Cisco started this thread and he said the dreaming is certainly affordable, so I would pick Mt Watatic. Whether it could be resurrected is questionable, so I'll just add that to the dream.
Watatic was a fun place to ski. It was a nice, 700-foot vertical hill with interesting trails in a good snow belt in Central Mass. about 10 or 15 miles from Temple Mountain. Plenty of cross-country trails nearby, too.I remember skiing there on a blue bird day and seeing cross-country skiers, including a couple in very colorful Laplander garb, coming to the base lodge for coffee. Lots of people of Finnish background in that neck of the woods. It soaked up the overflow from Wachusett on busy days. It closed because of mismanagement, IMO.
I've not heard a peep that Bobcat might even be for sale. Anybody know anything?
Everything is for sale, for the right price.
I did some snooping and came across a political piece for Andes where 2 candidates for various Town positions where they both said they would support reopening the former Bobcat Ski Center if a developer brought forth a viable plan.
The piece is about 2 years old. That's all I have.
You ski because even if you don't do it well, it's still a blast....
I've not heard a peep that Bobcat might even be for sale. Anybody know anything?
Everything is for sale, for the right price.
I did some snooping and came across a political piece for Andes where 2 candidates for various Town positions where they both said they would support reopening the former Bobcat Ski Center if a developer brought forth a viable plan.
The piece is about 2 years old. That's all I have.
Bobcat would have real potential. From what I understand the town of Andes, NY is turning into a bit of a weekend-getaway place for NYC/downstate folks.
Andie's is a cool, friendly, small town. Margretville is close and a little more to it. Bobcat would be the longest drive from the NYC and Albany markets in the Catskills. I found the land on the net. Its not listed for sale now.
Mt. Whittier is my dream to reopen. So steep and plenty of water for snowmaking plus expansion possibilities and let's not forget the astounding views.
Mt. Whittier is my dream to reopen. So steep and plenty of water for snowmaking plus expansion possibilities and let's not forget the astounding views.
+2
ISNE-I Skied New England | NESAP-the New England Ski Area Project | SOSA-Saving Our Ski Areas - Location SW of Boston MA
Bearpen I would love to see, but is it really in the "affordable" and "resurrectable" range? Most of the others at least have relatively clear trails and possibly functioning lifts. Bearpen would be basically starting from scratch, save the trail(s) cut by the owner.
Just got an email back from Dominique R of Bearpen Mountain Sports(took a month for reply) after asking if there would be downhill cat skiing which I thought I had seen several months back when Nelsap JD started a thread with the "advertisement" of this new project. She states they are hoping to open with cross country skiing,(wonder if that's at the base or along the summit ridge)ice skating( same question, there is the pond at the top used in the '50s)and snow tubing." Eventually we hope to move into backcountry skiing". So as far as any downhill it sounds like it's on the back burner.
drennell@bearpenmountain.com
The only top to bottom trail I am aware of other than bushwacking is Russ' trail I was honored to ride on the back of a atv with the author himself.
I'd like to see the Highlands re-open for skiing. I always thought it was a really nice hill and with the operating chairlift (for mountain biking) it would probably be one of the easiest ones to re-open (if there was a will to do so.)
Dr Lane Joined the Belleayre ski patrol on a hike up bearpen June 3, 2017.
Welcome skicop!
Yes skipatrol40s contacted me a couple weeks ago trying to get ahold of ThatNYguy (aka Russ) and he got ahold of Dr Ben Lane. So glad you got him and his brother Ken to hike with you and get the story from him. Just amazing he is now 85 and over 60 years ago he built Princeton Ski Bowl on Bearpen mountain. Intriguing story to say the least.
Dr Lane Joined the Belleayre ski patrol on a hike up bearpen June 3, 2017.
Welcome skicop!
Yes skipatrol40s contacted me a couple weeks ago trying to get ahold of ThatNYguy (aka Russ) and he got ahold of Dr Ben Lane. So glad you got him and his brother Ken to hike with you and get the story from him. Just amazing he is now 85 and over 60 years ago he built Princeton Ski Bowl on Bearpen mountain. Intriguing story to say the least.
Dr Lane Joined the Belleayre ski patrol on a hike up bearpen June 3, 2017.
Welcome skicop!
Yes skipatrol40s contacted me a couple weeks ago trying to get ahold of ThatNYguy (aka Russ) and he got ahold of Dr Ben Lane. So glad you got him and his brother Ken to hike with you and get the story from him. Just amazing he is now 85 and over 60 years ago he built Princeton Ski Bowl on Bearpen mountain. Intriguing story to say the least.
I'd like to see the Highlands re-open for skiing. I always thought it was a really nice hill and with the operating chairlift (for mountain biking) it would probably be one of the easiest ones to re-open (if there was a will to do so.)
Me too! At only 25 min away it would become the 2nd closest area to me behind Pat's Peak. I never skied there back when it was open, but remember checking it out from 93S on the way back from Ski 93 areas many times.
I never skied there back when it was open, but remember checking it out from 93S on the way back from Ski 93 areas many times.
Well now, there's why these areas don't reopen and closed in the first place. Not that there's anything wrong with doing that. After I started skiing Sugarloaf I only went back to Eaton and Colby a couple of times.
I never skied there back when it was open, but remember checking it out from 93S on the way back from Ski 93 areas many times.
Well now, there's why these areas don't reopen and closed in the first place. Not that there's anything wrong with doing that. After I started skiing Sugarloaf I only went back to Eaton and Colby a couple of times.
Yeah, when I lived in E. MA I visited the local feeder hills like Nashoba and Bradford and not the smaller areas in NNE. Going over an hour for a smaller place in NH was less appealing. That behavior from Boston area folks is probably a big factor in why places like Highlands, Temple, Crotched East, and many others didn't make it.
Mt. Whittier is my dream to reopen. So steep and plenty of water for snowmaking plus expansion possibilities and let's not forget the astounding views.
+2
I didn't live in New England when it was open. I have hiked to the summit. It does have the essentials if permits and money were there.
Comments
Bobcat would have real potential. From what I understand the town of Andes, NY is turning into a bit of a weekend-getaway place for NYC/downstate folks.
She states they are hoping to open with cross country skiing,(wonder if that's at the base or along the summit ridge)ice skating( same question, there is the pond at the top used in the '50s)and snow tubing." Eventually we hope to move into backcountry skiing".
So as far as any downhill it sounds like it's on the back burner.
drennell@bearpenmountain.com
The only top to bottom trail I am aware of other than bushwacking is Russ' trail I was honored to ride on the back of a atv with the author himself.
From Jitney parking lot next to ski run road
The former ice skating "red clay mud pond" with the hike crew from 7/5/15
Highmount - NY (next to Belleayre). I believe Belleayre got approval to access these trails and to add them on to their resort.
Yes skipatrol40s contacted me a couple weeks ago trying to get ahold of ThatNYguy (aka Russ) and he got ahold of Dr Ben Lane. So glad you got him and his brother Ken to hike with you and get the story from him. Just amazing he is now 85 and over 60 years ago he built Princeton Ski Bowl on Bearpen mountain. Intriguing story to say the least.
https://www.snowjournal.com/discussion/137/2015-live-at-princeton-ski-bowl-bearpen-mtn-dr-ben-lane-sunday-july-5
Skicop any more pictures?
If you haven't read this yet
http://skikabbalah.com/lostNY/bearpen/BEARPEN STORY.htm