The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Lotso]

And the Sun Bowl T-bar could very well be funded by SMS, not Alterra.

Bingo. Not an Alterra project

 

[jonnyco14]

It also looks like they are trying to build out the sunbowl area with new snowmaking and expansion of the base lodge. The are also adding a HSQ next year to replace the tamarack lift. Seems like some significant investments to me.

 

[Lotso]

It also looks like they are trying to build out the sunbowl area with new snowmaking and expansion of the base lodge. The are also adding a HSQ next year to replace the tamarack lift. Seems like some significant investments to me.

That will be a big help. Sunbowl is nice skiing and not nearly the zoo that the main base area is. Will increase traffic but it can handle it if there is snow.

 

[Hawk]

Snowmaking. All the way. This was the plan when Win Sold. New pond, piping and replacement of old lines and a new pump house. Then NRX.

 

[urungus]

That will be a big help. Sunbowl is nice skiing and not nearly the zoo that the main base area is. Will increase traffic but it can handle it if there is snow.

Unfortunately the plan also calls for a new hotel at Sunbowl.

 

[SkiTheEast]

FWIW LiftBlog this week said that Stratton has a masterplan now with multiple lift installs and re-installs. As for Sugarbush........?

reading between the lines here - but suspect they're trying to put something together now given they're soliciting feedback from the locals and 2nd homeowners with that survey that went out a couple weeks ago. This is the first time I've gotten anything like this in recent memory.

 

[skithEEEast]

General Stark, as in the now overgrown lift line to the peak above Inverness (not Gen Stark) and north of MRG (Gen. Stark)? All VT hurdles with regard to clearing trails aside, this would be a south-facing pod. With no increase in snowmaking power (and rising temps), this would not fly.

Need more water and snowmaking, plus more lift mechanics

Yes that stark, according to peakbagger that liftline went right to top of Stark mountain, mrg is stark mountain north peak. Half of Lincoln is south facing including castlerock which doesn't get snow making. What's the point of building more snow making infrastructure if they can only take so much water from the river

 

[kbroderick]

Yes that stark, according to peakbagger that liftline went right to top of Stark mountain, mrg is stark mountain north peak. Half of Lincoln is south facing including castlerock which doesn't get snow making. What's the point of building more snow making infrastructure if they can only take so much water from the river

If they have the storage capacity, improving snowmaking capacity to boost production in limited weather windows could be beneficial. But yes, you do still need to have the water to actually create the snow.

 

[Hawk]

Yes that stark, according to peakbagger that liftline went right to top of Stark mountain, mrg is stark mountain north peak. Half of Lincoln is south facing including castlerock which doesn't get snow making. What's the point of building more snow making infrastructure if they can only take so much water from the river

Why would they waste money installing a whole new pod including snowmaking when they have so much deferred maintenance to do. Also it is not as easy as you think to get over to MRG proper from there. I have done it. it is not easy. We bush whacked for hours.

The new snowmaking plan includes a pond that would not only get water from the river but collect water from run off coming down which has no limit. The idea was to pump to the pond when power rates were down on non peak times.

 

[thetrailboss]

Why would they waste money installing a whole new pod including snowmaking when they have so much deferred maintenance to do. Also it is not as easy as you think to get over to MRG proper from there. I have done it. it is not easy. We bush whacked for hours.

The new snowmaking plan includes a pond that would not only get water from the river but collect water from run off coming down which has no limit. The idea was to pump to the pond when power rates were down on non peak times.

I think he is assuming that there is going to be a hostile takeover of MRG by Sugarbush and Alterra. A previous regime attempted that and failed.

 

[Hawk]

Owners weekend coming up. We will see what Mr. Hammond has to say about the future.

 

[skithEEEast]

Why would they waste money installing a whole new pod including snowmaking when they have so much deferred maintenance to do. Also it is not as easy as you think to get over to MRG proper from there. I have done it. it is not easy. We bush whacked for hours.

The new snowmaking plan includes a pond that would not only get water from the river but collect water from run off coming down which has no limit. The idea was to pump to the pond when power rates were down on non peak times.

Enough people bushwhacking will eventually create somewhat of a trail, which will happen if lift service goes up there, it will just be too tempting to ski between the resorts. I'm assuming that's how the meme of a trail people call the saddle was created

 

[mikec142]

Owners weekend coming up. We will see what Mr. Hammond has to say about the future.

Very interested. Please post a follow up.

I've been a regular defender of SB for a long time now. But one of the things that has become indefensible is the utter lack of communication and information that is put out. Very typically this leads to uninformed and negative speculation, which eventually leads to customer dissatisfaction and attrition. Even novice business communications teams would say that more communication is better even if it's not great news. Win was pretty solid at this.

 

[Hawk]

Enough people bushwhacking will eventually create somewhat of a trail, which will happen if lift service goes up there, it will just be too tempting to ski between the resorts. I'm assuming that's how the meme of a trail people call the saddle was created

I am sure the MRG regulars will be happy to see the onslaught of IKON people trashing the woods. I don't know why I am debating this. It's never going to happen anyway.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Sugarbush needs more snowmaking water storage capacity and more fire power to make more snow and more often. They certainly don't need terrain expansion...

 

[SkiTheEast]

Why would they waste money installing a whole new pod including snowmaking when they have so much deferred maintenance to do. Also it is not as easy as you think to get over to MRG proper from there. I have done it. it is not easy. We bush whacked for hours.

The new snowmaking plan includes a pond that would not only get water from the river but collect water from run off coming down which has no limit. The idea was to pump to the pond when power rates were down on non peak times.

If memory serves they talked about digging out a pond across from the Sugarbush Inn right? I don't even want to guess what the environmental and other regulatory reviews on that are. If they're able to get that done it would l certainly make things easier than sucking up from the Valley Floor and the restrictions on the Mad River flow rate, etc.

Separately, anyone have any idea what the latest with the employee housing projects? Is the one behind the SHARC still held up in environmental review?

 

[Rob Katz]

OR

they could close all the lifts and ban everyone except for me and the locals and we could RIP IT UP in slide brook


seriously tho didn't get ikon this year. not tryna spend that money. got the mrg college pass for a cool 180 bucks. super hyped. gonna flip this winter.

 

[tumbler]

If memory serves they talked about digging out a pond across from the Sugarbush Inn right? I don't even want to guess what the environmental and other regulatory reviews on that are. If they're able to get that done it would l certainly make things easier than sucking up from the Valley Floor and the restrictions on the Mad River flow rate, etc.

Separately, anyone have any idea what the latest with the employee housing projects? Is the one behind the SHARC still held up in environmental review?

They will still pump up from the current pond as the Mad River is the only consistent source of water. The new pond would be a secondary holding pond. Before 1995 the only source of water for Lincoln peak was from Clay brook behind VH chair and from a pumphouse at the golf course on #11. That system was tiny. They could also dig the pond at the river deeper but I don't think that will happen because it would be more to dig out when it floods and fills it with silt again. And yes, approvals would be difficult and expensive.

 

[SkiTheEast]

Right, found the article with the proposed plan pre-pandemic around the time when the mountain was sold. "Wade said that the second pond plan is a five-year project and if it goes forward it would come online in 2023."

https://www.valleyreporter.com/index.php/news/local-news/13869-second-snowmaking-pond-planned

 

[skithEEEast]

I am sure the MRG regulars will be happy to see the onslaught of IKON people trashing the woods. I don't know why I am debating this. It's never going to happen anyway.

You don't need an onslaught of people going one route to create a skiable trail. And you still need a mrg pass or ticket, it's not like making the trek will automatically get you a free ticket just waive your pass at the mrg ticket scanner. It's going to be the same people who would of driven over anyway if there was no way to ski over