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Peak Resorts to buy Ski Liberty, Ski Roundtop, and Ski Whitetail in South Central PA

jimmywilson69

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While 2 hours isn't exactly close. The Poconos resorts are 2.5 hours away. Hunter is 5 hours away.

I bet we see something priced like the Ranger package and I can now ski the 3 south central PA mountains and JF and BB in the Poconos. To be honest, that actually wouldn't be all that bad. I don't need or want any days at Hunter or Mt Snow.
 

Not Sure

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While 2 hours isn't exactly close. The Poconos resorts are 2.5 hours away. Hunter is 5 hours away.

I bet we see something priced like the Ranger package and I can now ski the 3 south central PA mountains and JF and BB in the Poconos. To be honest, that actually wouldn't be all that bad. I don't need or want any days at Hunter or Mt Snow.

How does Seven springs or Blue knob factor in ? Aren't they closer with better snow than the Poconos?
 

jimmywilson69

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7 Springs gets the lake effect, but the terrain has a lot to be desired. Because of the lake effect, tree skiing is in play. It also is very crowded on the weekend and they are charging like they are in Southern Vermont.

Blue Knob is hit or miss. Its at the end of the lake effect area and they don't make a lot of snow. When the skiing is good there it is REALLY GOOD. When it is bad, it is really bad. Some legit steeps and tree runs there.
 

BenedictGomez

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They're making payments on current debt service and have plenty of collateral to place attachments or liens on. Someone would be dumb not to loan them money.

It would be interesting to see what the collateral arrangements are. The financials of SKIS are truly awful. While the EBITDA margin of this acquisition isnt bad (and I'm sure they think they can cut costs), I was pretty surprised to see them buying anything at this point and loading up on additional debt. That said, the stock did nothing in reaction, so Wall Street doesn't perceive it as a threat to the dividend.
 

jimk

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So those 3 aren't too crowded compared to the Poconos? Don't know much about them at all. Would no doubt go during a regular non-holiday weekend. Maybe hit Bear Creek on the way out and pick up a bonus.

Seems like there's never a lift line at Jack Frost, but the lodge can be a bit crazy.

Are you coming from Philly? These places are well run, but smallish and crowded on most weekends in Jan and Feb. I'd rather go north to Hunter, Snow, etc if I lived in Philly and had the Peak pass. Shucks, I'd keep going to Wildcat:)

BTW, Jimmy Wilson is pretty much right on with all his comments in this thread about these places and as he says Roundtop is the most tolerable on good weekends but is smallest of three, Whitetail has longest continuous vertical but runs are all alike, Liberty has a decent mix of stuff given its small size.

For DC and Baltimore skiers/boarders Whitetail's old slogan, nothing close comes close - applies to all three. They are good daytrip areas on the order of Wachusett.
 
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Not Sure

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newAnnualSnow.jpg

Or maybe take up AT . There's a small area North of Rt 70 in southwest Pa that averages 150" of snow .


Edit. Laurel mountain is open again .Looks small but maybe some woods in play with a good season average ?
 
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catskillman

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Good luck with a local pass. The big areas like Hunter and Snow got nice price drops, smaller areas get increases. My Crotched pass jumped $80 and I talked to the marketing people(I worked there in previous years) and tried to convince them that they needed a Crotched only pass as all the other Peaks areas were almost 2 hours away, but got no where.

For you, the early bird Ranger pass was $529 this year so not a big increase likely next year. Overall they've do a descent job at the Crotch and bringing in the Rocket was a game changer.


So what happened? Did you get your PA pass? Cost up or down? Curious.

We got the 3 extra resorts, however I doubt anyone from the north will be utilizing it for these new resorts.
 

jaytrem

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Quick question for Jim and Jimmy. I have the option of heading to the 3 places either the weekend Feb 8th or Mar 8th. Are they typically much less crowded in early March? Thinking if I hit Dartmouth/Tenney/Middlebury in Feb I don't have to worry much about crowds. Feb decision will also be based on weather. Other benefit to Mar is Blue Knob will have more time to pick up some snow. Would love to get there. Thanks!
 

O09

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Crazy that the acquisition, financed by Cap 1 llc, now makes Cap 1 llc the majority shareholder of Peaks at 54% ownership. Looks like the Sackler's (Purdue Pharma) investment arm is trying to make it more difficult for state AG's to clawback money from them. Wonder how their ongoing lawsuits related to Oxycontin and their role engineering the opioid crisis will play with future ski resort purchases and investment.
 

jimmywilson69

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3/1 crowds drop dramatically unless we have recent snow. Depending on how February is, snow could be thin. Last year we were on life support at the end of February. Then we got some deep cold air back and were back to 100% open. Add in a big storm mid March, and Roundtop closed with 100% coverage on 3/25. I believe Whitetail actually shut down the week prior. Liberty was open until 3/31, as that is my birthday and first time I ever skied on my birthday.

With the warm up and rain early next week, we should be in snow making recovery the weekend of 3/8. That is a good thing IMO as there will be plenty of soft snow then. Base is pretty deep at Roundtop, I haven't been to either of the other 2 yet this year.

Both LIberty and Whitetail face east and can offer some good corn snow in early March if we get Sun and warm enough temps. I usually wait until about that time to head to those more southern mountains because of this.
 

FBGM

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A crap portfolio gets crappier

Stay away from jay and Burke, peaks

Correct. The worst of the worst ski area portfolios.

But don’t worry. They can’t afford the price tag of Jay. They can’t even afford their own improvements without all the borrowing and funny money.
 

skinavy

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Yeah, Lib/WT/RT should still be fine the 1st weekend of March, even the next weekend, looking over the years. Average closing is +/- St Patty's, and usually with almost full coverage.
The places all empty out after President's Day like JW said, unless there's a dump, and even that would only be a surge the day after. Last year we got 8" or so at the Equinox and got to ski Mid-A pow right after the Spring burning of the socks (An Annapolis sailing thing, like offering tribute to Ullr, except to Neptune. And with oysters.).
RT holds their snow best, WT is the most exposed... but no bar at WT... which shouldn't matter because in March you're supposed to be tailgating, anyway.
Last year Lib got aggressive with late-season snowmaking to recover from the mid-Feb meltdown and the results were fantastic. Apparently Peak has instituted a new snowmaking regime, more regimented? We'll see what that means if there is a another late-season warmup.
 

Funky_Catskills

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Correct. The worst of the worst ski area portfolios.

But don’t worry. They can’t afford the price tag of Jay. They can’t even afford their own improvements without all the borrowing and funny money.

Hunter North says "BS"...
 

jimmywilson69

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Apparently Peak has instituted a new snowmaking regime, more regimented? We'll see what that means if there is a another late-season warmup.


Snow making appears to be the same here at RT. I think they could've opened earlier than they did, but got scared by the 3" of rain and it ended up burning them when it washed off the hill. Which it probably would've done if they had pushed it out and opened.

Lets hope they want to keep at least 1 of the 3 open until the end of March again this year. I am partial to RT as its not any effort for me to go there!
 
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