299 replies to this topic

[skisox34]

I wonder why mount snow would replace the triple with a detach when you have a detach right next to it. In the east with the freezing rain situations we have you would think that they would want to keep a route open when the freezing rain starts falling!

[liftmech]

Snoqualmie guy, on Mar 17 2008, 08:40 PM, said:

What do you mean by barely keeping their stuff running?

Apparently there was a midseason inspection after a major electrical failure; the inspector wasn't impressed with the condition of things up there.

[Snoqualmie guy]

That would be three lifts that had that problem, but I see where you are comming from.

[chasl]

SkiBachelor, on Mar 12 2008, 03:32 PM, said:

A ski resort that's been plagued with financial troubles should focus on developing a new marketing strategy than purchasing a new HSQ, unless of course the new owners have cash to blow.

You know, one must really look at the full picture before making statements.
The last I heard the new management is doing quite well, they have made many changes in the short time they have been there.
And the numbers have been very good, (full parking lots and parking on the street) The Spear mtn lift is an old lift moved from another area and not right for the series of trails it services. To keep the lift safe for the public they are performing early week shutdowns for maintenance and we all know this is not good, but the customer understands this and welcomes what the company is doing for their safety.

The management team had a little rough start (but who wouldn’t when new owners take over in the middle of the summer and no maintenance, on trails, lifts, snowmaking or buildings has been done at all), I understand the team is flowing very good now, and if you talk to the customers you only get high praise for Ragged.

In my mind the Spear mtn. terrain should have had a quad before the six-pack went in, but the owners at the time, felt to waste money on the six-pack, (tongue in cheek) they did get a good deal. The trails on the Spear side of the mountain are some of the best trails and glades I have ever seen in the East, (except for the gully at the bottom which they have a plan for) and are by far, better than the front side of Ragged

But that was the former owners, the new owners seem to have a good strategy, they made some smart and decent early season changes and are moving forward, golf course changes, snowmaking changes, lift upgrades and something much needed, onsite housing, in my estimation even here they are doing it right, by working with the Town and the Audubon society to make the area a place for families to enjoy some of the best skiing in the East.
So lets not paint the new owners with the same paintbrush as the old owners.

By the way did I mention that, contrary to what some people think about management, the workforce at Ragged feel good about the people they work for and with!

This post has been edited by chasl: 21 March 2008 - 12:11 AM

[liftmech]

liftmech, on Mar 20 2008, 04:29 PM, said:

Apparently there was a midseason inspection after a major electrical failure; the inspector wasn't impressed with the condition of things up there.

I should also state that all four Snoqualmie areas passed their inspections and continue to operate; the inspector's comments were strictly personal and cautionary.

[Peter]

From Chuck's Blog on Hoodoo's website:

"I suppose I shouldn’t get your hopes up too high, but I will share some of our talks. We are thinking that we might replace the current Manzanita chair with a quad that will go a couple towers higher on the mountain in order to avoid the “flatlands” off the top of Manzanita now. We would then move the current Manzanita towers to Sheep Springs which will for the most part will be a collection of beginner trails and a possible new terrain park. We are also hoping that it will be under lights. Much of this depends upon what happens this summer in the campground company expansion in the Deschutes, and it also depends upon whether there is enough electricity left for us at the end of the Central Electric Coop line. The parking lot would have to go through another expansion. That would happen in the Autobahn area where we would also install about 20 more RV hookups that would be useable by snowmobilers in the winter and OHV users in the summer. Is all of this just a dream? Maybe, but then so was the expansion getting to this level and so was the 100,000 guest visit statistic."

Just a few years ago this place was on the verge of closing. I know Cameron and others say the skiing isn't great, but I would be happy to see this place succeed.

[SkiBachelor]

The skiing is the best on the front side because Hogsback is exposed to a lot of wind which causes a lot of ice and hard packed powder build up. I did have an enjoyable visit while I was there this season though. Hoodoo does a great job of grooming.

[AndyEich]

SkiBachelor, on Feb 10 2008, 09:35 PM, said:

Boyne has plans of installing a chondola at Sunday River, although it's unknown when it will be installed.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080207/N...664/1009/SPORTS

The press release says that this is happening in 2008.

There have been some statements from Sugarloaf management about adding/replacing 1-2 lifts in the West Mountain area, but it's not clear whether 2009 is being considered.

[Skiing#1]

Snowbasin will have a new lift next year.

Here is from KSL TV news.

http://www.ksl.com/?...148&sid=3078633

Snowbasin lift under consideration by Forest Service
April 14th, 2008 @ 9:52am

SNOWBASIN, Utah (AP) -- The U.S Forest Service is considering a proposal for a new ski lift at Snowbasin.

The proposed detachable high-speed quad would start slightly lower and end lower on the mountain to the north of the Strawberry Express gondola.

The vertical rise of the lift would be 1,970 feet from top to bottom, with a lift line slope length of 8,500 feet.

Resort officials hope the new lift will lessen congestion on the mountain. The lift may be in place by the 2009-10 ski season.

The Forest Service is taking public comment on the proposal.

Information from: Standard-Examiner

[Peter]

Sounds like it is far from a done deal, I smell environmental group opposition.

[floridaskier]

Skiing#1, on Apr 14 2008, 04:53 PM, said:

Resort officials hope the new lift will lessen congestion on the mountain.

It'll be nice to not have to ride the gondola every time over there, but are they really worried about crowds at Snowbasin? The couple times I've been there it's been empty

[RibStaThiok]

Very interesting, did not see this one comming. Does not sound like they plan to do anything with Wildcat or Middle Bowl which is good, but at the same time, I do wonder if replacing Becker or Wildcat with a HSQ would help out any, if they are as busy as they seem to think they are.

[Yaoma]

just finished my spring tour northeast....
Sundayriver is advertising a new chondola for next year
six pack with cabins 1st I heard of this plan
i do not know who is on the install or where they are going to put it

my 2 cents sugarloaf usa is the best in the East good vibe no attitude
and yes I rocked the snowfield and i need p tex





snowwoman Bethel, Me.
hangin' in there

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[Snoqualmie guy]

How was that huge snowman made?

[skier691]

more like snow giant.... very nice.

Snoqualmie guy, on Apr 24 2008, 10:35 AM, said:

How was that huge snowman made?

Lots of work

[jaytrem]

Found this link on firsttracksonline.com, looks like Holiday Valley in NY is trying for a HSQ install...

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories...21/daily48.html

[Kicking Horse]

From what I understand by talking with employees from Snowbasin the Strewberry gondola has issues with winds. They have talked about installing another lift to get out of the area......

[Peter]

Looks like a new Town lift and Cabriolet are in the works again at Park City:

Sweeneys retool Treasure Hill
Family's new designs mimic historic buildings and newer ones like Sky Lodge
by Jay Hamburger OF THE PARK RECORD STAFF
Article Launched: 07/11/2008 04:26:03 PM MDT

The Sweeney family, more than four years after beginning what was a grueling first set of talks with City Hall about its Treasure Hill development, in June submitted new blueprints for the project on the slopes of Park City Mountain Resort.

In doing so, the Sweeneys are attempting to convince the local government that Treasure Hill adheres to a longstanding agreement between the Sweeneys and City Hall allowing the family to develop a prime hillside just west of Old Town. The previous talks stalled in 2006, with the local government sending the Sweeneys away to draft the new blueprints.

The submittal foreshadows another set of hearings that will likely again pit the Sweeneys against people who live on streets like Empire Avenue and Lowell Avenue. The neighbors were dismayed with the prospects of Treasure Hill being built nearby, with complaints that the project would draw too much traffic to surrounding streets and it would loom over the historic district.

Officials expect hearings could restart in front of the Planning Commission by early fall. Pat Sweeney, who represents his family, says the construction of the infrastructure for Treasure Hill could begin as early as the 2009 building season, depending on Planning Commission decisions.

"Nothing's changed. Everything is taken to a new level," Sweeney says, describing that the new Treasure Hill plans reflect the same amount of construction as the previous ones but provide more details than the older submittals.

Some key points in the new submittal include:

Designs that resemble both the historic buildings in Old Town and newer ones in the neighborhood. Sweeney says buildings closest to neighbors will feature architecture that mimics the older houses. The Treasure Hill buildings nearer the center of the development, he says, will look like the Sky Lodge and Caledonian, two of the Main Street district's largest buildings. Sweeney says he prefers that look in the location to the rustic architecture of Deer Valley.

"I'm happy with it, that's for dang sure. I'm happy with the newer architecture in Old Town," Sweeney says.

A project that stretches through about 13 buildings, with the largest of them seen as a 200-room hotel offering a spa and conference space. Sweeney says the hotel would be built in the northwest section of Treasure Hill, off Lowell Avenue. It would climb to as tall as 10 stories. Sweeney says the building, though, would be put up in a hollow. Its location, he says, will soften the building's effect on the view of the hillside.

"It's one big complex, if you will, of tight, nestled buildings with ski runs," he says.

Sweeney says his family is talking with a "high-end" hotelier to open in Treasure Hill, but he declines to identify the company. He says a deal has not been finalized with the hotelier.

Treasure Hill is split between two sites, known as Creole Gulch and the midstation, a reference to the midpoint of PCMR's dismantled gondola. Most of the development would be put in Creole Gulch, which is off Lowell Avenue near the Empire Avenue turnaround.

A transit system within the project that relies partly on a stand-up gondola, also known as a cabriolet, and a new ski lift. A people mover known as a funicular would also be constructed to transport people at Treasure Hill.

The cabriolet would run a 30-second route between the Town Lift base and Treasure Hill.

People would disembark the cabriolet on the Treasure Hill side close to what is planned as a new ski lift replacing the Town Lift. Sweeney says the four-passenger, high-speed lift would have its top terminal at the top of the PayDay lift.

Meanwhile, the Sweeneys pledge to make the stretch of Lowell Avenue between Treasure Hill and the Marriott Mountainside at PCMR safer for pedestrians, including possibly building a sidewalk on the uphill side of that section of Lowell Avenue.

A plan for work force housing that calls for a dormitory for seasonal workers at Treasure Hill. It would be a 4,200-square-foot building. Sweeney says his side would also make a cash contribution to City Hall's work force housing fund. He says it appears the contribution would be between $2 million and $3 million, but a figure has not been finalized.

In the previous Treasure Hill talks, a dispute unfolded between the Sweeneys and City Hall regarding whether the project fell under the local government's work force housing regulations, which require large developers build units restricted to regular workers who qualify through their incomes.

The overall City Hall approval for Treasure Hill dates to 1986. That agreement allows the Sweeneys to develop the project, but the Planning Commission must endorse the designs.

The 1986 accord also included what was built as the Caledonian, the commercial property at the base of the Town Lift and several nearby houses. It envisioned the Town Lift and the Town Bridge skier span above Park Avenue as well.

[floridaskier]

I think where Town Lift ends now is better than taking it to the top of Payday. That way, people can download it from the upper mountain without having to ride up Payday to end the day. Also, it follows the historic line from the old days and they wouldn't have to cut a new one right above town.