Who Wants a Six Pack Lift????

[thetrailboss]

So let's say that I was a major lift manufacturer and was really desperate and decided to give away a free high speed six pack lift to a single resort in the Northeast. This is only the install and not maintenance. I'd be looking for a resort that needs a new lift of this type and I'd want some publicity. I'd be interested in going to a resort that may not be on the radar, so the obvious big dogs who could afford my products may not be top on my list. So who would get it and why? Make your best case.

 

[drjeff]

So let's say that I was a major lift manufacturer and was really desperate and decided to give away a free high speed six pack lift to a single resort in the Northeast. This is only the install and not maintenance. I'd be looking for a resort that needs a new lift of this type and I'd want some publicity. I'd be interested in going to a resort that may not be on the radar, so the obvious big dogs who could afford my products may not be top on my list. So who would get it and why? Make your best case.

Using that scenario you posed, if the manufacturer wanted the most publicity bang for their donated buck, and you could argue "how off the radar" it is. I'd have to say Mad River Glen (I realize the likelyhood of them actually accepting a freebie 6 pack is far less than a person getting struck by lightening ) But think about it. If they did that, there'd by a practically endless supply of TV/Newspaper/Magazine and online journal articles about it! And while not all the publicity would be positive, if you're talking pure marketing buzz/get the manufacturer's name out there, even "bad" press is good press

 

[Grassi21]

Using that scenario you posed, if the manufacturer wanted the most publicity bang for their donated buck, and you could argue "how off the radar" it is. I'd have to say Mad River Glen (I realize the likelyhood of them actually accepting a freebie 6 pack is far less than a person getting struck by lightening ) But think about it. If they did that, there'd by a practically endless supply of TV/Newspaper/Magazine and online journal articles about it! And while not all the publicity would be positive, if you're talking pure marketing buzz/get the manufacturer's name out there, even "bad" press is good press

I know this is a "fantasy scenario" thread, but how long do you think it would take to track out MRG with a 6 pack? I'm thinking 10AM.

 

[drjeff]

I know this is a "fantasy scenario" thread, but how long do you think it would take to track out MRG with a 6 pack? I'm thinking 10AM.

I wouldn't have even thrown MRG into the mix was it not for that little line that TB put in the fantasy scenario that the manufacturer WANTS some publicity for this.

I think that you can safely say that 6 packs at lesser areas don't exactly draw much publicity (look at Ragged and even in a sense Jiminy Peak (you hear about the wind turbine plenty though) ) so to get publicity enough to warrant what would likely be a 4 to 7 million dollar freebie (depending on the parameters of the install), you'd more than likely have that manufacturer wanting to go BIG with it

 

[deadheadskier]

Attitash - replacing the Summit Triple. It's a mid-major resort and that lift is a point of complaint as much as any in the east. I would suggest running it at HSQ capacity by having fewer chairs and it's a fine line with what the limited terrain up top can handle with increased capacity. Benefit of the six pack over just a quad is heavier chairs reducing risk of wind hold.

 

[deadheadskier]

2nd choice would be Smuggs, replacing Sterling lift.

 

[thetrailboss]

So far we have:

* Attitash
* Smuggs
* MRG (half tongue in cheek)

FWIW Smuggs submitted an updated master plan a few years back WITH a six pack to be installed on Sterling...pending financing. Nothing has come about yet.

 

[Riverskier]

I would give it to Saddleback to replace the Rangely Double. I was there MLK weekend and the line was over a half hour long. Not to mention it was a long, slow, and cold ride. That lift is used to acces virtually all of the terrain on the mountain, except the expert trail pod, but you still have to ride that lift to get there. Saddleback has the terrain, snowfall, elevation, etc. to rival any mountain in the East. Not to mention, plenty of room for expansion and big plans for the future. The first thing they need to do to really put them on the map is replace the Rangely Double!

 

[riverc0il]

Might as well throw out all the usual candidates.... Burke to the summit, Saddleback Rangeley Double, Magic, and Tenney. Replacement of Spear at Ragged as well.

If looking for publicity, the obvious choice is to go with one of the big dawgs because the larger resorts have more organized marketing departments with bigger budgets and can get more press about the event. Smaller areas have folks working double duty so their marketing team is really less than one person with not much money to spend and they don't have great media contacts to pull in for the story. Peaks, Boyne, Muellers, etc. would all be great candidates from a marketing perspective. Replacement of the Bonnie at Jay or the Steerling Double would seem like the best candidates given the media aspect of the question. The simple fact is there would be a lot less press if most skiers and riders have not even heard of the mountain where the install was happening.

Soooo, I think that part of the question and implying it should be a small player are contradictory in nature. Magic and Tenney surely could use that the most as those are the two ski areas that are most in need of lift upgrades and do not have the funds to do so. Big Squaw in Maine, perhaps??? That would be something. None of these areas would generate as much press as the larger areas though.

 

[RichT]

XANADU?? :-o

 

[vcunning]

Wow . . . 9 posts and no mention of Sundown. What's up with that?

 

[deadheadskier]

Sundown crew is holding out for a Tram

 

[Madroch]

mmmmm TRAM......

 

[gmcunni]

i'd put the 6pack @ magic but only let 2 or 3 people on each chair.

 

[bvibert]

i'd put the 6pack @ magic but only let 2 or 3 people on each chair.

Or only have about 30 chairs on the line, to keep the uphill capacity about the same.

Even then I still wouldn't want to see one go in there. I think they would destroy red line in the process (assuming they replaced the red chair with it.)

 

[bvibert]

Wow . . . 9 posts and no mention of Sundown. What's up with that?

Sundown crew is holding out for a Tram

A tram would be sweet, but I'd settle for a rad Chondola. 8)

 

[gmcunni]

Even then I still wouldn't want to see one go in there.

i know, i was kidding but with all the problems they've had with lifts they are probably the one place that would benefit most from a "free" one.

 

[snowmonster]

Can you imagine the sh*tstorm of debate if you installed a six-pack in the Mt. Washington area? Pinkham Notch VC to just below HoJo's. Keep the six pack low to the ground to avoid wind and don't go over the tree-line to minimize the towers being swept away in an avalanche. Run it only on weekends from March to May. People can ski down the Sherburne or hike up to Hilman's, Tux or the summit. If you're looking for publicity, there you have it.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

I think a six-pack results in a very negetive skiing/riding experience so I would say only if the resort has enough terrain to disperse without crowding with the increase in uphill capacity. I also think few resorts have enough business mid-week to justify it the cost. I personally don't mind waiting in line vs more laps with more crowding. I think that sentiment is in the minority.

 

[bvibert]

i know, i was kidding but with all the problems they've had with lifts they are probably the one place that would benefit most from a "free" one.

That I agree with, there's no other mountain that I'd like to see get a free lift, but I'd rather it was a double or maybe a triple..