Cannon/Mittersill

"We're dropping the rope to join Cannon and Mittersill.

Join us for a day that's been 20 years in the making. We'll have a special commemorative coin available that day only while supplies last.

The official rope cutting and "Family Photo" will take place at the saddle on the Taft Trail at 12:00 noon. "




I get a kick out of this old flyer:




I wonder what this really means....... will Mittersill next year be any different?

Was at Cannon this past Saturday. Was talking to a local on the tram who said he understood that they were going to install a double chair and try to retain the original layout. He told me that some of the terrain on Mittersill was better and harder then most of Cannon. I know I'm in the minority but I would love to see it happen since I missed Mittersill when it was open. Took a ride over to the base and took some pictures. It's going to take a lot of work to get a lift in. The liftline seems very over grown with the original lift towers rising up through trees. The hotel looked very nice. Parts of an old T-bar are there as well.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Not to be a dud, but I do want it to remain as is. At most a shuttle service or lift at the bottom of Mittersill to bring you to Tuckerbrook, and you can go back to the top from there.

Glad I skied Mitt when it was still a NELSAP area. Maybe it should be taken off the list now.

I've skied one run on Mittersill in my life. It was this season, last run of the day, legs completely toast and skiing like total crap. After experiencing it, I am ONE BILLION percent against this expansion. I could agree to John's idea with the shuttle coming back from the base, but that's it.

It's such a unique experience to go over and ski Mittersill the way it currently is. And the amount of 'work' it takes to get over there is a 10 minute hike. Anyone who wants to experience it and isn't willing to do that simple hike, doesn't deserve to ski it in my opinion. The fact that it takes three lift rides to get back up diminishes the amount the terrain can get worked during fresh snow.

Put it on the map as is, maybe do some minor clearing, some minor grooming to preserve base depths early season (big maybe on that), but do not put a lift in. Market it as Cannon's 'wild side'. Doing this would be SO much better than putting in a lift.

Wow, an official burial service. Don't forget to dress in all black to mark the passing of one of New England's few unique skiing experiences.

Spending lots to make it unspecial.

Really bummed to hear about the lift. That sucks. Suggestions about early season grooming and a shuttle back to Cannon sounds just about right.

deadheadskier said:

Put it on the map as is, maybe do some minor clearing, some minor grooming to preserve base depths early season (big maybe on that), but do not put a lift in. Market it as Cannon's 'wild side'. Doing this would be SO much better than putting in a lift.

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I love this idea.

Who currently owns Mittersill???

Honestly, I can really only see one possible benefit of Mittersill getting developed as a lift served area. i would imagine the amount of 'illegal' off map cut glades would triple. I seriously had no idea that Cannon had such a group of off-piste terrain seekers. It was obvious in my one visit this season that that mountain is far more than a playground for racers. While lacking the natural snow of the northern greens, it has the exact same attitude. Can't wait to get back there next season. It is now on my must ski every season list.

Had an idea this morning. What if there was a compromise? I do understand why they want to go through with this project. There is no doubt that adding the additional lift and acreage would bring a significant amount of new skiers to check it out as well as give the ski area an opportunity to improve on mountain lodging over at Mittersill. The economics make sense.

What if however, they didn't run the new lift to the summit where the old lift went? Instead of putting in a double that heads to the top, why not run the lift only as far as the summit of one of the old T-bars, roughly 2/3rds the length of the double. And, instead of making it a double, go right ahead and make it a quad, even high speed if you like and make that lower terrain buffed out beautiful intermediate terrain.

....leave out the top for those who wish to earn it via coming over from Cannon.

This compromise would give the people who don't want to see any change at all, roughly 600 vert of unspoiled terrain that would still require 3 lifts and hike from the Tuckerbrook Quad area to help weed out the lazy and preserve snow. The new Quad over on lower Mittersill would give the less inclined 800 vert and a guestimate of 80 acres of good intermediate terrain and slope side lodging.

This seems like a win - win to me. Obviously, I'd rather see Mittersill left completely alone. Obviously developers would want to see a lift access the full 1400 vert and all of the acreage. I believe that there are enough Mittersill purists out there though that if a compromise was pushed, it might just be able to happen that way.

The top of the old T-bar line only goes halfway up and cuts off some seriously good terrain options. Buffing out any of Mitty would be a bad move, lower half or upper half. But the middle section is where some of the best options are and buffing that out would not be a very good idea.

The new GM has already stated that they are going to keep Mittersill rather "natural" though how natural remains to be seen. I am primarily concerned with the character of the area. Narrow and natural lines, lots of nooks and crannies, places to explore, etc. I think snow making would be too much expense so it probably need not be a worry. If they are going to do it, a double to the old unload station is the best option.

Deadheadskier... you must not have read any of my Cannon reports if you hadn't thought Cannon to be a natural terrain seekers paradise. :lol: When Cannon has the snow, I would rather ski there than literally any other place in New England. As much as I mourn the passing of Mittersill back into lift service again, it barely scratches the surface of what the mountain has to offer.

Next year I'll have a couple more vacay days to play with and hopefully I can blow off work on a midweek twofer powder day to explore more.

Call me foolish for not paying much attention to your reports river. I guess I've just had it in my head for years that the only really good slack country in the east lies from the MRV north in VT and over at Sugarloaf. Guess I'm starting to become a reformed Northern VT ski snob :lol:

riverc0il said:

The new GM has already stated that they are going to keep Mittersill rather "natural" though how natural remains to be seen. I am primarily concerned with the character of the area. Narrow and natural lines, lots of nooks and crannies, places to explore, etc. I think snow making would be too much expense so it probably need not be a worry. If they are going to do it, a double to the old unload station is the best option.

Deadheadskier... you must not have read any of my Cannon reports if you hadn't thought Cannon to be a natural terrain seekers paradise. :lol: When Cannon has the snow, I would rather ski there than literally any other place in New England. As much as I mourn the passing of Mittersill back into lift service again, it barely scratches the surface of what the mountain has to offer.

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What a great mountain. It was great to be back there this past weekend even if the snow conditions weren't the greatest. The quy on the tram I talked to echoed what Steve said and said it was to be kept as natural as possible.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

A shuttle at the bottom seems ideal to me... I tend to stay right so that I don't have to hike up to Tuckerbrook quad, would like to be able to explore ski'rs left more--

I really hope they don't put in a lift or send up a groomer, guess I'd be ok with some major trails on the map...

Oh yea, when it snows -- Cannon's my top mtn in NH.

looks good with the increased terrain.

might have to make Cannon a destination for next year.

tekweezle said:

doesn't look as good with the decreased natural terrain.

have to make Cannon a destination for next year before they screw it up.

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fixed it for you

I don't believe I've seen this question posed anywhere else, so...

Cannon has a fairly strict no-hiking policy. When Mittersill is developed, will this policy apply to that complex as well? Thus, will this mean folks will no longer be able to earn there turns over there for a non-lift experience?

threecy said:

I don't believe I've seen this question posed anywhere else, so...

Cannon has a fairly strict no-hiking policy. When Mittersill is developed, will this policy apply to that complex as well? Thus, will this mean folks will no longer be able to earn there turns over there for a non-lift experience?

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I assume that would be the case. Though most people hiking "Mittersill" actually hike up from Tuckerbrook so they never actually skin in the ski area and are on WMNF land. I doubt the land swap was broad enough to include the entire north to north western side of the mountain but I would be interested to know if that was the case.

Regardless, the only people that earn turns on Mount Jackson are severe masochists. As a turn earner myself, I don't see the point in earning turns into an area that much skied by lift serviced skiers. Much better options out there for turn earning, IMO. Additionally, Cannon has turned its head on early and late season turn earning. So probably "unofficially" fair game unless the lifts are running.