Shrewsbury, Massachusetts — While lift-serviced skiing and riding in North America has officially concluded for the 2024-25 season, there are still some ways to put a ski or snowboard on.
While popular across the pond, synthetic ski slopes haven’t really taken off in the United States. There are some notable examples in the country, such as the Liberty Mountain Snow Plex Center and the new Snowflex in Iowa, but the availability remains limited. However, a new ski area has just joined the fray.
Yesterday, Ski Ward opened up a terrain park. A syntheirc slope setup has been added between a couple of features, making it possible to ski or ride down the slopes. This is the same area that’s used for its early snow openings in recent years. The park will be open on Monday through Friday from 11 am to 7 pm.
Situated near Worcester, Massachusetts, Ski Ward is a small feeder hill in the grand scheme of things, but it has grown into national prominence in recent years. The ski area features nine trails, 5 lifts, and a vertical drop of 220 feet.
It’s gained notoriety in recent years thanks to its Latitude 90 Snowmaking system, which has allowed it to be the first to open for skiing and riding in North America the past two seasons. This system was installed in order to provide ski lessons for novices starting in early November. While technically not the first to open for the 2024-25 season (A-Basin got that accolade thanks to being open for daily operations), it’s cool to see a small ski area in Massachusetts making lots of noise.
Image/Video Credits: Ski Ward
