Pheasant Run was a small area in Leominster but with a large lift capacity, which started operations before 1966. It was originally called Leominster (municipal area) and then was renamed Pheasant Run.   I'm sure it got crowded!  It had snowmaking and a 225 foot drop.  A second T-bar was built during the early 1970's.  According to Brian O'Malley, one of the neat events they offered was Florida Night, where if you brought an orange, you could for $2.00 on Tuesday nights in 1978!

By 1979 the area had probably closed, and in the late 1990's the area was developed for housing.

1966
(America's Ski Book)
T-bar, tows
225 foot drop
Snowmaking

1969 (Eastern Ski Map) T-bar, 5 tows 5 slopes, 2 trails (nov and int) Ski school, snowmaking, packer

Here's an ad from the ski map in 1969

Here's an ad from 1969-1970 that shows the trail map.  Looked like a nice area, similar to Nashoba Valley.  They even had a glad skiing area on the bottom left of the area.  Thanks to Dave Hilton who provided this to NELSAP!

1973
(Ski Guide to the Northeast)
1.5 miles west of Leominster, Mass, on Exchange Street
Base elevation: 525 feet
Vertical drop: 225 feet
Exposure: north
Features: Area operates daily, snowmaking equipment, night skiing (7 to 1030 pm)
Ski shop, snack bar, rentals, nursery, 5 lifts (2 T-bars, 3 tows) with 4400 per hour capacity
2 trails, parking for 200 cars
Ski school: George Awad, Director.  American Technique (20 instructors, 1 certified)
Rates: Weekday $3.00 adult and junior
Weekend: $4.00 adult and junior.
Season-$60.00 adult, $50.00 junior

Mid 1970's Brochure provided by the New England Ski Museum Here's a good trail map of the ski area. Notice the series of rope tows in the center and the two T-bars on either side. Perhaps the funniest thing here is the saying about the lawyers and cowboys...interesting, huh?

1979
(Eastern Ski Map)
2 T-bars, 2 tows
2 slopes, 2 trails (nov and int)
Ski school, packers, 225 foot drop

1990's We have one last aerial shot from Terraserver before the housing development. Notice how the trails had grown in somewhat. There were two wide slopes on the left, and a series of slender squiggles on the right.

1999
(Personal Visit)
My mom and I went to visit Pheasant Run in early February.  Similar to some other areas, like Hidden Valley in Ashburnham, Pheasant Run has been developed as a housing project.  Can you guess the name?  If you guessed "Pheasant Run", you guessed right.   The only trace we could find of a ski area was a lift line that was about 100 feet long (picture coming soon) and grown in trails behind people's home.  Possibly an old parking lot too.  Interestingly enough, one of our NELSAP readers, Brian McBride lives on this ski area!

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