Berkshire East to Install High Speed Detachable Chairlift
Construction is expected to start this spring.
Monday, February 20, 2023, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Construction is expected to commence in a few weeks for Berkshire East's first high-speed detachable chairlift, according to a permit application recently filed with the Town of Charlemont. A public hearing is schedule for March 2.
According to engineering plans, the Leitner-Poma lift would start at the base of the Competition ski trail (near the former T-Bar terminal) and terminate near the true summit of Mt. Institute, climbing some 930 vertical feet. A high-speed detachable quad has been reportedly ordered.
Following the installation of the lift, Berkshire East proposes to relocate the Mountain Top Triple (a used Poma chairlift installed in 2009) to the previously permitted expansion area on the north face of the mountain for the 2024-25 season. The multi-year construction sequence would minimize the impact on mountain biking operations.
With the new lift, Berkshire East would join Jiminy Peak and Wachusett as the only areas in Southern New England with high-speed detachable chairlifts. In addition to providing faster lift service for skiers, the lift would improve loading and ride time for the popular lift-served mountain biking operation.
The Schaefer family has owned Berkshire East since 2007, when Roy and his son Jim bought out Union Terminal Piers' stake in the area. Roy Schaefer and Union Terminal Piers had owned Berkshire East since the late 1970s. The family acquired Catamount in 2018 and has provided management services to Bousquet and Haystack.
