Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resorts are a pair of sister ski resorts in Peninsula, Northeast Ohio. Established in 1963 independently, the resorts are currently owned by EPR Properties and operated by Vail Resorts.Barr, Diane. "Alpine Valley, Boston Mills, Brandywine Sold to Vail Resorts as Part of $264M Deal", July 22, 2019. Combined, the resorts contain 18 trails and 11 chairlifts. The Boston Mills Resort features Ohio's steepest slope, and the Brandywine Resort is home to Ohio's largest tubing park.https://ohio.org/travel-inspiration/articles/snow-tube-your-heart-out. ohio.org. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
History The two locations, Boston Mills Ski Resort and Brandywine Ski Resort, developed independently in 1963 as competitors. Brandywine was purchased by the owners of Boston Mills in 1990, forming the dual-resort complex known today. In 2002, Peak Resorts purchased the resorts and operated them until new ownership. In 2019, Vail Resorts acquired Boston Mills and Brandywine as well as Peak Resorts' 15 other ski resorts and facilities.
Soon after new ownership, the ski resorts were forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.MacDonald, Evan. "Boston Mills, Brandywine, Alpine Valley Ski Areas Close for Final Day of Season due to Coronavirus", March 14, 2020 Boston Mills and Brandywine closed on March 14, 2020, which was supposed to be the last day of the 2019–2020 season. 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. In the 2020–2021 season, there were new safety measures and actions taken by Boston Mills and Brandywine to operate safely amidst the pandemic.Stratford, Suzanne. "Boston Mills and Brandywine Prepare for Ski Season Amid Coronavirus", November 10, 2020, . Also, Vail Resorts added an insurance feature to the Epic Pass called Epic Coverage, which provided refunds if the resort closed due to COVID-19 and other unexpected events.
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.McDonnell, Sean. "Vail Resorts is so Short-Staffed it is Cutting Hours at Boston Mills, having Ski Instructors Operate Lifts and Keeping Other Slopes Closed", January 6, 2022, . 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.Glaser, Susan. "Long Lines, Limited Terrain, Reduced Hours: Northeast Ohio Skiers Want Better from Vail at Brandywine, Boston Mills, Alpine Valley", February 3, 2022, . In response to public discontent from the previous year and as an effort to improve the guest experience, Vail Resorts introduced new policies and investments.Glaser, Susan. "Vail Resorts Promises a Turnaround in Ohio, with Expanded Hours, Limited Ticket Sales at Brandywine, Boston Mills, Alpine Valley", August 22, 2022, . For example, the starting pay increased to $20 an hour to resolve the staffing shortage.Glaser, Susan. "Vail Resorts Will Up Starting Pay to $20 Per Hour at Brandywine, Boston Mills, Alpine Valley and all Ski Resorts", March 14, 2022.
Geography Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resorts are located in Peninsula, Northeast Ohio. The two resorts are both within Cuyahoga Valley National Park and about two miles apart. By car, it takes around five minutes to get from one resort to the other.
Features Boston Mills and Brandywine together provide a total of 18 trails, equipped with 4 quad chairlifts, 6 triple chairlifts, and 1 double chairlift. Combined, they have a lift capacity of 20,000 per hour.
Boston Mills Resort
The "Tiger" run at Boston Mills is the steepest slope in the state of Ohio. Boston Mills hosts annual Winter Carnivals, with traditions such as the Slosh Pit, other races, and a costume contest.Keck, Rachel. "Wipe Out! Skiers and Snowboarders Try to Stay Dry in Slosh Pit at Boston Mills' Winter Carnival (Video)", March 6, 2017. For the 2022–2023 season, the Boston Mills Resort invested in the Buena Vista, which is a fixed-grip quad chairlift that replaced the Lift 5 double chairlift.
+TrailsEasierMore DifficultMost DifficultTerrain ParksSummitButtermilkCroylePeter's PrideJug HandleNorth BowlTiger +LiftsLiftLift TypeBuena VistaQuad ChairliftCarpet LiftCarpet LiftLift 1Double ChairliftLift 2Triple ChairliftLift 3Lift 4Lift 6
Brandywine Resort
Polar Blast, Northeast Ohio's largest tubing park, is featured at Brandywine. There are multiple lanes and a two-lane conveyor belt for tubers. For the 2022–2023 season, the Brandywine Resort invested in the Ram Quad, which is a fixed-grip quad chairlift that replaced the Lift 3 triple chairlift.
+TrailsEasierMore DifficultMost DifficultTerrain ParksEasy RiderDown DraftChampagneProgression ParkFrostyOuter LimitsGrizzlyThe ParkJ's RiderShredderRegulator Johnson +LiftsLiftLift TypeCarpet LiftCarpet LiftHandle TowHandle TowLift 1Quad ChairliftLift 2Lift 4Triple ChairliftLift 5Ram QuadQuad ChairliftTubing Carpet LiftCarpet Lift
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