Jiminy Peak, Massachusetts - New England Ski Area Expansions

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Jiminy Peak
Hancock, Massachusetts

Overview

Jiminy Peak: Summit | Widow White's Peak | Berkshire Express

Summit - 1964 - Open

Jiminy Peak in 1962, prior to the summit expansion

After operating as one of the largest ski areas in the region for nearly two decades, the all-surface-lift Jiminy Peak was starting to get overshadowed by new chairlift areas such as Thunder Mountain, Butternut Basin, and Petersburg Pass. Through the early 1960s, the high point of the ski area was at the top of the present day Merry Go Round trail.

In 1964, a 4,000 foot long by 1,115 foot vertical Mueller double chairlift was installed parallel to the existing T-Bars, increasing Jiminy Peak's vertical drop by nearly 300 feet. In addition, 6 miles of new trails were cut and a new base lodge developed.

On January 30, 1977, 3 brakes failed on the double chairlift, causing a rollback. More than a dozen skiers were hurt, including six with broken bones. Perhaps in part due to this, a new double chairlift was planned to access the summit.

In 1978, that chairlift, a 3,820 foot long by 1,098 foot vertical Riblet double, was installed, along with a 1,148 foot long by 191 foot vertical novice double next to it, replacing the two T-Bars.

The Mueller double chairlift would then be removed in 1983, as a new Riblet triple chairlift, climbing 1,148 vertical feet over a run of 4,230 feet was installed in its place. The Mueller double's final resting place at the Highmount ski area in New York.

The late 60s Jiminy Peak trail map after the summit expansion

The former Summit Double, reinstalled as the Friends Double at now-defunct Highmount, NY (2004)

The Summit Triple (2002)

Widow White's Peak - 1998 - Open

1998 Jiminy Peak trail map showing the new Widow White's Peak

The Panorama trail on Widow White's Peak (2005)

With increasing popularity, as well as upcoming real estate developments, Jiminy Peak sought to spread out skiers. A 10 year, $10 million expansion was planned starting in the late 1990s.

In 1998 an eastern subpeak of Potter Mountain known as "Widow White's Peak" (named after a previous landowner) was opened. While the new 3,005 foot long Garaventa CTEC would serve 902 vertical feet, less than half of that was net new terrain, as the lower portion of the complex would use existing trails. Five new trails were cut from the top of the peak and billed as a "30% more terrain" expansion.

While generally intermediate in nature, the peak has not enjoyed as much usage as other Jiminy Peak trails. Two years later a high speed detachable six person lift would be installed to the summit, making the fixed grip Widow White's chairlift seem quite slow in comparison. In addition, Widow White's Peak was not lighted, thus preventing the thousands of night skiers from using the complex.

The top terminal of Widow White's Quad (2005)

Berkshire Express - 2000 - Open

The 2002 Jiminy Peak trail map showing the lift and lodge

Shortly after expanding skiable terrain with the Widow White expansion, the groundwork was in place for an even bigger project. In advance of the plans, an old base building was transported up Left Bank to the summit and named the Hendricks Summit Lodge.

In 2000, the Exhibition Chair was replaced with a new Garaventa CTEC high speed six pack chairlift. Named the Berkshire Express, the 1,100 feet per minute lift climbed 1,113 vertical feet over a run of 3,922 feet. The lift was only the third high speed detachable in Massachusetts and the first six pack in Southern New England.

Due to the increased skier traffic to the summit, two new novice trails were added for 2004-05 - the Outback and the Roundabout.

The Hendricks Summit Lodge (2002)

The bottom terminal of the Berkshire Express (2005)

The bottom terminal of the Berkshire Express (2002)

The bottom of the Berkshire Express (2002)

Resources

Jiminy Peak - NewEnglandSkiHistory.com

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort - official site

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