Berkshire East and Catamount have become the first two ski areas to join the Snowology Club and are offering our Premium Subscribers a 50% discount for one lift ticket at each, good any time this season except for holidays. This is a perk for all of our Premium Subscribers to enjoy this season in addition to full access to our weather coverage. Using just one discount can more than cover the cost of a full year's subscription to Snowology, and we hope to offer many.
Snowology
This is a BIG DEAL for Snowology and it will provide BIG DEALS for our Premium Subscribers. Every participating ski area will be offering one 50% off discount during the ski season. This discount applies to the full price window rate. In addition to lift ticket discounts we will also be providing discounts for other things related to skiing and riding. We expect to be adding new discount partners regularly over the next 6+ weeks and we have two others ready to go shortly.
We're calling this a "club" because that best matches the nature of our core following after building a large and vibrant community on Facebook over the last 5 seasons with over 50,000 members who share information, news, stoke, and entertainment with others from throughout the East Coast. It is the largest regional ski community on the internet and Snowology would not be what it is today without these people and the insight they share.
Our approach to discounting is unique in the ski industry and the reception by ski areas has been very positive so far. Instead of issuing physical cards and repeatable lower percentage discounts, we are working with ski areas to generate single-use electronic coupon codes that our Premium Subscribers can retrieve from our website and then redeem online at the website of the ski area itself. Since these discounts are only available to our Premium Subscribers and limited to just one use per season a much higher discount can be offered which provides both great value and a strong incentive for people to ski off their passes and go and visit mountains that they have heard about but rarely or never visit. We will also be featuring these ski areas in our coverage this season in order to bring more awareness and understanding of what each offers. Our subscribers will be able to visit most participating ski areas for just $20 to $50.
Both Berkshire East and Catamount are owned by the Schaefer family, and Jon Schafer has been a friend of Snowology and participant in our community for years. These two ski areas are likely within a 2 hour drive of at least half of our subscribers and give people in both Southern New England, New York Metro, and the Hudson Valley an opportunity to visit. Here's some additional information on each about what they offer and what is the most appealing about both.
Berkshire East - Charlemont, MA
Berkshire East was voted the "best" ski area in Southern New England in a recent poll of the Snowology Community, and they crushed the 2nd place finisher by a margin of over 2:1. The mountain offers the steepest fall line from base to summit of any ski area this far south in the Northeast (as well as many further north). They also offer plenty of blues and greens and have pods for all abilities with appropriate separation. Berkshire East is a very appealing family mountain with terrain that can keep experts to beginners happy. They also attract clientele who appreciate a more laid back environment without overly crowded trails and an owner/operator who literally grew up on the mountain and who puts them first.
When the snow stacks up deep Berkshire East has plenty of glades to explore, including some unmarked stashes for those who are more adventurous. Berkshire East is a great Southern New England powder destination that is often overlooked, but that too is an advantage. The best powder days are often found by thinking outside of the box while group-think packs the big destinations.
New this season is Berkshire East's first detachable quad that will debut in December. This lift will bring people to the top of the mountain in just 3 1/2 minutes. The extra capacity won't overwhelm their trails either, and on slower days you can rack up vert just about as fast as on any mountain in the East.
Berkshire East is located just 20 miles from I-91 on the east side of the Berkshires, making it a convenient location for almost everyone in Southern New England. They operate 7 days a week and offer night skiing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights during the peak season.
Catamount - Hillsdale, NY/Egremont, MA
Catamount actually straddles the New York/Massachusetts border and sits on the western side of the Berkshires at the southwest corner of Massachusetts. The Schafers acquired Catamount in 2018 and have invested tens of millions in the mountain over the last 5 years in order to see it fulfill the potential that has always existed there but never realized. This season they have reached that potential. They've renovated their existing lodge, built a new lodge, expanded terrain, added 3 lifts, and most importantly, they've rebuilt their entire snowmaking infrastructure and added significant capacity. Catamount opened today for the season, which is historically early for them, and they will be offering 7 trails on day one; a feat that they pulled off in just 10 days, and there will be more to come shortly. People are already remarking about how much more robust their snowmaking is and it's just November still! The change is that obvious.
Catamount was voted 5th "best" in Southern New England by the Snowology Community, but the mountain mostly serves the local Berkshires market, the Hudson Valley and New York Metro. They are located just 45 miles away from Albany, NY, 90 miles from White Plains, NY, and 60 miles from Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA. With their growing pains out of the way they will surely move their way up the list of the best mountains in their region this season. This is now the new and improved Catamount, and our Premium Subscribers can go and check them out for about the cost of parking at a mega resort.
Like their sister resort Berkshire East, they offer varied terrain with 1,000' of vertical, 44 trails, and 130 acres. They are open 7 days a week and offer night skiing Wednesday through Saturday during the peak season.
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