7 replies to this topic

[liftmech]

From the Summit Daily, Tuesday 19 April:

MONTEZUMA - Arapahoe Basin officials hope to provide lift access by 2006 in Montezuma Bowl, a popular backcountry ski spot directly adjacent to the resort's existing southern boundary.

"We are working toward adding Montezuma Bowl to our ski area - that's our goal," said Alan Henceroth, director of mountain operations. "There are a lot of factors in this, but if everything went absolutely perfect, we could start construction in summer of 2006, maybe summer 2007."

Resort officials envision skiers and boarders riding the existing Norway or Lenawee lifts, skiing over the ridge down into Montezuma Bowl and then traveling back up via a future chairlift, whose terminal would be about one mile from Montezuma Road.

The project would create 300-400 new acres of in-bounds terrain - a substantial addition to the resort's existing 490 acres. Roughly half of the bowl would be designated as intermediate terrain; the western part of the bowl would be set aside for advanced and expert skiers and riders.

Public Hearing
Ski area officials will make a presentation on the expansion plans at a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Dillon Town Hall.

Henceroth cited increased skier days, particularly on weekends, as one of the top reasons for the proposed expansion. The resort's 20-year average through 2001 was 235,000 skier days. In the past three years, that figure has grown to about 300,000 visits annually.

"We're already extremely busy right now, and it's projected to get even busier. You hear a lot of talk about how flat the ski industry is, but that is not true here," Henceroth said.

A-Basin guest feedback surveys have indicated skiers and boarders want more terrain, on-mountain facilities and newer lifts. Skiers really feel the pinch on Saturdays and Sundays when the maze at Exhibition Lift is jam-packed.

Henceroth hopes that Montezuma Bowl, in addition to a proposed mid-mountain restaurant, will alleviate the gridlock at the resort's base.

"It's tough for the intermediate (skiers and riders). But once the restaurant's there and Montezuma's there, it's going to help. We think we're going to spread people out really nicely. We're probably going to groom down there, and it's going to be really popular with the blue skiers too," he said.

Henceroth expects the expansion could be a valuable marketing tool and serve to boost skier numbers further.

He doubted the ski area would blow snow in the proposed expansion area. Thus, the bowl's south-facing aspect would likely limit its skiable days to mid-January through May, he said.

[Kicking Horse]

I hope this happens.

[boardski]

Is there any indication of what type or how many lifts would be installed in Montezuma bowl?
It sounds very good. A-Basin's terrain offerrings, especially for intermediate skiers, seems quite limited and can grow stale after about 1/2 day of skiing. Also it seems as if Pallivicini has been open for fairly short seasons in recent years due to poor snowfall. Maybe the new area will not require as much snow as the lower front side. It sounds very exciting if it happens.
I'm not sure what A-Basins budget is for capital improvements but an idea to address some of the crowding issues on the front side and compliment the new expansion might be to replace Exhibition and Norway with one HSQ originating at bottom of Exhibition with an angle station and mid-unload near the top of the current Exhibition and terminating near the top of Norway providing bottom to top access and an efficient route to the new area. I actually wouldn't mind seeing this improvement even if Montezuma bowl does not open this soon.

[liftmech]

They've talked about upgrading Exo but I don't know if it's on the table yet. Supposedly only one lift will be going into Montezuma Bowl; it won't be accessible from Montezuma Road so one would have to ride Exo and then either Norway or Lenawee. I would think this makes Exo a prime candidate for a quad, either fixed or detachable.

[boardski]

If A Basin does not have the budget for the HSQ with angle mid-station, when they upgrade the Exhibition they could also install a suface lift of some kind to pull skiers from the top of West Wall to the top of Norway, that way the Pallivicini lift could also be used to access the new area. I'm actually a bit surprised the Exhibition lift has not been upgraded already. It seems a HSQ would be a lot easier lift to use for late season down-loading and reduce a lot of the stops and slows the lift has all year due to accessing quite a bit of longer beginner runs. The next few years could be interesting.

[Tin Woodsman]

Montezuma would be sweet, though its southerly aspect would limit its operating window and impair snow quality when open. Too bad they are not looking at the Beavers area as a first priority. Alas, it doesn't have the intermediate terrain they are looking for, but it is long (more vert than the current A-basin), steep, and mostly north facing.

[liftmech]

Is the Beavers that series of gullies to the west of the current area, dropping down to the highway?

[Tin Woodsman]

liftmech, on Apr 28 2005, 07:43 AM, said:

Is the Beavers that series of gullies to the west of the current area, dropping down to the highway?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Correctamundo.