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Ragged Mountain begins expansion

dlague

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Well - The most important change I would like to see is a HS lift on Spear! Does anyone know which plans will be implemented first? Sounds like they are clearing new trails on Pinnacle?
 

deadheadskier

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Hoping the Spear chair comes first. Most of the employees I talked to while skiing there this winter were under the impression that the chair would come first.
 

xwhaler

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This would be a really great step for Ragged....to ski off both peaks with a HSQ would really make the hill ski bigger than its 1250' vertical would suggest. Lot of terrain that can be accessed quickly. I'd focus on the HSQ, continued snow making improvements to expand terrain quickly early season and most of all marketing. Still lots of folks have never skied Ragged. I'd imagine the goal is to steal market share from Sunapee/Gunstock so need to get the word out to bring those folks over.
So much potential here for Ragged to really be the top choice south of the White Mtns for day tripping families. Not sure I totally understand the need for massive real estate developments though.
 

ss20

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This would be a really great step for Ragged....to ski off both peaks with a HSQ would really make the hill ski bigger than its 1250' vertical would suggest. Lot of terrain that can be accessed quickly. I'd focus on the HSQ, continued snow making improvements to expand terrain quickly early season and most of all marketing. Still lots of folks have never skied Ragged. I'd imagine the goal is to steal market share from Sunapee/Gunstock so need to get the word out to bring those folks over.
So much potential here for Ragged to really be the top choice south of the White Mtns for day tripping families. Not sure I totally understand the need for massive real estate developments though.

Look at Okemo. Condos made the resort more appealing to families, stealing that market. Ragged builds condos= families, which bring in a ton of $$$$
 

deadheadskier

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Look at Okemo. Condos made the resort more appealing to families, stealing that market. Ragged builds condos= families, which bring in a ton of $$$$

......and Gunstock and Sunapee don't offer slopeside lodging.

Ragged would still need something more to make it attractive in the summer months. A 9 hole golf course isn't enough. (current 18 is going to be shrunk down to 9)

If I were them, I'd be looking to see if I could secure lakefront property on Newfound Lake a short distance away. Build a marina and clubhouse for mountain real estate owners to use.
 

Abubob

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Ragged IS becoming popular. A HSQ on Spear will help eleviate the longer lines that developed this year. Another thing they're have to work on is more parking. Cars were lining the road several times this year.
 

xwhaler

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Look at Okemo. Condos made the resort more appealing to families, stealing that market. Ragged builds condos= families, which bring in a ton of $$$$

In a vaccuum sure I agree with that statement but not sure the massive 2nd home market is all that big for those wanting to invest on mtn at a 1250' vert hill. How many mtns in New England under 1700' of vert have big condo developments? I suppose you could say Cranmore but that has North Conway as the big draw. Black NH has some condos on the hill but not what I'd consider real development. My point is anyone that wants to invest in a 2nd home with skiing as the primary focus is more likely to look at bigger mtns.
I think Ragged could possibly do a small slopeside hotel and maybe some condos but the article mentions 900 village units---seems highly ambitious to me.
 

ss20

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In a vaccuum sure I agree with that statement but not sure the massive 2nd home market is all that big for those wanting to invest on mtn at a 1250' vert hill. How many mtns in New England under 1700' of vert have big condo developments? I suppose you could say Cranmore but that has North Conway as the big draw. Black NH has some condos on the hill but not what I'd consider real development. My point is anyone that wants to invest in a 2nd home with skiing as the primary focus is more likely to look at bigger mtns.
I think Ragged could possibly do a small slopeside hotel and maybe some condos but the article mentions 900 village units---seems highly ambitious to me.

Jiminy Peak. A little piece of Stratton's village. Other than that, none. But hey, you gotta start somewhere! NH has no real condo market (besides Loon). New market, lot's of potential buyers. I'm sure some New Hampshire-ites would rather drive an hour less to a smaller mountain than Killington, Stratton, or Okemo.
 

deadheadskier

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How would that connect? A trail off that slow green (Blueberry Patch, I think)?

I think the set up to get between Ragged proper and Pinnacle will probably be pretty similar to the exchange between Attitash and Bear Peak. Maybe a little less painful, but still not trails most would really want to ski except for getting back and forth between the two mountains.

NewMap.CU2_-1024x824.jpg

I'm not digging the new cut trail off of Spear if it takes away any of the gladed terrain in the Ravine. It looks like it follows where Not Too Shabby is on the current trail map. http://www.raggedmountainresort.com/layout/trailmap/ I do see why they think they'll need another cut trail off the top of Spear with the addtion of a HSQ. Flying Yankee is the primary race trail on the mountain, so if that's in use, it would only leave glades (infrequently open) a beginner trail and the steepest trail on the mountain (Showboat) for regular customers. Hopefully they'll find a way to squeeze the new trail in between Showboat and Not Too Shabby and leave NTS alone.

The 2nd HSQ lower down on Spear seems like overkill. It will essentially be servicing just a few beginner trails designed to access ski in / ski out property. They could probably get away with a Fixed Grip lift.
 
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xwhaler

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Does anyone know what the topography is like up on Pinnacle Peak? I'd say that Ragged proper has more continuous fall line T2B where as Spear is steeper in sections but is more interrupted with flatter spots followed by another pitch.
 
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