Boston Mills/Brandywine ski resorts celebrate 60th season

by Dan Holland

Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort, comprised of sister resorts located two miles apart from one another within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, celebrates its 60th season of operation this year.

Boston Mills, located at 7100 Riverview Rd. in Boston Township, celebrated its grand opening the weekend of Dec. 22, and the Brandywine Ski Area, located at 1146 W. Highland Rd. in Sagamore Hills Township, opened mid-January.

“In Northeast Ohio, we know the weather is going to be a rollercoaster, and we take opportunities to make as much snow as we can and be ready to execute,” said Boston Mills/Brandywine Resort General Manager Jake Campbell. “The one big snowy stretch was from the 12th through the 22nd, when we had nonstop snowmaking for ten-plus days. We went from having only a few trails open to 100% coverage.”

Both resorts opened in 1963, with the owners of Boston Mills purchasing Brandywine in 1990, uniting the former competing resorts into one. Vail Resorts acquired both properties in 2019.

The two locales together provide a total of 18 trails and 11 chairlifts. A new Buena Vista quad lift was installed at both locations in 2022, along with a reconfiguration of the rental facilities to provide a more efficient check-in method for guests, according to a resort press release.

Guests can visit both locales in one day with a single lift ticket or an Epic Day Pass. The new “Your Pass” is available via the My Epic app for mobile passes and mobile lift tickets – a new feature that allows guests to use their phone for the ticketing process. The app also includes information such as trail maps, terrain status and resort alerts for snow reports and conditions.

“My Epic app is a huge innovation for the industry,” said Campbell. “Traditionally, you would pick up the hard card media that is scanned – and we still have that offering – but in addition, with the new app, your phone acts as your pass. It uses low energy Bluetooth technology so that your phone can even be scanned in your pocket.”

Boston Mills features the steepest slope in Ohio on Tiger Run, while Brandywine is home to Polar Blast Tubing Park. Popular activities include night skiing, college ID nights and the Slope Days Afterschool Ski School. The resort offers both group and private lessons.

Special events this year will include Joe Rider’s Music Series, S’mores in the Valley, Hot Chocolate Bar with Mugs & Retro Pin Day, Sticks and Tricks and the annual Winter Carnival.

Campbell also stressed popular “off-season” events held on the grounds, including the nationally recognized Boston Mills Artfest, which celebrates its 50th anniversary June 28-30 and July 5-7.

For information, visit bmbw.com. ∞

Photo: The ski resorts had 10 days of non-stop snowmaking when Northeast Ohio weather wasn’t cold enough for natural snow. Photos courtesy of Vail Resort.