The Thunderbolt Ski Trail"After the work whistles blew, the young men would meet on the trail and practice their technique, making the 2 hour climb just for a single run down. Many of these local amateurs soon became top rated downhill skiers and earned their Class A rating (achieved by skiing the Thunderbolt in under 3 minutes) and a chance to compete against the likes of Dick Durrance, Alex Bright, and Ted Hunter, all of whom were Olympic skiers. They formed clubs with names like The Mt. Greylock Ski Club, The Thunderbolt Ski Club, and the Ski Runners of Adams. In 1939 and 1940, the Ski Runners of Adams, whose members were mostly teen-age farm boys and mill workers from Adams, raced on The Thunderbolt and won the team trophy, beating their rivals, the blue bloods from Dartmouth College."
The Thunderbolt Trail was originally a CCC built ski trail, and in 1936 hosted the United States Eastern Alpine Ski Championships. The trail is located on Massachusetts' Mount Greylock near Adams. Competitors back then, had to hike two hours to get to the top and then race down in a two to three minute run to the finish.With over 2000 feet of vertical drop, the Thunderbolt is still one of the tallest trails anywhere in the East. It's challenging but not so difficult that an intermediate skier couldn't handle it. With the advent of modern ski lifts in the early 40's and 50's, it was abandoned. Fortunately, enthusiasts brought it back to life in the '80s and to this day, it's kept reasonably clear by volunteers. You still have to make that 2 hour hike to the top. There are no lifts.
There are plans to host and celebrate the Thunderbolt Trail with a 75th Anniversary Race next February 20, 2010. Details are sketchy right now but as the next ski season approaches, check back for updated information (see the link below). If you live in the East, this would be a chance to participate and race on a legendary ski trail. You can be a part of ski history. A web site devoted to the Thunderbolt Trail has so much information. Someone did a very good job spending countless hours putting this web page together. It will will have you enthralled for hours with videos, pictures and the history of this famous ski racing trail.
This web page is a wealth of information with photos, interviews, videos and more. It really preserves the Thunderbolt Trail and it's part in ski history. I guaranty you'll spend a lot of time here. The folks who put this website together did an awesome job!
----taken from "A History of the Thunderbolt Ski Trail"
The Thunderbolt Trail was originally a CCC built ski trail, and in 1936 hosted the United States Eastern Alpine Ski Championships. The trail is located on Massachusetts' Mount Greylock near Adams. Competitors back then, had to hike two hours to get to the top and then race down in a two to three minute run to the finish.With over 2000 feet of vertical drop, the Thunderbolt is still one of the tallest trails anywhere in the East. It's challenging but not so difficult that an intermediate skier couldn't handle it. With the advent of modern ski lifts in the early 40's and 50's, it was abandoned. Fortunately, enthusiasts brought it back to life in the '80s and to this day, it's kept reasonably clear by volunteers. You still have to make that 2 hour hike to the top. There are no lifts.
There are plans to host and celebrate the Thunderbolt Trail with a 75th Anniversary Race next February 20, 2010. Details are sketchy right now but as the next ski season approaches, check back for updated information (see the link below). If you live in the East, this would be a chance to participate and race on a legendary ski trail. You can be a part of ski history. A web site devoted to the Thunderbolt Trail has so much information. Someone did a very good job spending countless hours putting this web page together. It will will have you enthralled for hours with videos, pictures and the history of this famous ski racing trail.
See you on the hill,
The Ski Traveler
The Ski Traveler
This web page is a wealth of information with photos, interviews, videos and more. It really preserves the Thunderbolt Trail and it's part in ski history. I guaranty you'll spend a lot of time here. The folks who put this website together did an awesome job!
The Thunderbolt Ski Runners Club
The Thunderbolt Ski Runners will host the 75th Anniversary of the Thunderbolt Ski Race scheduled for February 20, 2010. Check later on for updates and information about the race.
The Thunderbolt Ski Runners will host the 75th Anniversary of the Thunderbolt Ski Race scheduled for February 20, 2010. Check later on for updates and information about the race.
