Video: Brice Shirbach Explores Charlemont, Massachusetts

Nov 2, 2023
by Brice Shirbach  
Underexposed is a self-shot and produced series by Pivot Cycles athlete Brice Shirbach dedicated to showcasing trail advocacy and stewardship while exploring a variety of trails in unfamiliar places. Join Brice as he explores the personal motivations behind the effort that goes into mountain bike advocacy while sampling the trails they work so hard for.

Words: Brice Shirbach

My first visit to the Warfield Trails of Charlemont came on the heels of a quick trip to Vermont. My good friend and photographer extraordinaire, Katie Lozancich, was keen to show me some of the trails available on the other side of the Deerfield River opposite Thunder Mountain Bike Park. Thunder has long been recognized as one of the more progressive and complete bike parks in all of North America, with its intoxicating mix of natural tech and pristine flow, as well as some of the largest freeride bike park features outside of British Columbia. It’s a destination through and through, and has cast quite a large shadow across the rest of the Charlemont and the Berkshire Mountains of Western Mass, so when Katie suggested I stop by on my way home from Vermont, I was incredibly curious about what I’d find across from the esteemed mountain playground.

Driving south from the route 100 corridor of Vermont and across the state line into Massachusetts is, well, actually quite lovely. The Green Mountains are synonymous with the Green Mountain State of Vermont (I know…duh.), however, they don’t just end because of some imaginary lines we decided to draw on a map hundreds of years ago. The very same physiographic subrange of the Appalachians actually travels from as far south as Connecticut to as far north as Quebec. Crossing into Western Massachusetts from Vermont means crossing from the Green Mountains to the Berkshire Mountains. Same mountains, different names.

Charlemont itself is situated along the Deerfield River on the border of Franklin and Berkshire Counties. The town of less than 1,200 is about 6 miles south of the Vermont line, accessed primarily by the Mohawk Trail, also known as Route 2, and is 45 miles northwest of Springfield, MA and 106 miles northwest of "Beantown".

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My first impressions were that of familiarity. I spend so much of my time in Vermont, and never stopped to really consider how western Mass is effectively an extension of a landscape I’ve come to love over the years. The rolling landscape is dotted with farms and buildings that appear to date as far back as the 19th century. The Warfield Inn is a town staple, situated on 540 acres overlooking the Deerfield River and Berkshire East Resort. Throughout those 540 acres you’ll find a network of progressive all mountain trails aptly called the Warfield Trails, and that’s where I discovered for myself just how brilliant this place was. The Warfield trail network utilizes just over 700 vertical feet of relief spread out among the property and delivers some of the loamiest, technical, and brilliant trails in all of New England. I found myself somewhat shocked by how much fun I was having here. The trails throughout the Warfield property are hand built and showcase the region’s amazing dirt and natural terrain in a manner appropriate for intermediate riders and up. High speeds, a variety of cambers, natural hits, and several rock slabs make for an unforgettable rip through the northern hardwood forests of the Berkshires.

Both the Warfield property as well as Berkshire East Resort are owned by Jon Schaefer and his family, with Jon also founding the local trail association, Deerfield River Trails. While the trails found throughout the Warfield Property as well as nearby Hawley State Forest have been around for decades, it would be the 2015 opening of Thunder Mountain Bike Park that would serve as the catalyst for a comprehensive vision of what mountain biking could really look like for Charlemont and the rest of the Berkshires.

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“Anybody can go build a trail,” he says when I asked him about the marriage of the bike park and the existing trails. “It takes time, vision, and diligence to maintain it and turn it into a network. We are blessed with the Hawley State Forest, which is located right at the top of Thunder Mountain, and we’re just now making the connectors to the forest. You have 40 miles of rolling terrain without much climbing. You have the Warfield House here, which is a bit more progressive and enduro-ish style of riding. Beyond that there are more opportunities. We estimate that there may be 65 miles or so of trails throughout the town outside of the bike park. The network is there, so now it’s about infrastructure. Signs, parking, and accessibility. Is the community itself ready to give visitors the experience they’re coming here for? Everybody wants to be Kingdom Trails, but there’s a lot of work that goes into that. You need to have the support around the trails in order to make it work. That just takes a lot of time and belief.”

From what I have seen of Charlemont, the belief is there. The terrain throughout Western Mass and the Berkshire Mountains is very much out of most outdoor lovers’ dreams, with abundant white water, rock climbing, skiing, paddling, and bike opportunities around every corner, and a growing number of businesses and volunteers seem more than ready to anchor Charlemont’s identity to those outdoor pursuits. Mountain biking might be a few decades in already, but over the next couple of years I wouldn’t be surprised to see it at the top of the heap for the sleepy mountain community when it comes to the social and economic fabric of the region.

“We’re really into the second generation of ‘true believers’ of the trail system around here,” Jon says with a knowing smile. “And once those folks really wrap their heads around it, I think you’ll see it take off even more.”

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Member since Dec 5, 2013
126 articles

27 Comments
  • 22 0
 If you ever get a chance, Charlemont trails are amazing! And it's not as remote as they make it sound, it's only a 2.5 hr drive from Boston Airport, and drive on Rt 2 is beautiful (stop at French Kings Bridge, get some pastries in Shelburne Falls, check out the bridge of flowers, Raven Used books, and the falls itselt. Take 10 days at a silent meditation retreat, ride at Thunder Mountain and if you get bored there, drive an hr to Jiminy Peak, Catamont State Forest, Charlemont Trail system, take a short hike to tannery falls. Bring your road bike and climb up Mt Greylock. Western MA is a pretty incredible place.


But beware rainy days, or humid summer mornings, those roots (and some of the rocks) become as slippery as a snotted salmon.
  • 9 1
 Also, Treehouse Brewery in Deerfield is only about 35 mins away. Great beer!
  • 11 0
 Thunder is pretty awesome too. They actually care for their trails. It's late in the season and you can still do a smooth ride on Cat and Mouse, most other parks a chunky and beat up at this point. It shows what can happen when you keep Vail Resorts out of the picture. And in winter both Catamount and Berkshire East have bump lives that are rare in the Northeast.
  • 2 0
 @Endurahbrah:

The GOLD STANDARD of New England style IPAs (and more) if you ask me.

Julius and it's derivates is... I dunno... it just doesn't get any better IMO.
  • 16 1
 I'm so stoked to see Western Mass getting some exposure! I grew up in VT, and lived in Bellingham, WA for a bunch of years, and in terms of accessibility to trails and quality, I'd put Western MA right up there with both of those places. Thunder and Warfield are sweet spots, but the Hawley trails are a gem, very much a backcountry experience, and within a 45 minute drive there are another seven or eight places to spend a day (or multiple days) exploring with everything from xc flow to old school rock crawling to handbuilt enduro madness. Western Massachusetts is for mountain bikers.
  • 2 0
 I grew up in WMA and am struggling to believe this, but I'll bring the van + bike on my next visit back to the folks' place and spend some time checking it out.
  • 9 0
 rode here for TNE this year and these are some of the best and most underrated trails in New England. Theres a great trail advocacy maintaining them and a passionate group of individuals in the area. Also SO to Katie L for the amazing imagery.
  • 1 0
 These trails are unreal! Katie Lo is a big reason why I came here in the first place! The photos in this piece are actually all self-portraits, but you can find some of Katie's stunning handiwork here: www.pivotcycles.com/en/chasing-hues
  • 4 0
 I ride Thunder almost every weekend during the season and had never hit Warfield trails until this year. Fantastic stuff. Coupled with the amazing bike park across the street and the great food/beer/coffee/swimming holes in the local area, it really spoils us that are (somewhat) local to here. Thank you Jon and crew. See you this weekend!
  • 2 2
 To be fair, the Warfield trails haven't been that great until very recently. They started out as meandering switchbacking trails with not enough interesting features, were overcorrected into fall-line enduro trails (in some case literally just straight-lines through the switchbacks. It's only been in the last two years that the Schaefers have brought in professional trail builders to make them legit. It's not like Jon and his crew are the ones building the trails.
  • 5 1
 @skywalkdontrun: He may not be building them himself, but he did hire professionals to build the trails into what they are now. And that’s why I’m thanking him.
  • 3 0
 @schwaaa31: and hats off to Deerfield River Trails, the local 501c3 trail association. It's a super motivated, highly dedicated and stoked group of volunteers who are fighting the good fight throughout the region. Lots of the trails that everyone loves come courtesy of some good old fashioned sweat equity.
  • 2 0
 @schwaaa31: Absolutely. It was a minor sticking point. Super stoked that the trails are getting some exposure.
  • 11 0
 @skywalkdontrun: No professional trail builders were brought into work at Warfield House. All volunteer and local. Big shout out to Luke Toritto, Scott, Katie, and crew, Harold G., and I've got a few calluses on my paws myself. I would say the trails have ridden in nicely over the years, but they are the same rugged, raw trails they were always...
  • 2 0
 @jschaefer: I stand corrected. Big kudos to you and your crew.
  • 3 0
 I've been fortunate enough to spend a fair bit of time in this beautful place. The trails, both on and off the mountain, are so sweet. Definately worth your while. John and his family have been putting their heart and soul into this place for decades. Some well deserved kudos.
  • 5 0
 born and raised in Holyoke MA, and my bro would always go to this area and the Mt. Holyoke range to ride. He's the one who got me into MTB!
  • 4 0
 Place looks amazing. I’m always jealous of trails that appear tacky vs. the dust bowl we ride in here in the Okanagan most of the season.
  • 3 0
 Concur, love thunder. Been meaning to ride CT. As others have said so many good spots along the NY /MA border and all the way up to VT.
  • 4 2
 Long way to go before Charlemont becomes anything like KT. The town locals hate all the mountain bikers, its a shame because Thunder seems like its propping up the entire towns economy.
  • 3 2
 Agree with the locals perception of the mountain bikers. Berkshire East/Thunder is the single largest employer in the town, but that's because there isn't anything else. It's weird that a ski/bike town doesn't have a single private ski or bike shop. There's just the mountain shop, which is pretty lackluster tbh.
  • 8 3
 The Charlemont locals hate pretty much anyone that isnt from charlemont...they bitch about the the other hilltowners and for sure anyone from east of 495. Too bad, the world's moving on without them.
  • 10 0
 @Km303: @skywalkdontrun Woof. Never been a fan of generalizations! As someone who lives in Charlemont full-time and rides regularly, I've never had too much of an issue with folks in town. Locals are the ones volunteering to build the trails at the Warfield, FYI.

Many local businesses have shifted their hours to mirror the bike park and recognize the potential with all the traffic that comes from mountain biking. This stuff takes time, and it's tough for many businesses with the slowdown during off-seasons. That being said, while Berkshire East/Thunder Mountain is the biggest employer, there are other outdoor businesses like Foolhardy Hill, Crabapple, and fishing operations adding to our outdoor culture. I'd give the guys at the TMBP bike shop another chance. They're super friendly and run a stellar operation. We're lucky to have them at the bike park.

Cheers,
  • 3 1
 Having ridden up and down the east coast, Thunder is THE bike park. Rad on so many levels. Homie vibe, steep, loamy, chunky, and just about the biggest jumps you'll find in any resort.
  • 2 0
 YO! So good! More East Coast love please.
  • 2 0
 Best network in Mass!







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