Oak 'N Spruce

Oak 'N Spruce
South Lee, MA
Before 1949-Early 1970's or so
(may have been used much later off and on)

Oak 'N Spruce once offered beginners a place to learn on their very own slope and tow. The ski area opened sometime in the 1940's with a 300 foot tow serving a novice area. Night skiing was available throughout its existence, giving skiers a chance to practice after dark. Other winter options including skating and tobogganing. Snowmaking was added in its latest years, but was probably a very small snowmaking system.

The ski area continued to operate until the 1970's, when it likely officially closed, likely due to much larger nearby Berkshire Resorts. However, the area was possibly used later than that, on an unofficial basis. In the 1990's an expansion at the resort excavated away half the slope.

All that remains today of Oak N Spruce is one rope tow tower, and an A Frame structure at the terminus of the lift. Part of this A Frame has been absorbed into a nearby tree.

Year	Lifts	Trails	Other Info	Source
1949	300' rope tow	Beginner slope	Equipment for rent, located mile from Beartown area, instructor	Where to Ski
1953	Tow	Same	"A mile east of Beartown is the popular year-round resort, Oak 'N' Spruce, at South Lee, owned by Frank Prinz, Al Prinz's brother (of Beartown fame). Oak 'N' Spruce has its own ski tow and slopes and offers night skiing and skating under floodlights. Its on route 102, between Lee and Stockbridge."	Ski Time Magazine
1964	Tow	Novice slope	Ski School, packers, snowmaking	Eastern Ski Map
1971	Rope tow	2 slopes	Night skiing, toboggan run, sleighing, ice skating, dining room, cocktails, meals, rooms, dancing, ski rentals, instruction	MA-A Guide to the Pilgrim State (from Betsy McDonough)

Maria Robarge: Back in the winter of 1960-61, I was a Freshman at Lowell State Teacher's College. We went on a ski trip to the Oak 'n Spruce Lodge. Our group had many mishaps. Some worse than others, including myself. It was then I decided that skiing was not for me!

Here's Maria with her skis, with the ski slope in the background.

The view from the top of Oak 'N' Spruce. Tow is on the right, which starts at a likely ski lodge. Ice skating rink located just left of this lodge. Looks like a nice packed powder day!

2001

Nearly the same view today! Rope tow tower and lift line on right. The bottom part of the slope has been excavated for the parking lot of the new condo type complex. Not much remains of the alpine ski complex at Oak N Spruce. Dec 8, 2001.

Dave Argueso stayed at the inn over Memorial Day weekend, 2006 and took the following pictures. He also has this update on the area:

Anyhow, a lot has changed since 2001, they have added an outdoor pool on the slope side of the base lodge, plus have a basketball court behind pool and next to both the pool and the court is an 18-hole miniature golf. They have added more condos across the street from the base lodge (Welcome Center) which is not listed on the resort map. The ski slope was located up above Bldg #30 and sloped towards Bldgs #18-20. The Rope tow started around the middle of Bldg #19.

To the right is a picture of the lodge.

Looking down the old slope.

Now about the tow, the original photo taken in 2001 of the tow tower is the same one I photographed. The good news is I found the return tower about 30 yards beyond it. It is a tripod return wheel tower, as you can tell with the overgrowth the tower has a pine tree growing next it. The A frame structure if that was the lift house is now gone, all that is left is the electrical outlet for the tow and the actual tow rope. I checked with Beth Bacon, RCI Rep at the Resort on that, she mentioned the tow line had been left up until about 8 years ago and was used before that on and off whenever they were in the mood to run it.

To the left is the tow tower that is still standing.

A closeup of the tower.
	The return for the lift, now in the woods.

As for the Base Lodge, is it going through an extensive renovation on the interior, but all of the original base lodge is still in use. The first floor has a bar, movie theater, game room, and snack bar plus the main check-in center while all of the offices are upstairs on the second floor of the lodge. The exterior still looks the same with some modifications as you can see with the Check-In entrance where I photographed their sign.

All of the exteriors of the condo buildings have an Adirondack theme to them, very tastefully done.

To the right is the remnants of the tow rope.