Blandford Ski Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ski Blandford |
|
|---|---|
| Location | 41 Nye Brook Road, Blandford, Massachusetts |
| Nearest city | Blandford, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°11′19.865″N 72°54′2.765″W / 42.18885139°N 72.90076806°W |
| Vertical | 465 ft (142 m) |
| Top elevation | 1,490 ft (514 m) |
| Base elevation | 1,025 ft (315 m) |
| Skiable area | 132 acres |
| Runs | 27 trails |
| Longest run | North Slope |
| Lift system | 3 doubles, 2 surface lifts |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | average of 60-70 inches/year |
| Snowmaking | 80% |
| Night skiing | 12 trails, 4 lifts |
| Website | skiblandford.com |
Ski Blandford was a popular ski area located in Blandford, Massachusetts. It was also known as Blandford Ski Area.
For many years, from 1936 until 2017, the Springfield Ski Club owned and ran this ski area. It was special because it was the oldest ski area in North America that was continuously owned by a club.
In the fall of 2017, Ski Blandford was sold to a private company called Ski Butternut. They planned to open it again very soon. They even started making snow! However, they found that the ski lifts and other buildings needed a lot of repairs to meet safety rules.
Because of this, Ski Butternut needed more time to fix everything. They worked hard to update the mountain. They added more snowmaking machines and bought two new machines to groom the snow. The ski lodges, where people relax, were also updated inside and out.
After all the hard work, Ski Blandford reopened for the 2018/2019 ski season. It stayed open until March 26, 2020. Sadly, it was then announced that Ski Blandford would not open again. It closed permanently.
Exploring the Mountain at Ski Blandford
Ski Blandford offered a fun experience for skiers and snowboarders. It had 27 different trails to explore. Twelve of these trails were lit up for night skiing, which was very exciting! The area also had two special parks for tricks and jumps, called terrain parks.
To get up the mountain, there were five lifts. These included three double chairlifts, which carry two people at a time. There was also a rope tow and a magic carpet lift, which are easier for beginners.
The bottom of the mountain was at 1,025 feet above sea level. The very top was at 1,490 feet. This means skiers could enjoy a vertical drop of 465 feet as they skied down.
Ski Blandford had modern snowmaking equipment. This allowed them to cover about 80% of the mountain with man-made snow. They also had up-to-date machines to groom the snow, making it smooth and ready for skiing.
The resort had two lodges. One was an older building, and the other was a newer one. The new lodge offered hot food service, which was great for warming up after a day on the slopes. The ski season at Blandford usually ran from mid-December to mid-March.
Understanding Ski Trails
Ski trails are rated by how difficult they are. This helps skiers choose trails that match their skills.
- Green Circle: These trails are the easiest. About 30% of the trails at Ski Blandford were green circle trails, perfect for beginners.
- Blue Square: These trails are more difficult than green circles. About 45% of the trails at Ski Blandford were blue square, good for skiers who have some experience.
- Black Diamond: These trails are the most difficult. About 25% of the trails at Ski Blandford were black diamond, best for expert skiers looking for a challenge.
