Jan 11,2010 Snow on the ground,it was go time!!
Mt Greylock's Thunderbolt Trail was cut by the CCC in the 1930's for downhill ski racing. It was named after a roller coaster in Revere Mass. The Eastern Downhill Championships of 1936 were held on the Thunderbolt with an estimated 5,000 spectators watching the race.
I've always wanted to ski the Thunderbolt and I did so some years back. I had a good time but the slopes were very overgrown and brushy. Thanks to the efforts of the Thunderbolt Ski Runners the trail is back in great shape. The one thing that hasn't changed is that you need to earn your turns. It was a 2 hour skin up the Bellows Pipe Trail from the end of Gould Rd to the summit of Mt Greylock. After a quick warm up in the Thunderbolt Ski Shelter we were ready for the Vertical Drop: 2,050 ft, that the Thunderbolt had to offer!
I find it amazing that this is almost twice the vertical of the largest of the MA resorts and is larger than most of the VT ski areas as well.
We savored our run down in perfect snow,with only a few rock hazards. Near the bottom of the run we cut hard to the right and passed through the aborted Greylock Glen Resort back to Gould Farm.
I can't imagine how crazy it must have been to schuss this hill back in the day with the equipment they had available. Even on today's gear you better watch your step! It's no Okemo I can tell you. But then again that's the charm.
--Skidmarks
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