The 2006 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge: MAD RIVER GLEN (Ask them questions if ya' can!)

[thetrailboss]

Eric Friedman, Marketing Director at Mad River Glen has agreed to take the 2006 Alpine Zone Challenge!!! This is your opportunity to ask questions, offer suggestions, or say some praise to the men and women behind the scenes of the Northeast’s Ski Areas. Please post some suggested questions in this thread and we'll select ten to present for official responses.

Also please don't be offended if we edit/change your question for grammar, tone, or some other minor thing. In order to get in all of the questions we MAY merge some questions but we'll do our best to keep the substance of your question. If we don't get your question in, feel free to post a follow up after we get the results...we are encouraging the representatives follow the threads.

As always, please be respectful of Eric and keep it civil. Also, please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. Mad River needs to be discrete about certain information.

We are honored to have Eric participate in his third challenge, so please take advantage of this opportunity.

Ask away!

Mad River’s 2004 Challenge Responses
Mad River’s 2005 Challenge Responses
Mad River’s Profile

[Zand]

This isn't intended to be something sent or anything, but the title reminds me of the wall of the midstation jut that says "Load here if you can."

[Tin Woodsman]

Eric -

Thanks for your time and candor with these questions in the past and I'm sure again this year. The basin through which the 19th/20th Holes thread is one of the real gems of the MRG experience, and some of the finest skiing terrain the Northeast has to offer. To my knowledge, most of the basin still belongs to Betsy Pratt and was not part of the original sale of the mountain to the Co-op. Interestingly, this property seems to include some of the only undeveloped flat land fronting Rt. 17. I've heard rumors of a plan/idea/concept/whatever to acquire this parcel and to pay for it (presumably with the aid of a bridge loan of some sort) by selling off a series of smaller parcels along/near Rt. 17 for the construction of cabins/houses similar to those that exist near the base of MRG. As you can imagine, a number of questions derive from this potential scenario:

1) Fully understanding the significant short term financial burden the Co-op is now undertaking to rebuild the Single, is the acquisition of Betsy's holdings in that basin a concept that would be seriously considered if available at a reasonable price?

2) If so, would the sale of real estate along Rt. 17, potentially replete with deed restrictions ensuring tasteful construction consistent with the cottages near MRG, be an avenue that the Co-op would consider to finance such a purchase? In short, can MRG stomach getting into the real-estate business, if only tangentially, if the ultimate goal is the permament protection/control of a significant piece of its buffer and ski terrain?

3) Assuming the answer to either of those questions above is "Yes" (to the extent that you can do so in a public forum), would it be inconceivable to install lift service in the bottom of the basin to take skiers up and over to the shoulder of Lower Antelope at around the 1940' elevation? Or maybe run shuttles up to the Base or employ the use of a Mad Bus stop ala Slidebrook? Both options would provide the benefit of dramatically increasing the room to roam at MRG while remaining consistent with the guiding philosophy of limiting uphill capacity to preserve and enhance the skiing experience.

[smootharc]

There's so much tree terrain at MRG, and there's the nice program to regrow/fill in with new trees areas that have thinned too much or which, I understand, were damaged in various storms.

But there's other areas that look like GREAT glades that have filled in with scrufty little undergrowth and saplings. What's going on with those areas ?

Also, what is MRG's policy on folks doing a little modest pruning, without adult supervision ?

[Greg]

In general, what are your thoughts on the new online community specifically for skiers of the Mad River Valley at SkiMRV.com? Do you feel forums like these are a good resource for feedback and have you ever seriously considered a suggestion that was posted on Web forums like SkiMRV or AlpineZone? In the 2004 challenge, you said, "No I really don't follow them". Has this changed at all since then? Do you feel other ski areas are missing out by not tapping into online resources like these? I look forward to your continued participation on SkiMRV and AlpineZone.

What's the status on the refurbished Single Chair? Why was the project delayed?

[kcyanks1]

Originally Posted by Greg

In general, what are your thoughts on the new online community specifically for skiers of the Mad River Valley at SkiMRV.com? Do you feel forums like these are a good resource for feedback and have you ever seriously considered a suggestion that was posted on Web forums like SkiMRV or AlpineZone? In the 2004 challenge, you said, "No I really don't follow them". Has this changed at all since then? Do you feel other ski areas are missing out by not tapping into online resources like these? I look forward to your continued participation on SkiMRV and AlpineZone.

What's the status on the refurbished Single Chair? Why was the project delayed?

To follow-up on Greg's question:

I think the ski conditions form on the MRG website was a fantastic idea, and a great addition to an honest report. Unfortunately, it seems to be underutilized. Do you think that having a more open forum on MRG's site (like what SkiMRV has become) would be beneficial? Are you not doing that because of the existance of sites such as SkiMRV, or do you believe that even without SkiMRV, giving people free reign on MRG-sponsored site wouldn't be a good idea? Would you read a MRG-site forum more than you read third-party forums?

[kcyanks1]

I haven't paid enough attention to opening and closing details in the past, so sorry if this should be obvious to me. When MRG closed this winter, the report said it was due to the inability to offer top-to-bottom skiing. In my view MRG, with the midstation on the single, has a near-perfect situation for early- and late-season skiing on the upper mountain only, with downloading on the single chair. How often, if even, does MRG open with only upper mountain skiing? If it is not a normal occurrence, is there a reason why it will not be done in the future?

On a similar note, will the new single chair have a midstation?

[PowderDeprived]

Eric-

Since MRG is an independent ski area and is of its self the most unique Ski area in the business, I think it would be reasonable for the CO-OP to consider making an open appeal for cash donations (possibly through the website) to help preserve the resort. With projects like the single chair, hypothetical land purchases such as the land on which the 19th and 20th hole are located. I really think many skiers would be willing to make donations to ease the financial burden on the resort. I really view MRG as more of an organization than a typical ski corporation or a business (even though MRG is a profitable business) and I think many in the ski community would be willing to donate cash to MRG for large capital projects and environmental (glade) restoration projects with out eating fromthe operating budget, or tempting the CO-OP to raise ticket prices.

[smootharc]

....is there a plan to build another structure to house the ski school ?

If yes, are there any site plan images available ?

[thetrailboss]

Wow--no other questions for MRG?!