Huntah sold to Peak Resorts

Newpylong · Dec 2, 2015

JimG. said:
I thought so too and assumed it was a matter of priorities, but I have been told that several million dollars in capital is required to refit and maintain the system just to get water over there now and that it isn't going to happen. But that was before the sale.

Not doubting that but I would take that with a grain of salt. Water should already be to the valve box at the top of 44 where it splits to Anna any issues past that would be simple pipe repairs not multi million dollars. I think it's a matter of priority. Both 44 and Anna take a tremendous amount of snowmaking to cover.

Harvey · Dec 2, 2015

BenedictGomez said:
Well the change from 3 seasons ago to 2 seasons ago was pretty drastic. It went from decent and somewhat (YOMV) reasonable, to crappy and unreasonably expensive. So much so crappy and expensive that I did something I hadn't done at any ski area in years, I actually brought my own lunch several times. Frankly, expensive I can deal with; expensive and low-grade dog food I cannot.

There was a new contract signed 3 years ago so maybe that had something to do with it. I'm not a big fan of the food at Gore, and the last time I ate at WF was over 3 years ago and I found it to be pretty good. So that is consistent with what you are saying. At the time I remember wondering how it could be so different.

Harvey · Dec 2, 2015

Who was granted lifetime passes? I'm thinking they may be a casualty.

drjeff · Dec 2, 2015

Creakyknees said:
After 26 years of having a season pass at Hunter I personally like Hunter the way it is and I would not change a thing; THIS SUCKS.

I'm concerned about the skiing. We don't need more trails cut, we need to be concerned what the new management is going to do with snowmaking and grooming. The years of experience that the employees at Hunter has with maintaining the skiing surface conditions is something that needs to be handed down over time. I hope the new management recognizes how important the head snowmakersand groomers are to the Hunter skiing experience.

All we need is a season pass to ski Hunter this should keep the price down. We don't need a reciprocating pass for other ski areas.

It's unfortunate but snowmaking will be decided on the $$$$$ and not the temps.
Get the ice-skates ready we are going skating.

How is Mount Snow with snowmaking, conservative? liberal? what day did Mount Snow close the last two seasons?

The one good thing is maybe we will have less grooming and more bumps we could only hope.

What is going to happen to all the people with lifetime season passes?

Later,
Mr. I'm ready for another 26 years at Hunter

Here you go from a Mount Snow season pass holder from long before Peak bought them, and what I've seen since they bought them.

1st and foremost, Peak kept plenty of the Mount Snow management and operations folks when the bought them from ASC - the GM has been at Mount Snow for around 30 years (with 10 + as GM), the head of Mountain Ops has been there for close to 15 years, the head snowmaker has been there for 30+ years, the head of lifts for 25+ years, the head of the ski school for 20 years or so, etc, etc, etc. I doubt that Peak will just fire everyone from Hunter and start fresh with their own personel

Peak Resorts main philosophy is that they're a ski company not a real estate company - their portfolio of resorts is made up mainly of day and some weekend trip resorts, not full week long ski vacation resorts, they realize that it's about the snow surface that gets them their main business target, the day and weekend trip market.

At Mount Snow, what I've seen 1st hand is their snowmaking philosophy is basically once you get past November 1st, if you have a GOOD window of snowmaking time, it's guns on, Once you get past November 15th or so, it's guns on at most any window to ensure Thanksgiving weekend skiing. End of season wise, they'll publically state that they'll keep operating through the 1st weekend in April, and then after that it's all based on the amount of snow left on the hill AND the amount of business the previous weekend and to a lesser extent the weather forecast for the following weekend. Short of 4 season ago (I believe that's when we had the 80-90 degree week the 3rd week of March that decimated the entire Northeast spring skiing situation that year, we've been skiing through the 2nd or 3rd weekend in April every year that Peak has owned them.

Peak likes to make snow, but they also like to make "smart snow" in that they'll have a target amount of snow that they want to put down on trails to keep them going through their projected closing date, and they'll adjust production accordingly in that there are sometimes when they have a decent base already on all snowmaking trails and only a decent window to make snow, but a forecast of a GREAT window to make snow in a day or 2, they may not make snow when temps are decent but wait until the temps and production potential is GREAT to really fatten up certain trails for spring skiing

Lifetime passes..... Probably depends on wording in the purchase agreement that the folks at Hunter made with the folks at Peak

All in all, I've been VERY happy with Peak ownership at Mount Snow, and I'm typically a 40-50 day a year skier at Mount Snow with both of my kids products of their ski school programs and now race team

RichT · Dec 2, 2015

BenedictGomez said:
SKIS said several times that snowmaking is a strength of Hunter and that it's pretty much good to go as is, so snowmaking is definitely not going to be an initial area of major investment where they think they need to upgrade.

Personally, if I were forced to guess, I'm thinking you'll see completely renovated food and bevy areas, retail and shops, and placement of additional ancillary revenue opportunities, things of that nature. Obviously not this season though.

It would be crazy money, BUT would they reverse the lodge and but the bar facing the Mtn??

catskillman · Dec 2, 2015

Harvey said:
Who was granted lifetime passes? I'm thinking they may be a casualty.

You would be surprised!! If you worked there for 12 years on the courtesy patrol you got one, and there were a lot of other deals. They also we available for purchase at one time.

JimG. · Dec 2, 2015

andrec10 said:
David actually said last year they just were not going to get to it. Came down to cost and priorities.

Just didn't want to spend the money; I get it.

JimG. · Dec 2, 2015

If PEAK likes to make snow then they made a good purchase.

Scruffy · Dec 2, 2015

drjeff said:
Here you go from a Mount Snow season pass holder from long before Peak bought them, and what I've seen since they bought them.

1st and foremost, Peak kept plenty of the Mount Snow management and operations folks when the bought them from ASC - the GM has been at Mount Snow for around 30 years (with 10 + as GM), the head of Mountain Ops has been there for close to 15 years, the head snowmaker has been there for 30+ years, the head of lifts for 25+ years, the head of the ski school for 20 years or so, etc, etc, etc. I doubt that Peak will just fire everyone from Hunter and start fresh with their own personel

Peak Resorts main philosophy is that they're a ski company not a real estate company - their portfolio of resorts is made up mainly of day and some weekend trip resorts, not full week long ski vacation resorts, they realize that it's about the snow surface that gets them their main business target, the day and weekend trip market.

At Mount Snow, what I've seen 1st hand is their snowmaking philosophy is basically once you get past November 1st, if you have a GOOD window of snowmaking time, it's guns on, Once you get past November 15th or so, it's guns on at most any window to ensure Thanksgiving weekend skiing. End of season wise, they'll publically state that they'll keep operating through the 1st weekend in April, and then after that it's all based on the amount of snow left on the hill AND the amount of business the previous weekend and to a lesser extent the weather forecast for the following weekend. Short of 4 season ago (I believe that's when we had the 80-90 degree week the 3rd week of March that decimated the entire Northeast spring skiing situation that year, we've been skiing through the 2nd or 3rd weekend in April every year that Peak has owned them.

Peak likes to make snow, but they also like to make "smart snow" in that they'll have a target amount of snow that they want to put down on trails to keep them going through their projected closing date, and they'll adjust production accordingly in that there are sometimes when they have a decent base already on all snowmaking trails and only a decent window to make snow, but a forecast of a GREAT window to make snow in a day or 2, they may not make snow when temps are decent but wait until the temps and production potential is GREAT to really fatten up certain trails for spring skiing

Lifetime passes..... Probably depends on wording in the purchase agreement that the folks at Hunter made with the folks at Peak

All in all, I've been VERY happy with Peak ownership at Mount Snow, and I'm typically a 40-50 day a year skier at Mount Snow with both of my kids products of their ski school programs and now race team

Good to hear, Hunter does not need too much "help" with their mountain ops policies; they do a really good job providing a high level ski experience for the size mountain they are. Part of that is their decisions on which trails not to groom and leave bumped, and keep open, even when they are an icy mogul mess - hope they don't go soft and close or groom these trails, thinking they need to pander to a wider number of people who can ski them.

The lodge is 1970's vintage, and the basement level reminds me of a bus terminal, but it's functional and it works. It doesn't keep anyone away, so a ROI there would be iffy at best. The summit "bomb shelter" of a lodge could use a facelift .

The food is decent, it's more homespun than the usual crap at you get these days at bigger mountains in the east (the western states big ski resorts seem to do a better job overall; although Stowe's summit lodges isn't bad), but if Hunter's food services are profitable, don't mess it up - and keep the Sushi Bar !

Their ski shop is top notch, so they don't need help there.

They just pumped 1.5 mil into snowmaking on the front side, it would be nice to see that sort of investment on the west side as well.

Get Anna open; fully commit to 44, plant some trees on 44 so the wind doesn't scour it clean to the rocks, so they can blow more there; get the X trail open; open the "trail" skiers right of Lower K27- these would be a good use for investment $$s, from a skier's point of view.

JimG. · Dec 2, 2015

Harvey said:
Who was granted lifetime passes? I'm thinking they may be a casualty.

I know several people who have them. Seems to be an issue with every sale like this.

Funky_Catskills · Dec 2, 2015

what does lifetime even mean...

SnowRock · Dec 2, 2015

Scruffy said:
The lodge is 1970's vintage, and the basement level reminds me of a bus terminal, but it's functional and it works. It doesn't keep anyone away, so a ROI there would be iffy at best. The summit "bomb shelter" of a lodge could use a facelift .

While its not my area of expertise I think a face-lift to the lodge would not be about people who are kept away... but to better loosen dollars from the people that are already there. N of 1 but I sort of loathe the bar area set-up and often will just head down to the dutch in Saugerties for my beer and burger on the way home. I agree functionally its totally fine but I imagine a company like PEAK might think more could be done to generate some more money.

deadheadskier · Dec 2, 2015

Maybe

The lodge improvements and at both Wildcat and Attitash have been pretty minor. What they have at both is serviceable, but could be a lot better. I've got mixed feelings there. I'd love a great new bar at Wildcat, but also enjoy the cheap season pass.

The facility they built at Crotched is super functional, but maybe the ugliest ski base lodge in all of New England.

Smellytele · Dec 2, 2015

deadheadskier said:
The facility they built at Crotched is super functional, but maybe the ugliest ski base lodge in all of New England.

It is a warehouse building with its very high ceilings. The bar is separated from the rest of the open space lodge by fencing.

Puck it · Dec 2, 2015

Smellytele said:
It is a warehouse building with its very high ceilings. The bar is separated from the rest of the open space lodge by fencing.

Sounds worse than the old Cannon bar.

Smellytele · Dec 2, 2015

Puck it said:
Sounds worse than the old Cannon bar.

Which one? The one in the basement which was worse than the semi old one in the middle of the lodge.

VTKilarney · Dec 2, 2015

It's hard to argue with this level of snowmaking:

Funky_Catskills · Dec 2, 2015

I personally love the base lodge..
I'm a big fan of Mid Century Modern..

andrec10 · Dec 2, 2015

Funky_Catskills said:
I personally love the base lodge..
I'm a big fan of Mid Century Modern..

I like the base lodge as well. New bathrooms would be a great start! Especially in the summit lodge!

john1200c · Dec 2, 2015

VTKilarney said:
It's hard to argue with this level of snowmaking:

What mountain is that in your picture?

Huntah sold to Peak Resorts

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