Most people might not know Massachusetts for skiing, but it actively maintains several resorts. After the 2002 season, owners abandoned Brodie Mountain, one of its most iconic ski areas, leaving many buildings and structures standing to this day. Urban explorers Urbax Vibes took a trip to this empty and decaying resort, checking out the ski area that once hosted a Johnny Cash film set.
Abandoned Brodie Mountain
Brodie Mountain‘s history dates back to at least 1933, when the Mt. Greylock Ski Club constructed the first trail. It was reportedly an 8 to 14 foot wide run, dropping 1,200 vertical feet over the course of 2.25 miles, but access to the trail during its first winter required permission from landowner Gregory Makaroff.
The first “lift” saw construction on the mountain in 1939, with a 1,100 foot long rope tow installed by Charles Wright of Madison, Wisconsin and Louis Ericson of Bridgeport, Connecticut. It featured an 85-horsepower motor and served the  the Gold and Silver trails. Following the death of Gregory Makaroff, the property wound up under the ownership of John Kelly, owner of Kelly Hardwood.
In early 1964, Kelly’s son Jim scouted out top locations for new trails, and trail clearing commenced on April 28, 1964. The mountain also installed two Stadeli lifts and 360 lights for night skiing. Brodie reopened for the first time in a decade during the 1964-65 season with five trails and an 850 foot vertical drop.
During the 1969-70 season, Johnny Cash filmed scenes for a made-for-TV movie “Trail of Tears” at the ski area. The mountain’s snowmaking system allowed the film crew to simulate a blizzard. Ted Kennedy visited the area later that same season, causing quite a stir.
After several decades of successful and less-than-successful ski season, Brodie Mountain was closed down due to the requirements for more investments that simply weren’t justified with the remaining skier-base. Today it remains abandoned and unused.
