For 85 years, skiers have traveled to the city of Pittsfield in Western Massachusetts to hit the slopes at Bousquet Mountain, one of the oldest ski areas in the country and a training ground for many top U.S. ski racers. Now, a community impact investment firm is ensuring the mountain’s ski operations will continue into the future. Mill Town announced today it is acquiring the ski area from the Tamarack Ski Nominee Trust and owners Sherry and PJ Roberts
The sale closed on May 29th and includes 155 acres across four parcels, including the summit of Yokun Ridge, 22 trails, multiple buildings, and operational equipment. “We are excited to keep Bousquet as a vital recreational resource for the region,” said Tim Burke, Mill Town’s CEO and Managing Director. “A significant focus of our work is to invest in and improve businesses, real estate, and outdoor recreational assets in Pittsfield to make it a stronger city and an appealing place for families and employers. Bousquet met all of these criteria. We plan to invest in the ski operation infrastructure and the lodge, and we are excited to work with strong partners to enhance the on-mountain experience.”
On that front, Mill Town and Berkshire East Mountain Resort of Charlemont announced a collaboration agreement. As part of this agreement, Berkshire East and Catamount management, including owners Jon and Jim Schaefer, will advise Bousquet on capital and operational decisions and investments. Bousquet will also be a component of the “Berkshire Pass,” joining Berkshire East and Catamount as the third mountain to be featured as part of this season pass program. Jim and Jon Schaefer said, “We are thrilled to partner with Mill Town to ensure Bousquet will be a respected skiing and outdoor recreation asset for years to come. Positioned between Berkshire East and Catamount, we feel that Bousquet will provide significant value to Berkshire Pass holders as another great skiing and riding option in Western Massachusetts. We think there is a great future here.”
More details on the combined season pass option will be released imminently. The mountain is an important outdoor recreation asset for the City of Pittsfield, and is one of the only ski areas in the country located in a city.
“Through the years, Bousquet has entertained generations of families in Pittsfield, throughout the Berkshires, and beyond. Whether on the slopes in the winter, relaxing by the pool in the summer, or dining in the lodge, visitors were always in for a good time. Thanks to Mill Town Capital, I am thrilled to know that Bousquet will remain a staple of enjoyment in our city and will continue to be home to countless memories,” said Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyler
The Bousquet Ski Area acquisition is one of many community projects to revive the region backed by Mill Town, a community investment company that is building and renovating housing units, investing in promising businesses, and executing a broad range of community development projects. The company aims to improve the quality of life for residents and attract more families and business to the area. Outdoor recreation is a large component of Mill Town’s vision for Pittsfield as an important asset. Mill Town has recently extended its community investment focus to include projects that are centered on bolstering the region’s outdoor recreation assets such as providing funding to the Berkshire Natural Resource Council’s Trails App development, rehabilitating Pittsfield’s Springside Park trail network through a partnership with Greenagers, and supporting free outdoor recreation programming in the City of Pittsfield 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival.
“We know that the Berkshires are home to some of the region’s best opportunities for people to get out and enjoy the outdoors in a number of ways,” said Caroline Holland, Mill Town’s Managing Director. “We are working to make these outdoor experiences more accessible and to highlight our natural environment as a driver for a great quality of life in the Berkshires. Bousquet is a huge part of that strategy as it encapsulates so many rich mountain activities right here within the city confines.”
Bousquet Ski Area was founded in 1932 by Clarence J. Bousquet after his mink farm failed during the Great Depression, and was revived into a ski club. Among the ski area’s innovations was the rope tow gripper that protects the arms and hands of skiers, which Bousquet marketed and sold 500,000 units. He also partnered with General Electric’s Pittsfield Plant to outfit the mountain with floodlights installed on poles in 1936 to illuminate runs, introducing the concepts of night skiing and snowmaking.
Generations of skiers and winter vacationers have since visited Bousquet Mountain. Ski trains in the 1930s routed guests to the resort from Grand Central Station and New Haven Railroad. As Bousquet continued to add more rope tow grippers, the ski area attracted more tourists and in the late 1930’s The Hartford Courant named Bousquet Ski Area “one of America’s finest ski developments,” celebrating its longest rope tow worldwide. In the 2000’s, the skiers and positive reviews kept coming. In 2010, The Berkshire Eagle’s Readers Poll named Bousquet Ski Area the “Best Downhill Skiing in the Berkshires.” And, the Bousquet Snowsports School has developed a reputation for its skilled instructors for skiers of all ages and abilities. As proof, the Bousquet Race Team incubated five U.S. Olympic downhill skiers, including twin sisters Kim and Krista Schmidinger and Heidi Voelker, all Pittsfield natives.
Season passes for the 2020-21 ski season at Bousquet are now available at bousquetmountain.com.
