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INTERVAL WORLD
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Fall 2015 IntervalWorld.com
Play Outdoors
With five downhill ski mountains, three tubing parks, and miles of
cross-country and snowshoe trails, there are plenty of places to
play in the snow. Ski the region’s longest run on
Catamount
’s 2.5-
mile route; 40 percent of Catamount’s terrain is for beginners, but
its Catapult trail is the steepest in the Berkshires. Seeking a range
of trails?
Jiminy Peak
has 45, which include beginner terrain, chal-
lenging expert trails, and three terrain parks; or
Butternut
— its
entire 110 acres of trails are covered with state-of-the-art snow-
making. For after-dark skiing, opt for
Berkshire East
.
The best ski areas for kids include
Bosquet
, offering all-day
ski and snowboard programs for children that include lunch, a
lesson, and a lift ticket; and
Notchview
in Windsor, where young
skiers have the Kinderloop to themselves. Experienced skiers can
explore Notchview’s backcountry terrain for spectacular views.
Prefer to zip across the snow
sans
skis? Butternut, Berkshire
East, and Bosquet also have tubing parks.
For snowshoeing (and cross-country skiing), head to the 316-
acre
Field Farm
in Williamstown, which offers one of the best
views of Mount Greylock from its flat, gentle terrain. While you’re
there, admire snow-covered art in the sculpture garden, and tour
the youngest house museum in New England, a landmark of mod-
ernist architecture. And if you’re up bright and early,
Canterbury
Farm
in Becket offers Sunday morning nature tours on snow-
shoes or skis to habitats of beaver, otter, moose, bear, and small
mammals, along with ski trails and a skating rink.
There are plenty of other places to ice-skate, too: Monterey,
Dalton, and several other towns offer public outdoor rinks.
Admire Art
World-famous Tanglewood puts the Berkshires on the summer arts
map, but winter visitors still find plenty of culture. Williamstown is
home to the outstanding
Clark Art Institute
, best known for
impressionists and post-impressionists, with more than 30 Renoir
paintings and multiple works by Manet, Monet, and Degas.
Other highlights include premier Winslow Homer paintings and
works by Goya and Tiepolo. The museum’s Café Seven is a
good lunch stop.
Also in Williamstown, the nearby
Williams College Museum
of Art
is a cultural powerhouse, with excellent Egyptian, Greco-
Roman, and pre-Columbian art, as well as monumental stone
reliefs from the Palace of Ashurnasirpal II.
For modern-day marvels, visit the
Massachusetts Museum
of Contemporary Art
(Mass MoCA), a rambling series of galleries
that fill a former North Adams textile mill with installations and
exhibits that explore vision and sound, challenging everything you
thought you knew about art. A child-focused gallery, Kidspace,
engages young viewers with curated works and a hands-on studio.
Check the museum’s events calendar before your visit: Mass
Whether in town or on a quiet country road, you won’t have to look far for New England architecture framed by natural beauty.
Masterfile; Walter Bibikow/age fotostock/SuperStock; Sarah Edwards/Norman Rockwell Museum