Mount Raimer (Petersburg Pass)
A ski area on the New York-Massachusetts line beside Route 2, opened in 1962 as Petersburg Pass and closed in 1980.
- Region
- New York
- Country
- USA
- Status
- closed
- Year opened
- 1962
- Year closed
- 1980
- Reason for closure
- Financial difficulties, including the steep approach up Route 2 and a lack of water for snowmaking; a planned expansion onto the western side of the ridge was never completed
History
The ski area opened in 1962 as Petersburg Pass, on Route 2 where New York meets Massachusetts, and was founded by two Sprague Electric executives. It was later called Taconic Trails and finally Mount Raimer, after Mark Raimer, who is recorded as reopening it in 1972. It opened with a Poma double chairlift, and a novice surface lift was added below the base in 1964. The area struggled for much of its life because of the steep climb up Route 2 and the lack of water for snowmaking, and it did not operate for several seasons in the 1970s. Trails cut towards the western side of the ridge were never completed, and the area closed around 1980. The double chair was later bought by Ski Butternut. Since about 2010 there has been interest in backcountry skiing on some of the old trails and glades. The sources disagree on whether the area lay mostly in New York or partly in Massachusetts.
Lifts
| Name | Type | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double chair | Chairlift - Double | Poma | Opened with the area; about 3,000 ft long; later sold to Ski Butternut |
| Beginner lift | Surface lift | Poma | Novice lift below the base area, added in 1964; about 1,400 ft long |
Runs
- Panorama (Novice)
- West Ridge (Novice)
- Berlin (Intermediate)
- Berlin Corridor
- Cut Thru
- Zoomer (Expert)
- The Drop (Expert)
- Deer Hollow (Novice)
- Twist (Intermediate)
Sources and further reading
More in USA
Location
42.7160, -73.2840