Ski Butternut

Butternut Basin Ski Area and every other ski resort in Massachusetts are located in the scenic Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Mountains stretch all the way across the East Coast of the United States, providing the peaks and slopes for many ski resorts along the way. The Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts are some of the most picturesque hills of the Appalachian chain.

Butternut Basin was founded in the early 1960s as a small family resort. Decades later it is still owned and operated by the same family and retains a family friendly, laid-back atmosphere. Its focus on family skiing and snowboarding has given Butternut Basin a reputation as the best ski resort in Massachusetts for learning how to ski. The instructor to student ratio is high and the instructors are generally well qualified and very experienced.

Three introductory areas near the Butternut ski base are perfect learning terrain: SkiWEE for the youngsters, Paddy's for learners of all ages, and Scooter for snowboarders who want to learn basic terrain tricks. A new high-speed quad chair carries riders onto Cruiser, a wide green run great for long traverses. There are also green runs, Uptown and Pied Piper, from the two summit lifts. Pied Piper to Crosstown to Nuthatch is a great long green route down almost the entire 1,000 vertical drop at Butternut Basin.

Butternut Ski Massachusetts also has some great intermediate terrain. Main Street off the Highline quad, Applejack off the Topflight quad, and Freewheeler off the Overbrook triple are all great cruising runs. Freewheeler is usually the least crowded of these.

For advanced skiers and snowboarders, Butternut Ski Massachusetts has a few short chutes and several longer steeps. Lucifer run, beneath the Topflight quad, is the most challenging run on the hill. On the other side of the mountain, Downspout is a long black run. Snowboarders will love the terrain park on the lower half, skiers find groomed flats to the side. A poma lift serves a pay per turn race course; compare times with your friends or go several times in the day and try to beat your personal best.

Butternut Ski Massachusetts has over 100 skiable acres, all served by snowmaking. There is no night skiing here (head to nearby Jiminy Peak, Bousquet, or Berkshire East for lighted trails), but the four-lane tubing area is open until 8 pm.

Butternut ski lodge is unpretentious and child friendly, with a daycare and large rental shop. The resort is within easy driving distance of New York City, Boston, and elsewhere in southern New England and eastern New York State. Butternut Basin is a great ski resort in Massachusetts for a day on the slopes.