Tenney Mt. Expansion plans...

Is anyone following the Tenney Mt. expansion plans? There are some pretty big ideas being floated to the town planning board. New hotel, golf, retirement village, etc. In addition, there are plans to extend the resort all the way down the access road to route 3A (allowing a vertical of close to 1900 ft.). The developer has yet to be named, but it seems that sno engineering has done some work on the master plan. I myself think Tenney is a nice mid-size mt. with a great location. True, it's not very steep, snowmaking needs some attention and the summit double is SLOW, but the woods are very underated the trails are interesting and ski long, and it's a great uncrowded NH option.

I had a booklet from the last sale. It outlined expansion possibilities and financials (ouch). It seems that water for snowmaking is a big concern. Development could be very interesting. I hope something happens, because it doesn't seem like they can go much longer as they are running (website reports only 3 trails open for the holiday week)

A look at the topo indicates that it's physicially impossible for Tenney to boast a 1900 foot vertical whether it extends down to Rt 3 or any other road. It's true summit is only 2300' while the lifts currently top out at around 2100'. Rt. 3 is at 600' more or less. Do the math.

Verticle

They can do what they did in Sarejevo and build a tower at the summit.

i think that type of development will sink tenney. they can't compete with waterville and loon for a big resort. they don't have the terrain to compete with cannon for challenge. their market seems to be ideally suited for beginners through intermediates looking for an cheap uncrowded alternative for nice cruising in a day trip environment. i hardly recommend tenney as a preferable alternative to boston folks instead of more crowded and expensive places like gunstock, ragged, and sunapee. but the mountain is what it is and it will never be a big resort. it doesn't have the terrain to keep people interested for an entire weekend. i found myself bored in a single day. the mountain has great location off i93 and within an hour and a half of the metro boston area. but i just don't see tenney being a player on the resort scene. i think they should instead look at places like cranmore and ragged and figure out how these mid-sized areas became so successful and mirror that.

Tenney

Tenney used to be one of my favorite Telly mtn.'s. The only trouble with it would be the slow and long chair. I've also raced there. If Crotched was a big recovery hit, Tenney can be.

i agree to a point skiguy. crotched's come back has been nothing short of phenomenal. but crotched's owners are pros in the business already having several successful ski areas in the ohio area. i mean, if you can successfully bring skiing to ohio, you gotta know what you are doing so crotched had a great business model in place and the finances to do it right from the get go. i am not so sure if tenney has that going for them. also, i think the mid-sized ski mountain market is starting to get crowded. crotched came back, ragged got their 6 pack and took off, cranmore is very polished, gunstock got a high speed quad and is already polished, lot's of good things have been said about pats, and sunapee is consistantly slammed. tenney has a lot of competition, and even with a face lift and improvements, i wonder if the mid-sized NH ski market can bare another mid-sized ski area trying to go big. i think tenney is in a tough situation here if they expand or not, but i do not think they are in a situation in which "if they build it, they will come."

I saw an article in the local paper that Tenney was about to be sold; plans for a hotel and a water park were mentioned as well. I didn't see anything about increasing the vert.

Tin woodsman makes a good point. I really haven't taken the time to look at a topo. The Mt. currently advertises 1,400 vert. This would be from the base of the pomo (where the condos are - 200 ft. vert give or take on the lower level)) to the summit. The proposal mentioned going all the way to route 3a (600 ft. as tin woodsman states) perhaps to the true summit 2300 (the trails that are cut but never opened. That gives us 1,700 ft. vert.

River, we seem to like many of the same mts. Burke, Cannon, Wildcat, etc. Our opinions differ about Tenney. True, I can see how the groomers are a bit tame. But, I have had some fantastic days in the woods. Really worth a look during a decent snow season. Lets not forget where the money in ski resorts is....real estate! Bretton Woods has done very well with vanilla terrain. Tenney could be a intermediates/kids paradise.

Ragged is a great little mountain, but I don't think it's doing as well as you might think. I think they are a bit over their head with the 6-pack. There are some huge develeopment plans at Ragged (build out would be like Sunday River). Problem is...Ragged is in the middle of sticks. Tenney has great 4-season potential with close proximity to Newfound lake and White Mts. and a decent existing bed base in Plymouth.

Well, I hate to add a buzzkill, but like Burke there has always been a lot of ideas for Tenney but no money. In the 1990's it was this idea that they were going to build out more terrain, then came the 'Japanese Snow' and the promise to have one of the longest ski seasons in the east thanks to the snowmaking system. :roll: Neither have come.

I like Tenney and think it has potential. I do not like the way the management has run it in the past few years and so far this season they have yet to get things really going. Only SIX trails open for the holidays? :blink: That must kill the place.

It just seems that they don't know what they are doing and are a smaller hill in a land of big competitors with more vert, more snowmaking, better management, and more money. It is something that the ski area has not ended up here.

It is also odd that with a big university in town they can't make a go. I was talking with someone from PSU on the lift today and she was saying that even though 10e is in her hometown she'd much rather drive to Cannon because more snowmaking, better terrain, etc, etc. If the locals won't ski there, then there is trouble.

Tenney looks like its actually doing capitol improvements over the summer by cutting and expanding trails and snowmaking... anyone else following this?

Jellis said:

Tenney looks like its actually doing capitol improvements over the summer by cutting and expanding trails and snowmaking... anyone else following this?

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There has been discussion in SnowJournal's NELSAP room....you can find it HERE. There is much interest. To sum it up:

1. Ownership of 10e was transferred from the former Japanese Snow owners to some yet-to-be-named "resort hotel chain" that vowed to revamp the place.

2. There has been discussion about a large hotel complex and other amentities to be built near the main road, extending the ski area's vert.

3. The resort limped through the rest of the season before closing in late March/early April.

4. Shortly thereafter, posters reported that 10e was removing chairs and the rope on the double. Electrical and other things were removed as well. There were pictures. Rumors of an HSQ coming.

5. Work suddenly halts in May. E-mails to management reveal that there were plans to install a HSQ which had been shelved because "permits were not in place." :blink:

6. After this work was halted, there was a press release on the site making a vague promise of the mentioned snowmaking and trail work. It's easy to do this....cut some bushes back and fix a couple hydrants...maybe add a couple guns and volah...promise met.

So I and others are kind of :-? about what is really going on. We want the best....but I will believe the claims when I see/ski it.

Here is one thread on Tenney's Work.

And

another one. Scroll down....

This is directly from 10e's website:

Tenney said:

Snowmaking and Trail Improvements Highlight Tenney’s Summer Projects for 2006
Tenney Mountain started a resort-wide multi-year expansion and improvement project with a variety of on-mountain improvements aimed at making your skiing and riding experience better than ever. Attention will be focused on major improvements to the snowmaking system to include a better pumping system, more snowguns and enhanced water supply. Every trail and glade will be brushed back, water bars repaired and rocks removed to make for easier and faster snowmaking coverage. Also, on the hill, an all-new skier and snowboarder terrain park will be built on a lengthened John’s Park Trail. Tenney’s all-new Bombardier 350 groomer will be now supplemented by two other grooming machines keeping the mountain with the top conditions skiers and riders expect. Elsewhere around the resort, look for the ski school to become a PSIA Certified School with new ski and ride programs for the entire family. The rental shop will feature a new inventory of Head Snowboards, boots and children’s skis. The cafeteria will have a broader menu and the lounge will have more après ski entertainment to complement a new slate of special events and activities. You’ll also see a renewed commitment to racing programs from collegiate and private schools to Team Tenney and fun family racing. Keep in mind, this is just the beginning. New homes will be under construction in the final phase of the Eagle’s Nest project, while at the same time, planning work is being done on all-new real-estate projects, an on-site hotel, an 18-hole golf course and much more. Over the next several years the ski resort will see even more lifts with trails all the way to Rte. 3A, a new base lodge and parking area and much expanded and improved snowmaking. Our goal is to provide skiing and riding families with a safe and fun environment at an affordable price without the clutter and huge crowds found at other resorts. And, you as season passholders are in the forefront of a new era at Tenney Mountain!

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skiguy said:

. I've also raced there. .

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So have I... In the summer that is. They should do another race series... that would be sick.