• Warner Mountain/Butternut Ski Area

  • Discussion relating to the NH and its subsidiaries (NYW&B, Union Freight Railroad, Connecticut Company, steamship lines, etc.). up until its 1969 inclusion into the Penn Central merger. This forum is also for the discussion of efforts to preserve former New Haven equipment, artifacts and its history. You may also wish to visit www.nhrhta.org for more information.
Discussion relating to the NH and its subsidiaries (NYW&B, Union Freight Railroad, Connecticut Company, steamship lines, etc.). up until its 1969 inclusion into the Penn Central merger. This forum is also for the discussion of efforts to preserve former New Haven equipment, artifacts and its history. You may also wish to visit www.nhrhta.org for more information.
  by Pete
 
The Wikipedia entry for the Butternut ski area in Great Barrington, MA, says it was originally a New Haven-owned venture in the 30s. This sounds like a more modern iteration of the trolley park concept. Anyone have any more backstory on this? The article didn't cite any reference. I'm very curious to know more.
  by TCurtin
 
That's a new one on me. I am somewhat dubious about the accurcy of that claim. The known, documented NH snow trains in the 30s had the following destinations:

- East Canaan on the ex-CNE line (It was publicized as Norfolk Snow Train station but actually was on the East Canaan side of the town line). This was run only a few times im 1935 and 1936.
- Bousquet, up in southern Pittsfield.

Later the snow trains also had ski destinations at Oak & Spruce in South Lee and Jug End in Egremont. i have not heard or seen Butternut mentioned.
  by Noel Weaver
 
Butternut was once known as "G BAR S RANCH", I don't recall when the name change and major expansion took place but I would guess it was after the passing of the NHRR or maybe around that time. I also have major doubts that the New Haven Railroad ever had any ownership of this area. I don't recall any ski areas in NHRR territory that the railroad had any ownership in whether it was full or partial ownership. There are a few examples of railroad owned ski areas mostly in the western states, I can't think of any in the northeast. Both the New Haven and the Boston and Maine ran a lot of snow trains for skiiers in bygone years but these trains have been gone for a long time.
Noel Weaver