Catamount Ski Area, located on the Massachusetts / New York state line near South Egremont, Massachusetts and Hillsdale, NY, is one of the original Berkshire ski areas in the Northeast founded in 1939. The careers of its owners, the Gilbert and Edwards families, ski area management is extensive – going back more than 60 years. Catamount first opened in 1939 by John (Jack) Fisher. The mountain was served by three rope tows – two 1,000′ long, the third 800′ long. A 500-vertical-foot climb beyond the summit of the tows was required to reach the summit. Catamount has remained one of the top recreation draws in the Berkshires, thanks to philosophy of continually improving and expanding the ski area and its services.  Since acquisition, the team has added lifts – including two chairlifts and three Wonder Carpet lifts; greatly upgraded facilities for beginner skiers and riders; and nearly doubled the amount of skiable terrain at the mountain and continued to diversify the summer operations.

Trail expansions and improvements included such popular runs as Sidewinder (originally built in 1990, and re-cut and re-graded in 2001; Catapult, the steepest run in the Berkshires; Upper Promenade, which now gives beginners a mile-long run and affords more experienced skiers nearly a 2 mile route from the summit, and one of the Berkshire’s best snow terrain parks. In 2006, Catamount replaced the old Ridge Run Double Chair with a new Summit Quad Chair Lift. This increased uphill capacity to the summit tremendously. Also, the boardercross was moved to Sunrise and expanded for double the fun. The Fishers Fluke trail was added in 2014 as was glade skiing in the meadows area.

In 2009, Catamount opened the first self-guided Arial Adventure Park to operate at a ski resort.  Currently this park has in excess of 170 elements making it one of the largest in New England.

Chatham’s annual WinterFest event will be held Saturday, December 16, 2017 10:00am-6:00pm.

Art Exhibit with work by CHS Arts Students at 15 Main Street

Marshall Miles Interviews Sam Posy on the annual art exhibit and show at Indian Mountain School

Alex Marshall, who will be speaking on Thursday night at St James Place, will help put our local situation in broader context, and provide a jumping-off point for a fresh conversation about the future of Berkshire County. There will be time to talk and ask questions before the lecture as well as after it, and Nat Karns from the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and a member of the working group for the “Berkshire Flyer” proposal, will be with us, so there will be lots of expertise to draw on.

Alex Marshall, by the way, was recommended to me by the literary executor of Lewis Mumford, the eminent writer on cities who lived most of his life in Amenia, New York. I came to the Berkshires in 1993 because I was taken with Mumford’s utopian ideal of regional cities as the best solution to our global environmental problems. Mumford’s idea was that small cities could offer the best of urban life – enough people, educational and cultural opportunities, and jobs – together with the best of rural living.

In theory, modern telecommunications make that easier than ever before. But the fact is that rural areas are neglected, and face an unhappy spiral today. Trains are one of the major transformational technologies in history, and can transform our future. Harvard professor John Stilgoe puts it this way in his book Train Time: “When the railroad returns, not if, it will not only transform the half-forgotten jewels that lie along the nation’s obscure operating railroad routes but also reshape regions far from existing tracks. Return will alter everyday life more dramatically than the arrival of personal computers, internet connections, or cell phones.”

There is lots to talk about. Join us Thursday for a fascinating program and important conversation!

Click here for full details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-trains-changed-history-and-shaped-our-world-with-alex-marshall-tickets-39562749248. (The program is free for the public, but we hope you’ll also make a donation.)

West Cornwall, Connecticut, next to the historic covered bridge

860-248-3252

Monday                  Closed

Tuesday                 7 am to 3 pm

Wednesday            7 am to 3 pm

Thursday                7 am to 8 pm

Friday                     7 am to 9 pm

Saturday                 7 am to 9 pm

Sunday                   7 am to 5 pm

* Sunday breakfast is 7 am  to 1 pm

Sunday Lunch is      1 pm to 5 pm

2017 VOCAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT

Crescendo Vocal Ensemble with Soprano and Baroque Guitarist Salome Sandoval, and Latin American and Baroque Period Instruments, directed by Christine Gevert

Continuing the tradition of an Early Music Holiday Concert the week after Christmas, this year Crescendo offers a festive concert with villancicos and polyphonic Renaissance compositions from the Iberian and Latin American countries. The villancico was a common poetic and musical form of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America, popular from the late 15th to 18th centuries. Spain had a rich tradition of highly developed polyphonic music. Works by Guerrero, Morales, Araujo, Enzina and Torrejón y Velasco.

December 29, 2017 at 6 pm – Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA

Name-brand, used hockey skates in very good condition $20 Nearly-new snow boards  $50- $100, used downhill ski poles $5, brand new cross-country and downhill ski equipment, snow shoes, ski clothing and much, much more at great discount prices.There will be literally thousands of ski and skate related items for sale, new and used, when SWSA  hosts its popular Annual Ski Swap ‘n Sale, Saturday, December 2nd at the Lakeville Hose Company.The sale begins at 8am Saturday and ends at 11am. Maybe you want to sell those ski boots or skates that your child outgrew after one year of use! SWSA directors will be on hand Friday, Dec. 1st from 4-7pm. to help you price your items for sale. Please note: Items to be sold will only be accepted on Friday, Dec. 1st from 4-7 pm. No items will be accepted on Saturday morning. Equipment eligible for sale includes downhill skis, boots and poles; cross country skis, boots and poles; ice skates, hockey equipment, snowboards and boots and snow shoes. No clothing please. From 11 am to noon on Saturday, you can pick up your money for equipment sold or retrieve your unsold items. Any equipment remaining after noon on Saturday will become the property of SWSA. “We’re not sure that everyone knows that a large part of our sale involves new merchandise,” SWSA President Ken Barker said. “We bring in a massive amount of new winter sports equipment and winter clothing at bargain basement prices. It’s almost like walking into a sporting goods store. Anyone could literally do most of their Christmas shopping there,” he added.The Lakeville Hose Company will offer coffee and donuts for sale. Proceeds from the sale will benefit several SWSA youth ski programs. Check SWSA’s website www.jumpfest.org for more details.

CHRISTMAS ANGELICUS – A New England Tradition

 v  Friday, December 15, 7:30 p.m., St Michael’s Church, Litchfield

v  Saturday, December 16, 4:00 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, Torrington

v  Sunday, December 17, 4:00 p.m., Salisbury Congregational Church, Salisbury

v  Friday, December 22, 7:30 p.m., Collinsville Congregational Church, Collinsville

v  Saturday, December 23, 7:30 p.m., St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church, Hartford

Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus

John McDonough, narrator

Vaughn Mauren, organist

Dr. Gabriel Löfvall, director

‘Tis the time to make merry! Christmas in Connecticut would not be the same if you missed one of these priceless performances. Churches and chapels across Northwest Connecticut resonate with the music of the season, as this tradition continues to draw packed houses. An assortment of carols, both old and new, skillfully executed by the pure voices of Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus, is at the center of the concert, along with poignant and cheery readings masterfully delivered by actor John McDonough. Pick a location and hurry to get your ticket: sold-out concerts are part of the tradition.

Join The White Gallery on Saturday, November 25th from 5 to 7pm to see the best of their gallery artists’ work, welcome new artists to The White Gallery, and celebrate the arrival of Sue Shwarz and Gallery 315 Home to the village. Kick off the holidays by enjoying art and conversation with the artists, your friends, and family.

Marshall Miles interviews Brian Ohler on Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy’s choice of spending cuts to local communities.