Thunderbolt Ski Race Returns On Feb. 11
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Last year, some skiers dressed up the downtown statue of President William McKinley for the event. |
The race is a 1.6-mile downhill run that began as a tradition in 1935 when it hosted the state's championship downhill skiing race. The last formal race was help in 1948 but local skiers have recently resurrected race.
"The Thunderbolt is unlike any ski race you might see on television or at a ski area," Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said in a press release on Thursday. "First of all there's no ride up to the top, and the trail itself is fast, narrow and tough. In Adams, we like to think of ourselves as the hub for outdoors recreation in the Berkshires and the Thunderbolt epitomizes that. To celebrate the race and winter in the Berkshires, this year we are offering Thunderfest in town after the race."
Thunderfest is a winter festival featuring two live bands, local food vendors, chili and chowder cook-off, local beverages and a bonfire. The event was organized by the Pro Adams group and sponsored by the Adams Community Bank - the recently formed bank from the merger of South Adams Savings Bank and Adams Cooperative Bank, the town Event Committee and ALADCO.
"The ski race attracts thousands of people to Adams. We'd love to have them and anyone else come down to town to see a bit of what Adams has to offer," organizer Dave Bissaillon said.
Thunderfest kicks off at noon and ends at five at the Discover the Berkshire Visitor's Center on Hoosac Street. Admission is free to both the race and the festival.
"Adams Community Bank is excited to be a sponsor of this year's Thunderfest," Adams Community Bank CEO Charlie O'Brien said. "This is the very first event Adams Community Bank will sponsor and we are pleased that it is in Adams – our bank's founding town."
The Thunderbolt Ski Trail was originally cleared down the precipitous east slope of Mount Greylock in the 1930s as a public works project. It quickly became known for the annual world-class race that attracted top skiers from across the country and Europe. With the advent of ski areas, the trail fell into disrepair after World War 2 until 2008 when a group of backcountry ski and snowboard enthusiasts took it on themselves to restore the historic ski run and revive the race.
"It’s as thrilling a ski run as you'll find anywhere and we love seeing lots of spectators as we whiz by, so please come and watch," Blair Mahar, one the founders of the Thunderbolt Ski Runners who maintain the trail and organize the annual race.
The run is 1.6 miles long with a vertical drop of 2,050 feet and grades as steep as 35 degrees.
More information can be found at the Thunderfest's Facebook page.
