Bousquet Mountain

Bousquet Mountain "dates to 1932 after Clarence J. Bousquet's mink farm failed during the Great Depression, and he started a ski club there," per the Times Union. The same article reports that Bousquet "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 that among the ski area's innovations was "a rope tow gripper that protects the arms and hands of skiers, which Bousquet marketed and sold 500,000 units"; the same article reports that Bousquet produced five U.S. Olympic competitors. Bousquet's own homepage, in text accompanying an Instagram post, describes the operation as "the 5th oldest continuously operating ski area in the entire US," with "94 years of great vibes." The Times Union reported on May 29, 2020 that Bousquet was being sold: "The Mill Town community impact fund is buying the ski area from the Tamarack Ski Nominee Trust and owners Sherry and PJ Roberts," with the sale "scheduled to close on Friday," the same day the article was published, covering 155 acres across four parcels, including the summit of Yokun Ridge, multiple buildings, and operational equipment. Mill Town CEO Tim Burke said, "We plan to invest in the ski operation infrastructure and the lodge," and the article reported that the new owners would collaborate with Jon and Jim Schaefer of Berkshire East and Catamount, with Bousquet joining the Berkshire Pass season-pass program. NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com reported on June 15, 2021 that the old lodge was completely torn down in April 2021, and its replacement, a roughly 15,800-square-foot lodge "designed to better handle skiing and non-skiing operations," was expected to be ready for the 2021-22 season, at a cost the article puts at $5 million, citing the Berkshire Eagle. iBerkshires reported on November 28, 2021 that the resort would open that winter around "the modern 15,000-square-foot lodge that greets visitors from Dan Fox Drive," designed by Allegrone Construction with a gathering space, expanded dining options, a full bar, and outdoor seating; the same article describes Bousquet as part of "an outdoor recreation trifecta" that also includes the former Berkshire West, run as Bousquet Sport, and the former Lakeside Christian Camp, run as The Camp at Bousquet, and reports a tax increment finance agreement for the $11.3 million ski area recommended by the Pittsfield Finance Committee, with the project separately receiving $960,000 in Pittsfield Economic Development Funds to connect water and sewer lines to the property.