|
 Butternut Basin |
|
Includes information from the 2003 Fortieth
Anniversary Brochure. |
|
| In the early 60’s, 1963 to be exact, an
ambitious young man named Channing Murdock turned the G bar S Ranch of Great
Barrington, MA into Butternut Basin. He and his wife Jane became the
youngest proprietors of a ski mountain at the age of 28. In the late 50’s
Channing had established himself as a formidable skier at Middlebury College
in Vermont. |
|
 |
|
Channing
Murdock at Middlebury College Bowl in 1956 while he was still a student. |
|
 |
|
Map of the G Bar S Ranch from the 1945 American Ski
Annual. |
|
| For years the G Bar S ranch had operated
as a successful ski destination for New Yorkers and the like. It was a
popular destination for the ski trains. Manning saw the potential for
developing this area into a major ski destination and purchased it.
Given it’s northern exposure, good elevation, water supply for snow
making and proximity to New York City (120 miles), Manning decided to
take what was already there and expand it and develop it. The results of
his efforts is what is now known as Ski Butternut. |
 |
|
G Bar S
Ranch Ad from the 1951 American Ski Annual. |
|
|
| Today this area operates with 8 lifts (1
quad, 1 triple, 2 doubles and 4 surface lifts). It has 22 trails on 110
acres of skiable terrain, 20% of these trails are Beginner, 60% are
Intermediate and 20% are Advanced. It also has a 4 lane tubing area with
it’s own lift. |
|
 |
|
Early photo from
Butternut Basin. |
|
 |
|
Channing Murdock
taming Lucifer's Leap.. |
|
 |
|
Einar Aas, Ski and
Snowboard School Director. |
|
Einar Aas, the director of the ski and
snowboard school has been with the area for the past 40 years. Over the
years, he and his staff have taught many children to ski, and are now
teaching their kids to ski (I some cases, their grandchildren). Beginners
are always welcome at this family oriented area. There’s a large variety
programs offered by the ski and snowboard school to meet the needs of the
different levels of their clients. From beginners to advanced, from
recreational to inspiring racers, programs are offered to enhance
performance. |
| Channing Murdock’s son, Jef is the current
president of the area. He and his staff are continuing the tradition of
excellence started by his father over 40 years ago. Butternut’s value and
services attract skiers and boarders from the New York and Boston areas as
well as local skiers and boarders. |
 |
| |
Skiers enjoing a trail
in February 2004 |
 |
|
Butternut 2004 Trail Map |