Brodie Mountain (ski area)
Encyclopedia
Brodie was a ski resort in New Ashford, Massachusetts
, in the Taconic Mountains
in the far northwestern part of the state. It opened in 1964 and thrived for a time by using then-cutting-edge innovations like top-to-bottom snowmaking and lighted night skiing. Founder Jim Kelly gave the resort an Irish theme: its nickname was "Kelly's Irish Alps"; the slopes had names like "Shamrock," "Killarney," and "JFK"; and the base lodge housed an Irish-themed saloon that did a rousing business in drinks and live music. But like many small independent ski areas, Brodie lost business over time to larger, higher-capitalized, corporate-owned resorts.
In 1999 the Kellys sold it to the owners of nearby Jiminy Peak, who closed Brodie in 2002 and sold it to a Texas-based condominium developer. The area continued to operate snow tubing, in conjunction with Jiminy Peak, through the 2006-2007 season.
With a vertical drop of 1,250 feet and four chairlifts, Brodie is the largest closed ski area in the Berkshires.
project.
On November 19, 2010, the last component of the new 10-turbine wind farm was lifted into place. Once the turbines are commissioned and connected to the grid in early 2011, the project will generate 15MW of power.
The Berkshire Wind Power Project is owned by the Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corporation, a non-profit, public power corporation. Members of the cooperative include Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company and the 14 municipal utilities serving these Massachusetts communities:
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, in the Taconic Mountains
Taconic Mountains
The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range are a physiographic section of the larger New England province and part of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western...
in the far northwestern part of the state. It opened in 1964 and thrived for a time by using then-cutting-edge innovations like top-to-bottom snowmaking and lighted night skiing. Founder Jim Kelly gave the resort an Irish theme: its nickname was "Kelly's Irish Alps"; the slopes had names like "Shamrock," "Killarney," and "JFK"; and the base lodge housed an Irish-themed saloon that did a rousing business in drinks and live music. But like many small independent ski areas, Brodie lost business over time to larger, higher-capitalized, corporate-owned resorts.
In 1999 the Kellys sold it to the owners of nearby Jiminy Peak, who closed Brodie in 2002 and sold it to a Texas-based condominium developer. The area continued to operate snow tubing, in conjunction with Jiminy Peak, through the 2006-2007 season.
With a vertical drop of 1,250 feet and four chairlifts, Brodie is the largest closed ski area in the Berkshires.
Wind power
Part of the mountain is now proposed for a wind energyWind energy
Wind energy is the kinetic energy of air in motion; see also wind power.Total wind energy flowing through an imaginary area A during the time t is:E = ½ m v2 = ½ v 2...
project.
On November 19, 2010, the last component of the new 10-turbine wind farm was lifted into place. Once the turbines are commissioned and connected to the grid in early 2011, the project will generate 15MW of power.
The Berkshire Wind Power Project is owned by the Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corporation, a non-profit, public power corporation. Members of the cooperative include Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company and the 14 municipal utilities serving these Massachusetts communities:
- Ashburnham
- Boylston
- Groton
- Holden
- Hull
- Ipswich
- Marblehead
- Paxton
- Peabody
- Shrewsbury
- Sterling
- Templeton
- Wakefield
- West Boylston
External links
- Remembering Brodie's Glory Days (currently offline 2011-03-18)
- My Years at Brodie Mountain
- Brodie, MA - New England Lost Ski Areas Project
- Berkshire Wind Coop