Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resorts

Last updated
Boston Mills/Brandywine
Logo of Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resorts.jpeg
Location Boston Township / Sagamore Hills Township, Summit County, near Peninsula, Ohio, USA
Nearest major city Akron, Ohio
Coordinates 41°15′53″N81°33′52″W / 41.2648°N 81.5644°W / 41.2648; -81.5644 (Boston Mills)
41°17′06″N81°33′06″W / 41.2849°N 81.5517°W / 41.2849; -81.5517 (Brandywine)
StatusOperating
Owner EPR Properties
Vertical240 ft
Skiable area79 acres
Runs 18
Longest runButtermilk (BM) / Outer Limits (BW)
Lift system 15
Terrain parks Yes, 3
Snowmaking Yes, 100%
Night skiing Yes
Website bmbw.com

Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resorts are a pair of sister ski resorts in Peninsula, Northeast Ohio. [1] Established in 1963 independently, the resorts are currently owned by EPR Properties and operated by Vail Resorts. [2] Combined, the resorts contain 18 trails and 11 chairlifts. [3] The Boston Mills Resort features Ohio's steepest slope, [4] and the Brandywine Resort is home to Ohio's largest tubing park. [5] Boston Mills/Brandywine has also been involved in several lawsuits. [6] [7]

Contents

History

The two locations, Boston Mills Ski Resort and Brandywine Ski Resort, developed independently in 1963 as competitors. [8] Brandywine was purchased by the owners of Boston Mills in 1990, forming the dual-resort complex known today. [9] In 2002, Peak Resorts purchased the resorts and operated them until new ownership. [10] In 2019, Vail Resorts acquired Boston Mills and Brandywine as well as Peak Resorts' 15 other ski resorts and facilities. [2]

Soon after new ownership, the ski resorts were forced to close due to the Covid-19 pandemic. [11] Boston Mills and Brandywine closed on March 14, 2020, which was supposed to be the last day of the 2019-2020 season. [11] This decision was made when confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ohio reached 26 for the first time, with Governor Mike DeWine banning mass gatherings earlier in the week. [11] In the 2020-2021 season, there were new safety measures and actions taken by Boston Mills and Brandywine to operate safely amidst the pandemic. [12] Also, Vail Resorts added and insurance feature to the Epic Pass called Epic Coverage, which provided refunds if the resort closed due to Covid-19 and other unexpected events. [12] In 2022, the ski resorts experienced a staff shortage, which was said to be largely caused by Covid-19 and the relatively low wage of $11.25 an hour, resulting in only the Boston Mills location to be open at the start of an already delayed season. [13] Many local skiers expressed displeasure toward the management and operations of Boston Mills and Brandywine, with complaints being long lines fueled by limited operating hours, lack of employees to operate the ski lifts, and increased Epic Pass sales. [14] In response to public

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Boston Mills/ Brandywine Ski Resorts
Location of Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resorts

discontent from the previous year and as an effort to improve the guest experience, Vail Resorts introduced new policies and investments. [15] For example, the starting pay increased to $20 an hour to resolve the staffing shortage. [16]

Geography

Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resorts are located in Peninsula, Northeast Ohio. [1] The two resorts are both within Cuyahoga Valley National Park and about two miles apart. [17] By car, it takes around five minutes to get from one resort to the other. [18]

Features

Boston Mills and Brandywine together provide a total of 18 trails, equipped with 4 quad chairlifts, 6 triple chairlifts, and 1 double chairlift. [3] Combined, they have a lift capacity of 20,000 per hour. [4]

Boston Mills Resort

Trails
EasierMore DifficultMost DifficultTerrain Parks
SummitButtermilkCroylePeter's Pride
Jug HandleNorth Bowl
Tiger
Lifts
LiftLift Type
Buena VistaQuad Chairlift
Carpet LiftCarpet Lift
Lift 1Double Chairlift
Lift 2Triple Chairlift
Lift 3
Lift 4
Lift 6

Brandywine Resort

Trails
EasierMore DifficultMost DifficultTerrain Parks
Easy RiderDown DraftChampagneProgression Park
FrostyOuter LimitsGrizzlyThe Park
J's RiderShredderRegulator Johnson
Lifts
LiftLift Type
Carpet LiftCarpet Lift
Handle TowHandle Tow
Lift 1Quad Chairlift
Lift 2
Lift 4Triple Chairlift
Lift 5
Ram QuadQuad Chairlift
Tubing Carpet LiftCarpet Lift

Lawsuits

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References

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