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Maple Valley sold

Glenn

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A step in the right direction! It'll be interesting to see what the plans are for the future.

Some of the abutters weren't too happy about the place opening again a few years back.

Positive direction that a skier bought the place. It would be a great local hill to have open again; bigger than Living Memorial, but smaller than some of the major areas in SoVT. And closer to Bratt.
 

JoeB-Z

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Mar 1, 2011
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Talk about NIMBY. These people bought their homes next to ski area and outdoor recreation venue. They assumed the risk it would reopen. Also, are they ready to rebate all the back taxes when they destroy the function of the property. Note that it sold for much less than the tax assessment value. Now they want to destroy its use.
A step in the right direction! It'll be interesting to see what the plans are for the future.

Some of the abutters weren't too happy about the place opening again a few years back.

Positive direction that a skier bought the place. It would be a great local hill to have open again; bigger than Living Memorial, but smaller than some of the major areas in SoVT. And closer to Bratt.
 

icecoast1

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An earlier article mentioned some kind of housing going in.... as far as the locals, I have no sympathy for people that build houses on a ski hill and then complain about what goes on. On another note, didnt the permit to withdraw water from the river expire? Good luck getting the state to approve that again and without water for snowmaking you dont have a viable ski operation especially where that hill is
 

Glenn

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They have two diesel powered pumps on the east side of Rt 30 that extract water from the West River. I want to say that the area operates on diesel generator power?

My wife and I have hiked the area a few times in the off season. A lot of the trails are grown in a bit, but nothing that couldn't be taken down with a bit of work. There are some washouts on the main summit trail (skiers left) from water bars that filled in.

I know both the south and north chair have run in the past 4-5 years. I think they did some ultrasound work on the north chair haulrope a few years back? I'll armchair quarterback here. With Magic replacing one of their doubles with Stratton's Snow Bowl quad, maybe there's an opportunity to replace a lift

The snowmaking system would need some work. There are a number of sections of pipe that are missing. I think this was mainly due to the logging operations that took place at the area over the last few years.

Again, exciting to see what will happen here. It's a great local hill. Would love to see it open again in some capacity.
 

benski

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I know both the south and north chair have run in the past 4-5 years. I think they did some ultrasound work on the north chair haulrope a few years back? I'll armchair quarterback here. With Magic replacing one of their doubles with Stratton's Snow Bowl quad, maybe there's an opportunity to replace a lift

The snow bowl is going to Magic and the chair Magic is getting rid of sounds like the north easts least reliable lift. It’s actually a triple, but underpowered or something so they don’t let three people ride on a chair.
 

Newpylong

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The only place the Black chair will go is the scrap heap. You dont relocate a 1962 Pohlig/Yan frankenlift.

If their pumps are diesel powered, and not electric but powered by generator, they'll never run again. The EPA requirements for stationary diesel engines are more expensive to retrofit than replacing with electrics.
 

sull1102

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Oct 8, 2010
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Boston, MA
They have two diesel powered pumps on the east side of Rt 30 that extract water from the West River. I want to say that the area operates on diesel generator power?

My wife and I have hiked the area a few times in the off season. A lot of the trails are grown in a bit, but nothing that couldn't be taken down with a bit of work. There are some washouts on the main summit trail (skiers left) from water bars that filled in.

I know both the south and north chair have run in the past 4-5 years. I think they did some ultrasound work on the north chair haulrope a few years back? I'll armchair quarterback here. With Magic replacing one of their doubles with Stratton's Snow Bowl quad, maybe there's an opportunity to replace a lift

The snowmaking system would need some work. There are a number of sections of pipe that are missing. I think this was mainly due to the logging operations that took place at the area over the last few years.

Again, exciting to see what will happen here. It's a great local hill. Would love to see it open again in some capacity.
LMFAO at the Black Chair going to Maple Valley. Jesus would that be the biggest waste of money and stupidest decision ever made or what! The Black is the ONLY Pohlig in the US and there aren't even that many internationally. Then whatever Yan did to "improve" the lift complicated things the Nth degree. Best to just let the old girl go off into the sunset so you can shave your face with part of Tower 4 someday.

Sent from my Pixel using AlpineZone mobile app
 

mbedle

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From their website:

Electricity for the Lifts, Trail Lights, and Lodge is provided by two Onsite Generators, One 300 KVW, and another 200 KVW unit.
There are 2 - 400 gallon per minute pumps at the river for providing water through an extensive piping system to the snow guns. The mountain has night lighting which no other ski resort in the area has. The slope behind the lodge, serviced by the T-Bar Lift, has been analyzed as perfect for one or two half pipes.
There is a large recieving area behind the lodge where all the lifts start and all the trails end. This makes the mountain very user friendly for familys trying to keep track of each other.
The front of the lodge is highly visable from Vermont Route 30 making it advertise itself. Route 30 is one of the states busiest highways and is the main Route between Interstate 91 and the West River Valley and Stratton another 45 minutes drive to the north.
A large 2nd Floor Deck in the back of the Cafeteria lets people watch the skiing and is a great space for bands to perform while concert goers watch from the amphitheatre-like hillside during the warmer months.
The mountain lends itself to being the perfect location for a true all season resort with its beautiful face, and magnificient trails for summer and fall hikers to enjoy. A perfect location for the summer music festivals that summers in Vermont are famous for.
The land is fabulous and the views stunning. There are places up top where you can look to the Northwest and see Stratton, and turn around 180 degrees and see Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire.
Along with the river frontage there a numerous mountain streams, near vertical ledge cliffs, a 20-40 acre orchard with well drained soils that are perfect for the developement of Cross Country Ski Trails, Tennis Courts, and Housing. The Mountain has 16 trails, 374 acres of forest, a gravel pit, numerous open level areas and internal roads.
 

thetrailboss

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Hope it reopens. It has been shuttered since 2000 or so. Agree that the neighbors need to get a clue.
 

mister moose

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Hope it reopens. It has been shuttered since 2000 or so. Agree that the neighbors need to get a clue.

It's the town that needs to get a clue and stop enabling the neighbors objecting to prior use, or reasonable changes.
 

Glenn

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I don't think Maple Valley needs the entire lift. Last I heard, one of the haul ropes may need to be replaced.
 

Pez

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I'd love to see this place open again as a ski area but I doubt it ever will. Seems like too much money needs to be spent to get it profitable.
 

MG Skier

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When I first returned to skiing and was exploring non Massachusetts ski areas in the early 2000's, I saw Maple Valley just sitting there on my way to Stratton.......I would say there is a TREMENDOUS amount of lift infrastructure work to be done. Tenney's lifts were in better shape and that took considerable time and effort to re-boot.
 

Glenn

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There's an old thread kicking around here about the prior owners going to the town with ideas on reopening the area. They put just about everything possible out there; paintball, hang gliding, concerts, mt biking, skiing; you name it. I believe some on the select board wanted more specifics. But it talking with a good friend who was on the board, perhaps it was more of them pushing back. Our friend was in favor of the mountain opening again because of the economic benefits it would provide to the area. Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly last fall.
 

bdfreetuna

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keep the faith
TBH I think if they made it a badass mountain bike park it would take a lot less $ and be more profitable. Mountain bikers don't necessarily care about vertical drop, it's more about the quality of the trails. Takes a little reputation building, but it's a much more realistic goal IMO.

Concerts, weddings, paintball -- all sound more realistic than trying to open up a smallish ski area in SoVT.

Maple Valley closing was an expected "oh well" from most people for a reason. We never went there anyway! We still wouldn't except for a couple folks who say they will.

Meanwhile Saddleback remains closed.
 

Killingtime

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"Maple Valley closing was an expected "oh well" from most people for a reason. We never went there anyway! We still wouldn't except for a couple folks who say they will."

Yeah pretty accurate. Reality is most people have limited number of weekends to ski and generally choose the biggest and best. Cant picture Maple Valley being anything other than a local hill.
 
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