Diane Walden is reporting for The Columbia Paper the $3 million sale of the Catamount Ski Area in Copake closed May 18. The 355-acre ski area on Route 23 that straddles the New York/Massachusetts border is now owned by the Schaefer family, proprietors of the Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Charlemont, Mass. Tom Gilbert and Rich Edwards, who have been operating Catamount for the past decade, will stay on indefinitely as part of the new management team. Edwards is the ski area's marketing director and Gilbert is the general manager. Edwards said the sale was motivated by needed improvements and upgrades. “It’s kind of bittersweet that we couldn’t provide the upgrades that Catamount needs,” he said. Attributing the lack of success to the weather, Edwards said, “We couldn’t deal with the weather fluctuations, it’s a challenge, you can’t beat Mother Nature. It’s time to pass it on.” Catamount operations will continue without interruption. Summer operations are now underway, and include an aerial adventure park with 12 self-guided tree-top courses including three zip line courses. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.