AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge: Bretton Woods

[Greg]

Cindy Feltch from Bretton Woods Mountain Resort also agreed to take the AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge! This is your chance to get official answers to your ski-related questions direct from a Northeast ski resort representative! Please post some suggested questions in this thread and I'll select ten to present for official responses.

As always, please be respectful of Cindy and keep it civil. Also, please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. Bretton Woods needs to be discrete about certain information.

Ask away!

 

[Joshua B]

How important to Bretton Woods' business are the off-slope ammenities? What is your ratio of day ticket sales to package deals?

 

[salida]

1. What are the current terrain expansions plans, and what are the time frames for those plans?

2. How will the cog rail way skiing operation affect bretton woods?

3. How will the expansion of mount stickney change the expert glades in rosebrook canyon?

thanks,

porter

 

[ChileMass]

"On my precious day off, how can BW entice me to drive the extra few miles instead of stopping at Loon or going over to Wildcat?"

Lis - I can appreciate your thoughts. I am not trying to trash BW at all. Quite the contrary - I am older now, with kids, and I rarely do anything very extreme on my skis anymore. BW fits perfectly with my ski needs. That said, it's not the first place I would think of to go on a Saturday.

I still want an answer to the question above.......

 

[skiguide]

2 - BW's reputation is that it exists primarily for the Range Rover/long weekend crowd. You have to admit a burger and a beer for lunch costs a lot more than at Cannon or Wildcat. Does BW have any plans to cater to the day-trip crowd that it sems to lose to other ski areas? On my precious day off, how can BW entice me to drive the extra few miles instead of stopping at Loon or going over to Wildcat?

Hey there! as a land rover owner, I resent that remark

I just wanted to point out that this season's new base lodge expansion opened up a different dining experience for skiers - a casual restaurant on the upper level - where a full lunch, with some very good choices could be had for about $10 -the typical cost of the standard cafeteria fare at most resorts. and at the same time, offered a daily buffet for $11.95- which was well worth it.

as a general trend, I see these types of restaurants and on-mountain buffets making the dining experience easier to swallow for skiers/families, and is more relaxing from the bustling main lodge area. I think the US is finally taking a queue from better ski-lunch fare over in Europe.

in response to the second part of your question- i'd say BW is far less crowded than loon, and there's plenty of space.

 

[eatskisleep]

Is it true that Bretton Woods plans to develop a town and have a shopping mall etc?

When will Mount Stickney open for skiing and riding and what type of terrail will be offered? I personnal think just put up a lift and don't hvae a single "trail" just add glades but that is just my opinion.

 

[eatskisleep]

Anychance for downhill biking next season? Please? I think at a place like Bretton it could be profitable.

 

[Greg]

Bretton Woods had an impressively long 2003/2004 season (November 13, 2003 - May 8, 2004: 178 consecutive days). In the Northeast, only Killington remained open later in the season. Is this extended season an approach we should continue to expect? Will Bretton Woods strive to offer the longest season in New Hampshire in years to come?

 

[Joshua B]

Good question Greg. Bretton Wood's sure surprised me with their late season this year.

 

[eatskisleep]

Bretton Woods had an impressively long 2003/2004 season (November 13, 2003 - May 8, 2004: 178 consecutive days). In the Northeast, only Killington remained open later in the season. Is this extended season an approach we should continue to expect? Will Bretton Woods strive to offer the longest season in New Hampshire in years to come?

Yes or maybe will Bretton even try to beat opening day and/or closing day VS Killington or the little Woodbury Conn. which beat killington in years past.

 

[riverc0il]

great question greg. i'd be really interested to hear if BW intends to give killington a run for the longest season in the northeast. they were pretty close this year and probably blew far less snow than killington did (and were probably a lot more profitable in the process!). i think the PR might outweigh the costs of some additional snow making to keep BW open another two weeks longer.

here's a thought: with the cog rail road receiving winter use and the cog's tie to mount washington hotel and thus BW, could the cog potentially extend the season of BW? how is the snow retention on the western flank of big george? i bet this could lead to some serious early season skiing if done right as well...

 

[Greg]

I've modified my question a bit:

Bretton Woods had an impressively long 2003/2004 season (November 13, 2003 - May 8, 2004: 178 consecutive days). In the Northeast, only Killington remained open later in the season. Is this extended season an approach we should continue to expect? Will Bretton Woods strive to open sooner and close later than Killington offer the longest season in New England in years to come?

Here's another question:

It's been over seven years since I've visited Bretton Woods and challenging terrain at that time was limited. Specifically, what has been done in the past few years to attract advanced skiers? Do you feel there still is a stigma of Bretton Woods strictly being an intermediate mountain, and how do you try to overcome this misconception?

 

[Greg]

I've sent questions to Cindy.

 

[Greg]

Cindy's responses are in:

http://skiing.alpinezone.com/articles/challenge/response.htm?resort=brettonwoods

 

[Greg]

Great answers. I especially like how Cindy answered my question #9. She is right. The fact that BW has less "expert" (read: steep) terrain than places like Cannon or Wildcat is not necessarily a negative. Also, the gladed areas apparently can provide a fun challenge to more advanced skiers. Bravo on that answer, Cindy! 8)

 

[bondawg]

responses

Cindy, Great responses ... I couldn't have said it better myself. Cheers!

 

[eatskisleep]

nice answeres.