In the south-central Berkshire mountains of Massachusetts on a northeast facing slope you will find Otis Ridge. On any given weekend day, we depart for the hill from our house in Bridgeport, CT. Our kids — Oscar and Rita — both race for Otis, Kristin and I bring them to ski practice.
AKA a free ski for us, with some time spent helping to set up gates and slip the course for the team. An hour and a half after leaving home, we pull into the gravel lot across the street from the hill. The kids have already booted up on the ride and are ready to go. Mom and Dad take a little while longer, so the kids go ahead and we will see them later (they love the independence).
With the kids on their own we gear up and take a short walk from the lot across the street and over one of three bridges leading to the slopes. Surrounded by friendly folk, on-point music from the lodge sound system, and quiet slopes, we start our day. A double chair and T-bar lining the main trail Slalom providing access to the summit. A ride up the double provides skiers right access on Slalom.
Here you’ll find natural snow that settles into the low side of the double fall line. The T-bar drops off just below Slalom and requires a few duck steps to drop in on skiers left lined with snow guns on the high side of the fall line. Slalom is adrenaline rushing 400ft of vert.
It has a gentle but quick entrance followed by a steep headwall that turns into a double fall line straight down with nice run out. I usually lap this 5-10 times before moving on to the other trails. I like to hit it early and hard before the race team sets up on it.
Otis Ridge is a family mountain with rentals, instructors, a beginners’ area, and a progression of trails for anyone to challenge themselves. The mountain sits on a ridge that plateaus on top with road access and some vacation homes, but not in an obnoxious in your face style, more of a backdrop and fitting with the area, call it laid back. Other than the base area there is no other development creating a natural setting.
Once my Slalom laps are complete, I venture to the rest of the hill. There are only a handful of trails to choose from, and sometimes I can’t believe I ski the same 6 trails every weekend from New Year to March. From the summit you can follow the top of the ridge and wrap around the shoulder on Acorn, a green and the easiest way down. Lined with side hits and some fun trees to go in and out of, it’s a fan favorite.
Next to Acorn on the top of the ridge is Bobs Bowl. Sometimes a pow field, sometimes featuring park features, sometimes grass, always an adventure. On the inside of Bobs Bowl is Robber Oak. Both blues, Robber Oak has a series of spines where it turns hard right going back to the base area. These three trails converge and go to base. I’ll inject these trails into the mix for relaxed runs or following the kids off jump lines.
On most days, however, I’ll spend my time on trails for the more experienced skier. Knox and Dutchman are two blues off the top of the ridge both steep and narrow. Knox is straight down, double fall right to left, with the Gouse House restaurant framing the bottom of the trail. For the tree skiers out there, some glades can be found off this trail.
Dutchman is the queen of the hill. A roller coaster of a ski trail, narrow and through the woods. Maple, birch, hemlock, pine, oak, beech are all around, an incredible mix of species. Lastly, the queen’s mate, Ridge Run, partners with Dutchman through the woods winding its way to the base in a series of twists and turns but in black diamond style.
With all the adventure the slopes have to offer it’s hard to imagine taking a break to eat. But skiers need to eat and Otis and has that covered too. The cafeteria is in the lodge, serving up the basics, burgers, chili, snacks, and slices of pizza. The Grouse is more upscale with a bar and some local craft beers on tap. It also has views of Knox, a postcard setting. The kids get our credit card, order lodge food, and eat with the team, Kristin and I eat out of the cooler to help keep it affordable.
Generally we ski 9 to 4 Saturday and Sunday, conditions regardless. After lunch it’s usually slalom some more while the race kids are eating and the slope is open, then it’s back to the mix of six. Practice ends at 3 and guess where I am headed again, yup, Slalom. I like to ride the T-bar the most, but occasionally will take the double chair to recover.
As a rule, If I’m taking the double chair, I dive into Slalom skating off the chair and into the entrance. Sometimes we will continue skiing when the lights go on for night skiing, but most of the time after a full day we are done and head back south on Rt. 8 to Bridgeport to get some rest so we can do it again the next day.
Otis is a solid small mountain. Run by GM Eric and his crew, Otis brings a down to earth vibe. One of its advantages, compared to the surrounding resorts, Otis is colder and can make snow when others cannot. This season, marked by 2 January thaws and then a February thaw, not to mention rain, they have managed to have 100% of their terrain open since the 2nd weekend in January.
Having a Northeast exposure also protects it from the wind, most of the time. Lift rides are quick, and runs are fast and vert can add up. When there is new natural snow, Otis turns into a free for all with people of all ages following tracks into woods stashes and nooks and crannies.
Otis is another independent ski resort making it happen. Not far from Butternut, Catamount, and Berkshire east, Otis is a fun place to spend a day on the slopes.
What a wonderful story about a local treasure! Having spent decades at a similar, now defunct area – the much mourned Toggenburg – I’m a fan of local, reasonably priced areas w race programs. The best way to learn to ski, or improve your skiing, is a race program. For juniors it’s the best, safe introduction to skiing with skills that last a lifetime. For the mature, an old dog can be taught new tricks – and enjoy them.
Some believe skiing is pricing itself into oblivion – only for trust funders and hedge fund managers – aka Yellowstone Club. Otis, and other similiar areas are the antidote.
Great write up, I love the props for Western Mass. Great little area, you nailed it with the variety in a small package. Ridge Run, Dutchman, and the base lodge are reminiscent of New England skiing back in the days. Otis Ridge was my area the Covid season, when Vermont was strongly discouraging out of state travel in. Driving up Route 23 from Russell, Mass, I would notice the temperature drop and the snow banks increased as approached the snow pocket Otis is in. I’ve got to get back!
Wow, I have spent a ton of time in this zone and somehow never made it to Otis. It looks like a great spot. Thanks for sharing this.
Ditto Brownski.
I grew up at Otis Ridge Junior Ski Camp from 1957-1970. My dad was one of the directors and both parents were instructors and counselors so every winter weekend and holiday, this was my home. I can’t imagine a better place to grow up. I eventually became an instructor and counselor, went on to become PSIA certified and have skied and taught at big areas (Vail) but I still love to come back to Otis Ridge. We took a 4 day vacation there in early February, even though I live in the heart of Vermont ski country. Otis is a gem!
The antidote is indeed Otis and thanks for the feedback everyone. It’s really great hearing the stories of Otis’ past and present, it brings a sparkle to people’s eyes.
I learned to ski at “The Ridge,” through the school program at nearby Sandisfield Elementary back in the early 80s. The bowl was then called “Ski School Bowl,” and Ridge Run had not yet been cut.
I also recall lapping Knox and Slalom for hours on end. Coming in hot to the top of Knox, with as much speed as possible, and catching air off the first drop. There was also a great jump skier’s right at the elbow of Robber Oak, and another in the runout down below in front of the Grouse House. Flat landing, but we were young and made out of rubber so we didn’t care.
The Carr family did a great job running the place back then. My buddy Tony, who was related to the family, worked ski camp up on the ridge every winter. He and I and Ryan Brown were hell on wheels as kids, bombing down everything in a tuck and having a blast. I need to go back now, with my kids!
Thanks for the great trip down memory lane.
Hey Adam, did you know Penny and Cliff Miller from Sandisfield? They were on the Otis Ski Patrol in the ’60s.
Ridge Run was actually cut sometime in the early ’50s. It was my favorite run! Then Slalom of course. Back when it had big bumps!
I am planning on skiing next season with my grandkids at Otis! That will be 4 generations of us!
I recently went there and loved everything about it!!! It is a small little rustic ski area with so much character.
Coming in hot and sending knox headwall is a pro move. Robber oak still has the jump at the elbow. Slalom with bumps though? I gotta see that some day. The only bumps you will find are under the double when theres enough natural snow to ski it.
Andrea, you’re right – Ridge Run did exist back then, but “John’s Cliff” was the one that had yet to be cut, or at least named and put on the map. I also remember bumps on Slalom, just below the headwall. Perhaps it was just that they had different priorities around grooming back then.
Looking at the trail map brings back so many memories. Whatever happened to the terrain skier’s left of Acorn? Upper and Lower Swing and the Meadow?
Thanks for putting Otis on my radar.
Teledad: I wish I could share some of the movies (old silent black and white) I have of skiing at Otis. It clearly shows the wonderful moguls that Slalom was famous for. They were formed by skiers (no snowboards) and they were never groomed out. No corderoy back then. 🙂 One of the movies features Dave and Hooker Judson, the founders and owners of Otis. Lovely people! One of them is from when the T-bar was that old giant killer rope tow! I hated that thing so bad. I was only about 6-7 yrs old when I was allowed off the Meadow to the main area. There was a J-Bar to access Acorn but to get to the better trails, we a had to use the rope tow. The other lift then was a Poma where the chair is now. You had to be heavy enough to ride the Poma or you would sent airborne! It was great when we finally were allowed to ride the Poma cause we use to purposely hold it back to get launched!! But, for several years that rope was the only way up. For a kid it was almost impossible to hang on long enough to get to the top! We often ended up sliding backwards until the person behind us could bring us to the top between their skis! It also killed mittens until the rope grip arrived!
The old Meadow and Camp Hill are mostly gone with houses at the top now. 🙁 But, the tiny old Meadow warming hut is still standing, not by much, she is starting to really crumble now. The Meadow area was mostly used by campers in classes. We would walk up the road from camp with our boots on and skis over our shoulders every morning, return to camp for lunch and then back to finish skiing in the afternoon. There were two rope tows, one for the Meadow and one for Camp Hill which was smaller and shorter for the very beginner kids.
There was a cat walk/trail from the bottom and top left of the Meadow Tow that would take you to the main area. That became Swing. Once we were old enough to ski at the main area, we could get back to camp by going over the ridge top near the top of the T-bar and ski back to camp. For a while there was a cleared area behind camp that was used by side stepping up and skiing down. It was used by first time kids to learn how to side step, herringbone up and snow plow down. And us camp brats also use to go out during lunch to fool around (the beginnings of freestyle skiing!) Then later a rope tow was installed on that side of the ridge so eventually campers could just use that to get to the main area!
After 40 yrs, I first returned to Otis about 10 yrs ago. To say it was like walking into a time warp was no exaggeration! The first thing I did was walk into the main lodge which has not changed a whole lot and into the girls bathroom. That was so surreal!! Everything was exactly the same as when I left!! Same sinks, toilets, partitions, doors!! Then we went to camp! That was even crazier! Hardly anything has changed!! Even the same metal bunks and mattresses!
Jamie who was the current owner of Otis, let us have a weekend camper reunion there about 8 yrs ago. Dave Greenleaf who was one of us camper brats was now the camp director! We got to stay in Main Dorm, use the wonderful old kitchen and have movie night just like we did so many years ago. There is even a Facebook page for camp alumni where many of us stay in touch. Many of us are still good friends! I just skied this week with one gal who came on as a counselor/instructor back in the 60s!
It was a shame that Camp did not survive Covid. 🙂 For 75 years, it produced many, many really good skiers. It was a magical place to grow up at. Otis is just the best!
Nice write-up. Yet another Otis to visit. I think there is another one in Elizabethtown and a Mons Otis in central Quebec.
This is just wonderful. Teledad, you brought back some good memories of when the kids were little and we were a ski racing family… well done. Andrea, thanks so much for sharing your stories, so many memories of growing up at small areas around Saratoga during the same time, Alpine Meadow, Willard, West… There are places you can get your movies digitized, I’m sure lots of people would love to see them. Let’s go skiing.
Andrea, thanks for sharing all the history and memories from your childhood, it’s like reading a blog inside a blog. My family first found Otis because we take Rt 8 to get to Albany to visit family. We noticed the sign on the barn and decided to stop in on our way home from Christmas about 6 years ago. It had snowed recently and Bobs Bowl had 6 inches of fresh in it. We night skied and had a blast. So we kept going back. We became pass holders and eventually race parents. Now we feel like part of the community. If you can get those films digitized I would bet Eric the GM would put them on the facebook page. Anyone who’s reading this blog, give me a shout out if you are on the hill. I wear a red helmet and usually am on tele skis unless I happened to rent a board from the shop that day. Like Micheal said, “lets go skiing.”