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Located on 1,770 foot Warner Mountain in southwestern Massachusetts, Ski Butternut is a popular mid-sized ski area.
G-Bar-S Dude Ranch
G-Bar-S Ranch |
Ski Butternut's rich skiing history dates back to the 1936-37 season, when two trails were cut by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Rope tow service was also in place at that time.
The trails emptied into a large development known as G-Bar-S Dude Ranch. Years earlier, petroleum distributor Henry J. "Pop" Cairns was told he couldn't fish on a pond near Warner Mountain. Described by some as 'stubborn,' Cairns purchased the pond and the land around it in 1929. In 1936, he opened the G-Bar-S Ranch there.
By the time the 1939-40 season started, two rope tows were in place, running a combined 3,000 feet up Warner Mountain. The facility was likely the second most popular in Berkshire County with 14,500 visitors that season.
Four rope tows were in place for the 1941-42 season. While some areas closed during World War II, G-Bar-S Ranch remained in operation. A fifth rope tow was in place by the time 1948-49 started. By this time, the ski area was marketed for beginners. Each trail was claimed to end in a different place, as to avoid potential bottlenecks.
Prior to the 1950-51 season, nearby Jug End Barn, Inc. purchased the G-Bar-S Ranch from the Cairns.
Following the 1953-54 season, Francis Maher's G Bar S Corp. purchased the facility for about $100,000. G Bar S Corp would operate the ski area for two seasons.
The End of G-Bar-S Ranch
In June of 1955, the main house of the G-Bar-S Ranch facility was lost in a fire. The ranch headquarters were then moved to the recreation hall, which was subsequently upgraded. In May of 1956, that building too burned to the ground.
In September of 1956, G-Bar-S Ranch was sold at auction to Robert Wheeler for about $25,000. In addition to being the head of Wheeler & Taylor, Inc. (one time employer of Pop Cairns' daughter Alida), Wheeler was also part owner of Jug End Barn. At the time of the sale, the facility spanned 98 acres and included the ski area, the pond, a swimming pool, 12 cabins, and a bunkhouse. The ski area would likely sit idle after the auction.
In April of 1960, the old ski area was sold to James and Margaret Joyce of Barrington School, Inc. The school, which opened nearby in the fall of 1960, was purchasing land for a potential campus. Barrington School would quickly run into financial problems.
The Murdock Family Arrives
The Clubhouse Lodge circa the mid to late 1960s |
In August of 1962, former Mohawk Mountain manager Channing Murdock and his wife Jane purchased the old ski area from the the Joyces and Barrington School. In April of 1963, Channing Murdock signed an agreement to purchase a new Carlevaro & Savio double chairlift for $83,585.
The Murdocks opened their new ski area on Christmas Eve of 1963. In addition to the new chairlift, up to 4 of the old G-Bar-S Ranch rope tows served 6 trails. Snowmaking was installed as well. Both in their mid to late 20s, the Murdocks were the youngest ski area owners around.
A busy 1963-64 resulted in the installation of a T-Bar for Butternut's sophomore season, serving the East Area.
New Lifts and a Sister Area
The Top Flight Quad (2016) |
Starting in 1968, two significant investments took place. The first was at Butternut, as a new Carlevaro & Savio chairlift was installed, serving two new intermediate trails in the Highline Area. In addition, the base lodge was expanded by 2,500 feet.
The second big investment took place following the 1968-69 season, when Channing Murdock purchased defunct Satan's Ridge in nearby Connecticut. The area would reopen for 1969-70 as Ski Sundown and would remain under Murdock's ownership for a few seasons. Meanwhile, a beginner double chairlift was installed at Butternut.
The next big expansion took place at Butternut in 1975, when the Overbrook Area debuted. Serviced by Massachusetts' first triple chairlift, the new pod initially featured two intermediate trails. The Upper Lodge, designed by Butternut skier Lo-Yi Chan of Prentice, Chan & Ohlhausen, would open in 1979 near the new area.
In November of 1983, the Murdocks purchased 135 acres of land west of the ski area. While they had planned to build a new trail pod, the trails and lifts would not be constructed.
Celebrating their 30th season at Butternut, the Murdocks upgraded their original chairlift for 1993-94. A $750,000 project, the summit lift was converted into Massachusetts' second quad chairlift. While things appeared to be running smoothly, Butternut was about to suffer back to back tragedies.
Tragedies
In June of 1994, founder Channing Murdock was seriously injured in a biking crash. In addition to multiple broken bones, Murdock suffered permanent brain injuries that immediately ended his career.
The 1994-95 season was Butternut's worst in nearly a quarter of a century. In order to save money, new General Manager Jeff Murdock cancelled the area's property insurance. Two months later, in May of 1995, an F4 tornado hit Butternut, heavily damaging lifts, buildings, snowmaking equipment, and the countless trees that had been carefully planted and or saved over the years by Channing Murdock. Thanks to the help of ski areas all over the Northeast, as well as a $1.4 million Small Business Administration loan, Butternut was able to rebuild enough to reopen for 1995-96.
Recovery
Nearly a decade later, Butternut was able to start making sizable investments to its lift infrastructure again. Quad chairlifts were installed in consecutive seasons starting in 2004. As a result, Ski Butternut left the decade with 3 quads and a triple serving its core trails, giving it one of the largest uphill capacities in Southern New England.
NewEnglandSkiConditions.com Reports
NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com News
CCC Trails
Expansion History
Image Gallery
Lifts
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Maps
Year by Year History
Adult Weekend Full Day Lift Ticket; Adult Full Price Unlimited Season Pass
| 2010s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 2017-18 | $60.00 |  | $490.00 | | 8.2 days | | | | | | | 2016-17 | $60.00 | | $455.00 | | 7.6 days | December 15 | April 2 | | | | | 2015-16 | $60.00 | | $455.00 | | 7.6 days | January 3 | March 13 | | | | | 2014-15 | $55.00 | | $440.00 | | 8.0 days | December 5 | April 5 | | | | | 2013-14 | $55.00 | | $440.00 | | 8.0 days | December 7 | April 6 | | | | | 2012-13 | $55.00 | | $330.00 | | 6.0 days | December 15 | April 7 | | | | | 2011-12 | $55.00 | | $330.00 | | 6.0 days | December 16 | March 18 | | | | | 2010-11 | $55.00 | | $330.00 | | 6.0 days | December 10 | April 3 | | | | | 2009-10 | $55.00 | | $279.00 | | 5.1 days | December 12 | March 28 | | | |
| 2000s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 2008-09 | $55.00 | | $279.00 | | 5.1 days | | | | | | | 2007-08 | $50.00 | | $279.00 | | 5.6 days | | | | | | | 2006-07 | $49.00 | | $279.00 | | 5.7 days | | April 1 | | | | | 2005-06 | $46.00 | | $199.00 | | 4.3 days | | March 31 | | | | | 2004-05 | $46.00 | | $299.00 | | 6.5 days | | April 10 | | | | | 2003-04 | $45.00 | | $299.00 | | 6.6 days | | April 3 | | | | | 2002-03 | $43.00 | | $299.00 | | 7.0 days | | April 6 | | | | | 2001-02 | $41.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 2000-01 | $39.00 | | $495.00 | | 12.7 days | | | | | | | 1999-00 | $39.00 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1990s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1996-97 | $38.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1992-93 | $35.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1991-92 | $33.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1990-91 | $33.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1989-90 | $30.00 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1980s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1988-89 | $30.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1987-88 | $28.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1986-87 | $25.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1985-86 | $20.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1984-85 | $20.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1982-83 | $18.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1981-82 | $17.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1980-81 | $15.00 | | | | | | | 100,000 | | | | 1979-80 | $13.00 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1970s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1978-79 | $12.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1976-77 | $11.00 | | $160.00 | | 14.5 days | | | | | | | 1975-76 | $10.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1971-72 | $9.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1970-71 | $8.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1969-70 | $8.00 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1960s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1967-68 | $6.50 | | | | | | | | | | | 1964-65 | $6.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1963-64 | $6.00 | | | | | December 24 | | | | |
| 1940s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1948-49 | | | | | | December 26 | | | | | | 1939-40 | | | | | | | | 14,500 | | |
Visitor Memories
| "Skied a good part of my younger days at Butternut.Was on the ski Patrol with Ken Noad, Ski school with Einar, Coached Racing and Freestyle, and jumped over the tourist's heads on Lucifer's Leap. Had some really great days at Butternut...will always remember Jane and Channing. Thanks! BUTTERNUT." | | Vic Radzevich, Jul. 9, 2014 |
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External Links
Ski Butternut - official site
Ski Butternut - Wikipedia
G-Bar-S Ranch - New England Lost Ski Areas Project
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Last updated: August 16, 2016
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