Maine's New Hermon Mountain Must Sell or Will Go NELSAP

[thetrailboss]

My wife's family is in the Bangor area and though they were Sugarloafers, they did on occasion ski at Hermon Mountain (or "New Hermon Mountain"). They called it "Hermon Bump." The owner has announced that the family needs to retire and the mountain will either have to sell to a new operator or he will develop it into home lots. The latter would be sad as we need feeder hills and cheaper skiing and riding options.

Local press has said that they do a lot of things for local schools and non-profits.

Assuming that conditions allow, I intend to make a visit when we are up there this winter and enjoy it. I love visiting the smaller places. I always say that you can feel the true spirit of the sport at such places.

Hermon Mountain

6 ski trail maps for Hermon Mountain at Skimap.org

skimap.org

New Hermon Mountain Inc. - Hermon, ME

New Hermon Mountain Inc. offers night skiing right in your backyard in Hermon, ME

skihermonmountain.com

 

[LoafSkier19]

That would be too bad. It’s a great little place that wasn’t too far when I was a UMaine student. Had a couple pretty fun powder days/evenings after class while I was up that way. Perhaps it’s time to pay a revisit and tie in a trip to Big Rock as well.

 

[jaytrem]

Glad I went last year. They had a decent crowd for a misty evening. Mostly kids skiing with a lot of parents hanging out in the lodge. Did Big Rock earlier in the day, fun mountain.

 

[deadheadskier]

One would think that given the Bangor area population this little place could survive. Every other ski area save for Camden is two hours or more from Bangor. Well I guess there's Mt Jefferson in Lee, but they don't open too frequently. Might be all volunteers.

I used to cover all of Maine for work and never made it to Herman. I made a point to hit Black Rock and Lonesome Pines. I looked at Jefferson, but it was never open during the work week.

 

[gittist]

I watched a sales video on it and it looked like a sweet operation. However it’s probably not feasible for anyone to come in and turn a profit because the economics of a new owner are different from the old one mostly due to having to borrow $$ to buy and run the place unless one has the cash to buy it outright. God knows what the state regulations are or what would be required to operate.

Maybe Vail needs another feeder hill. Let Rob Katz know about it. Better Vail than no hill. Anyone remember Bald Mountain in Dedham?

Our town in PA has two grocery stores that were both family owned and run until about two years ago. One was bought by a larger chain and the other by an upstart operation.

The one bought by the chain is doing ok but of course with the new corporate image and new improved prices; meaning higher. We’re wondering if the upstart will last because it’s prices went up even more than the other store.