AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge: Cannon Mountain Ski Area

[Greg]

Amy Bassett from Cannon Mountain Ski Area 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 Amy and keep it civil. Also, please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. Cannon needs to be discrete about certain information.

Ask away!

 

[trailbiscuit]

Opening Mittersil, or not opening Mittersil? Please separate the truth from the rumors.

 

[riverc0il]

what trailbiscuit said!!! hahahah.

The Links/Middle Cannon has been a nightmare location on the hill in regards to people moving and scraping/icing. Are there any plans to alleviate this problem area?

The bump situation on the trails improved tremendously this past season with many trails not being groomed on the sides (rocket, garys, zoomer, and avalanche come to mind immediately) and a good portion of trails not being groomed at all. With the expansion of the Tuckerbrook area for beginners/intermediates, will Cannon skiers continue to find great (and maybe possibly more?) bump and natural snow conditions throughout the mountain as we did this past year?

Rumor was there was a problem with the snow making system this past season. Could you address what happened and plans to fix the system before next season?

Will the rumored trail between Paulie's Extension and the Banshee Slopes materialize any time soon?

What is the status on the recently cut glade trail between Zoomer Lift Line and Rocket? Will that be thoroughly cleared and brushed out by the next season?

thanks Amy! cannon is my favorite mountain and i can't wait to get back there next season.

 

[salida]

I love cannon that is all I have to say!

I can't think of anything that rivercoil hasn't said that I would ask myself.

Well mabye one thing, Will first track trams continue on weekends next year.

porter

 

[skican]

Shhhh....can't we just keep Cannon our little secret!! Okay, we can share.

 

[Monkey Boy]

I don't have a question, but just a comment or two.

Mittersill, The most I would do with it is set up a double chair to the top. I would leave it as all natural terrain with no snowmaking or grooming. Give it that Castlerock( @ sugarbush) or some sort of a Mad River feel to it. I think it would be very popular.

 

[Greg]

I don't have a question, but just a comment or two.

Mittersill, The most I would do with it is set up a double chair to the top. I would leave it as all natural terrain with no snowmaking or grooming. Give it that Castlerock( @ sugarbush) or some sort of a Mad River feel to it. I think it would be very popular.

Interesting concept. Perhaps I can incorporate this in with the Mittersill question as the feedback to this would be very interesting. Thoughts?

 

[Greg]

I have one:

Cannon is unique in that it is a state-operated ski area. How does this fact benefit and/or hinder Cannon as compared to the other private and corporate owned New Hampshire ski areas?

 

[Joshua B]

Is the cost of running and maintaining an aerial tram far greater than the cost of running and maintaining a chairlift?

 

[riverc0il]

ack, no chairlifts on mittersill!!! heh. i know, i'm selfish. such a unique setup, increased traffic would require snow making and such, i can't imagine the place being even remotely the experience it is today if a chairlift was installed.

another question:

With Cannon's well known reputation as being a challenging area with icy slopes, it seems like the expansion plans have gone a long way towards removing this no longer warrented stigma. Has the expansion of the Tuckerbrook Area effected Cannon's appeal to a broader base of skiers? How will Cannon continue to diversify it's ski experience to a wider range of skiers while also retaining it's true expert heritage?

 

[Greg]

Closed to further questions. I shipped ten off to Amy.

 

[Greg]

Amy's responses are in!

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

 

[Joshua B]

Yes I too was impressed with these answers.

I love the straightforward, honest approach.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Cannon's a straighforward, honest mountain...