New England backcountry skiers have plenty to be thankful for this year. Winter Storm Cato bullseyed on the Berkshires over Thanksgiving, gracing the Thunderbolt Ski Trail with its first significant cover ahead of the run’s 80th anniversary race on February 28, 2015.
Plunging nearly 2,500 vertical feet down Mt. Greylock, the tallest mountain in Massachusetts, the Bolt has undergone a remarkable revival in the five years since local skiers revived the storied trail with a vertical to rival that of the major northeastern ski resorts.
Mt. Greylock looms over the town of Adams, and is home base for the Thunderbolt Ski Runners, who maintain the Bolt with state permission. Following some busy fall work days, they hosted a season kickoff and membership drive on November 21. They also gathered to make a big announcement about the 2015 race: it’s going rando.
