• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

What's up with Maple Valley?

Ski Diva

New member
Joined
Dec 23, 2005
Messages
450
Points
0
Location
Vermont
Website
www.skidiva.com
I drove by the defunct Maple Valley ski area in Dummerston, VT, yesterday, and it looked like there was some work being done on the base lodge. I know it was for sale a while ago. Anyone know what's going on?
 
Last edited:

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
That's just a few miles from our place in Dummerston. They've been doing some digging behind the base lodge for about a year or so. Not sure what they're doing. You used to be able to see the old groomer they had there...and a few fan style snowmakers. I haven't seen either for quite some time.

I beleive they keep the lodge heated or at the very least, above freezing. When we drive by, early in the AM on our way to Mount Snow, you can see some heat waves coming out of a metal chimney.

It's been shut for so long, I don't know if the lifts could be salvaged at this point. It's sad to see the place just fade away.
 

MrMagic

New member
Joined
Jan 15, 2004
Messages
723
Points
0
Location
CT
they have been digging behind the lodge for quite some time, they replaced some sort of water or sewage pipe, glenn is right they do keep the place somewhat heated, the snowmakers and groomer are in the storage shed, the place is really fallen apart with big time trail erosion and most the equipment destroyed. They are doing some logging on the skiers left of the mnt very close to the summit double last time I checked. As far as I know its still for sale, sad to see the place fall apart
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
If I ever hit the lottery, I'd buy that place and open it up for the locals.

I'll try and do some digging. One of our neighbors is a contractor and I'll see him this weekend. He may know the low down. Another neighbor works for the town; I bet she'll have some insight.

A lot of our neighbors used to ski there back in the day. They said it was a great place to go. It's how many of the weekenders up there ended up buying a place on the road we're on.
 

MrMagic

New member
Joined
Jan 15, 2004
Messages
723
Points
0
Location
CT
Looked to me like they were painting the base lodge, too.

well if its still for sale its a good idea to keep it lokking as nice as possable. glenn if u do win the lotto give me a job spinning the t-bar
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
well if its still for sale its a good idea to keep it lokking as nice as possable. glenn if u do win the lotto give me a job spinning the t-bar

You bet! That's the least I could do.
 

threecy

New member
Joined
Nov 17, 2003
Messages
1,930
Points
0
Website
www.franklinsites.com
I was given a personal tour of the area years ago (after they had closed)...the lodge, if I recall, was used briefly after the ski area closed as a bar. I haven't driven by in a few years, but there used to be a sawmill operating out of the parking lot (across the road).

The chairlifts have seen better days...at this point it would likely take sigificant investment to get them to pass inspection - new cable, etc.

The area was unique in that the lifts, etc. operated off a large diesel generator or two.

Seeing the facilities and knowing some of the achillies heels of the area, it would require work similar to that done at Crotched to get this one going again - it's definitely not as turn-key as some other NELSAP rebirths over the years (not that those were simple turn key startups), such as Tenney, Ascutney, Haystack, etc.
 

AdironRider

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
3,485
Points
63
I dont know the terrain well, but throw a cheap used double on there, couple tbars and facelift the lodge and you're good to go.

Hell, screw the tbars and run it with a solid money making f&b department and you could have something. One small lift and lodge couldnt be that expensive. Think dive bar running a generator all day plus some extra, dirt cheap seasonal employees. Say, ticket lady, 2 lifties, 2 volunteer patrol. Groomer if you so desire, but its one of the lifties roomates who needs a job. That way you dont pay overtime and maintain a staff average wage of under 10 bones. Done.

Cheap booze and eats will always make money, throw a couple a frames out back for lodging. I think it could be done for a mill, maybe 1.5.

Sell a couple hundred, maybe a thousand lift tickets and you pay those seasonal workers salaries, bonus from school programs. Season passes for the local dirtbags can make up a snowmaking budget. Get a green run, base area, and one run from the top covered, rest natural.
 

AdironRider

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
3,485
Points
63
http://www.summitliftco.net/images/Used_Double_Chairlift_For_Sale.pdf

This ones only 150k canuckistani pesos, Its practically on sale!

Maybe you get one of the paid for groomers working again for say, 50k. Spruce the lodge for say 100, man thats steep, but I guess worth it. Stock up the bar and whatnot for 20k, that still leaves like 600 grand for lift installation and some startup capital. 1 million sure would be nice.
 

riverc0il

New member
Joined
Jul 10, 2001
Messages
13,039
Points
0
Location
Ashland, NH
Website
www.thesnowway.com
I dont know the terrain well, but throw a cheap used double on there, couple tbars and facelift the lodge and you're good to go.

Hell, screw the tbars and run it with a solid money making f&b department and you could have something. One small lift and lodge couldnt be that expensive. Think dive bar running a generator all day plus some extra, dirt cheap seasonal employees. Say, ticket lady, 2 lifties, 2 volunteer patrol. Groomer if you so desire, but its one of the lifties roomates who needs a job. That way you dont pay overtime and maintain a staff average wage of under 10 bones. Done.

Cheap booze and eats will always make money, throw a couple a frames out back for lodging. I think it could be done for a mill, maybe 1.5.

Sell a couple hundred, maybe a thousand lift tickets and you pay those seasonal workers salaries, bonus from school programs. Season passes for the local dirtbags can make up a snowmaking budget. Get a green run, base area, and one run from the top covered, rest natural.
This is about what Magic is working on currently. The owner sells tickets and bumps chairs sometimes because they run so bare bones on staff. It is a great feel having the owner that involved but it isn't enough to make an area long term successful. This type of place does not have the terrain that Magic has to make grooming optional. Even Magic can't survive without good snow making (see their improvements thread). threecy is right that this place would need the Crotched treatment to get going again.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,340
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
I dont know the terrain well, but throw a cheap used double on there, couple tbars and facelift the lodge and you're good to go.

Hell, screw the tbars and run it with a solid money making f&b department and you could have something. One small lift and lodge couldnt be that expensive. Think dive bar running a generator all day plus some extra, dirt cheap seasonal employees. Say, ticket lady, 2 lifties, 2 volunteer patrol. Groomer if you so desire, but its one of the lifties roomates who needs a job. That way you dont pay overtime and maintain a staff average wage of under 10 bones. Done.

Cheap booze and eats will always make money, throw a couple a frames out back for lodging. I think it could be done for a mill, maybe 1.5.

Sell a couple hundred, maybe a thousand lift tickets and you pay those seasonal workers salaries, bonus from school programs. Season passes for the local dirtbags can make up a snowmaking budget. Get a green run, base area, and one run from the top covered, rest natural.

This would have worked five or so years ago shortly after they closed. But because of the years without use, you have a lot of work to get it going again.
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
Sweet...I've got a workforce lined up!

Here's the latest from a neighbor. This is what he knew about things.
Apparently, it's owned by an individual. It had briefly opened up again...but a young girl fell off the lift because she didn't put the bar down. A lawsuit took place, and they had to do a lot of work to the lifts to get them recertified by the insurance company. It never opened back up again.

They've been doing work out back to what he think is the septic system. Also, they've been replacing some railings and whatnot around the lodge. He thought just general upkeep so things looked nice.

Oh, and regarding the sawmill...you can still see (or could) a sign for a timber company that's near the entrance to the parkinglot on the other side of Rt30.
 

threecy

New member
Joined
Nov 17, 2003
Messages
1,930
Points
0
Website
www.franklinsites.com
I dont know the terrain well, but throw a cheap used double on there, couple tbars and facelift the lodge and you're good to go.

Not if you intend to have any snowmaking. Their water came from the river - I'm pretty sure they lost their grandfathered rights a few years ago by not operating for 5 (?) seasons.
 

tree_skier

New member
Joined
Nov 7, 2003
Messages
1,621
Points
0
Location
SOUTHERN VERMONT
I have heard (rumor but from a reliable source) that it has been purchased by two Vermont snowboarding icon's to be turned into a park ala Whaleback. It is no longer listed on Granger's real estate site who had it for sale.
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
I have heard (rumor but from a reliable source) that it has been purchased by two Vermont snowboarding icon's to be turned into a park ala Whaleback. It is no longer listed on Granger's real estate site who had it for sale.

I did some digging on my part. According to the town records, it's still owned by the guy my neighbor said owned it. I "think" he's owned it for a number of years.
 
Top