusett Mountain has developed a new Flex Ticket pricing on individual tickets that breaks the season down into three categories – prime, peak, and spring. Costs are lowest for spring periods, highest for peak, and medium levels for prime periods.

The Three-Peat Card, for $99, entitles purchasers to three days of skiing or riding anytime during the season. It can even be reloaded after the three days are used. The three days or nights do not have to be consecutive.
Wachusett also offers another benefit card called the Passport. Available for $30, the Passport entitles purchasers to an $8 discount on lift tickets, rentals and lessons every visit during the season. A Passport Plus is also available which offers a $10 discount on lift tickets, rental and lessons.

Travel. In conjunction with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), Wachusett Mountain is expanding its weekend commuter rail service to the mountain this winter to include a night train. Skiers and snowboarders from Boston can take the commuter rail from Boston’s North Station to Fitchburg on Saturdays and Sundays. Wachusett Mountain will provide shuttle service from the Fitchburg station to the mountain, and back for the return trip to Boston. Also, the mountain now offers the train-to-shuttle service for Saturday night skiing. The Ski Train season service will be offered November 29 through the end of March. Each train includes a designated car for storage of ski or snowboard equipment.