Balsams Grand Resort teams up with ski industry legend Les Otten

[x10003q]

Every trail open?! :blink:


Some people never change. Ambition made him and killed him in the ski industry. Hopefully he doesn't blow it this time ;-)

It is already too late for him. The approximate base of Balsams is 1800 ft elevation not 2000 ft elevation. How hard is it to tell the truth?

 

[Newpylong]

Every trail in 200 hours. Makes for good humor.

 

[doublediamond]

Well the permitted pumping rate is ridiculous. Add in this will basically be a new build so I'm sure everything will be automatic meaning you can maximize your snowmaking constantly. It's amazing how much efficiency can improve simply by turning on a trail in 30 seconds with the click of a button vs. one to two hours manually. And you'll be constantly up at the max production curve as temp drops and if it warms you won't be putting out rain/slush on the hill.

And FWIW, Big Squaw has 22 of 29 "trails" open right now with very limited snowmaking ... a whopping 6 fan guns ... 2 Highlands and 4 Wizards.

And it snows A LOT in Dixville Notch. I wouldn't be surprised if they really do have 2 feet.

 

[Newpylong]

Have not used the Klik systems yet (we will never be able to afford them) - are they really worth it? Are looking at automated Lencos though.

 

[doublediamond]

Well even though LBO is the king of air-water guns, Balsams never had compressors. They had Lenko fans (that have been mostly/fully sold off by now). I can't imagine a new-build will go air-water because the pipe cost is outrageous.

Here's a handy estimate comparison at the bottom of the pdf for new build air-water vs. fan systems

Are you talking about the full on software package or or the Klik hydrant?

If it's the former, sure there's proprietary software and servos/actuators, but it's fairly old technology to be able to control them. Ski areas were automating trails early to mid 90s.

If the latter, it's just a hydrant with a unique 4-step valve replacing the on/off from the pipe and the valve on the tower gun, and 5 lengths of short non-kink hose (1 each per water stage, 1 per air stage) so that the hoses drain and you don't need to take them down the mountain.

I honestly don't know the cost of either. A Klik hydrant can't be that expensive -- double at most(?).
I'm pulling that out my ass. But I do know they're popping up left and right at places like Loon. You don't have an air hydrant either as you install a hose directly to the air pipe. The Klik hydrant turns air on/off as well. HKDs - save the Impulse - are full-bore air all the time.

If Balsams goes fan gun route, there are semi-automatic/automatic options just onboard, and you don't need a whole control system.

My thought is that it's a lot easier to finance and build a more expensive automated system from essentially scratch vs. a cheaper manual system and come up with that automation costs at some later date. That logic is why all the airlines use ancient 50's vintage ticketing systems such as SABRE (and all the unnecessary crashes these days) vs. reinvesting in a modern system.

Same logic can be applied to snowmaking. But unlike airline ticket sales with interchangeable computers, the snowmaking plant is unique to each mountain. So it's best to go all out for the latest tech.

 

[SIKSKIER]

New update

Balsams Reopening Postponed Again
http://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=379

 

[ss20]

New update

Balsams Reopening Postponed Again
http://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=379

Who would've thought? (Sarcasm)

 

[doublediamond]

How long did it take Crotched to reopen start to finsish? What about once shovels actually hit the ground?

Granted, Tenney is a much smaller operation, but they've been taking a long time too.

 

[wtcobb]

[FONT=Georgia, Arial]The project was originally slated to start on June 1, 2015, however developers cited the legislative process in obtaining state backed bonds as reason for delaying construction until late summer. The project was delayed again during the summer with a new groundbreaking date set for fall 2015. More recently, a June 1, 2016 groundbreaking date has been suggested.[/FONT]

Waiting for the "Unless we receive additional funding..."

 

[Edd]

Completely unrealistic timetables are the business norm these days, in my experience.

 

[yeggous]

Completely unrealistic timetables are the business norm these days, in my experience.

I'd believe this is true in real estate development, but not every industry. Tech is incredibly hot right now. With the advances in software that are emerging, we usually finish long projects ahead of schedule. By the time you start later tasks there are often better tools available than when the project was scoped.


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[wtcobb]

Anyone know if there's a limit on skinning the existing Balsam trails as it's private land?

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[machski]

Anyone know if there's a limit on skinning the existing Balsam trails as it's private land?

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Not sure but the road to the area base is marked as closed to traffic. Parking could be an issue.

 

[wtcobb]

Good point. Even parking for hiking there is limited, never mind in winter.

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[wtcobb]

No update on the project, but one of the investors revealed:

http://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=395

[FONT=Georgia, Arial]In his Monday testimony before the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee, Balsams developer Les Otten disclosed one of his investors is the Northern Pass. The Balsams property was originally sold to the present ownership to prevent the construction of the controversial power transmission line.[/FONT]

 

[SIKSKIER]

Calling it “a real show of good faith,” a spokesman for the Maine developer seeking to revitalize The Balsams resort said the $2 million recently provided by Eversource has already been put to use in finalizing plans for the project and, hopefully, a groundbreaking early this summer.On Tuesday, both Scott Tranchemontagne, on behalf of developer Les Otten, and Martin Murray, on behalf of Eversource, said there was no connection between Otten receiving the Forward New Hampshire Fund award and his speaking in favor of Northern Pass on Monday evening.Otten testified in Colebrook during a public hearing held by the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee on the application of Eversource to bring Canadian hydropower through the Granite State and into the New England energy grid.A former ski industry executive, Otten is also the owner of Maine Energy Systems, which sells wood-pellet boilers and heating systems. During the SEC hearing, Otten made his support for the Northern Pass known as well as that Eversource had invested $2 million in his development company, Balsams View LLC, through its FNH Fund.Tranchemontagne said Otten had inquired about the fund last fall and only within the past weeks heard that The Balsams project would be a beneficiary.“It’s impossible to sell out with something you really believe in and Les believes in renewable fuels,” Tranchemontagne said Tuesday.With 30 years in the ski-tourism industry, Otten has had to deal with transmission towers before, said Tranchemontagne. He said when The Balsams re-opens, its ski area will already be sitting within the shadows of 33 wind turbines, while the resort proper will be within a mile of the Northern Pass transmission lines.“If I thought for a minute that wind towers and Northern Pass would keep people away from the Balsams, I certainly would not be spearheading a $143 million investment into restoring it,” Otten said Monday in his SEC testimony.Murray said Tuesday the FNH Fund money had “absolutely no strings attached for the Balsams project.” The award was “entirely consistent with the objective of the $200 million fund,” said Murray, which while promoting economic development statewide, focuses particular attention on the needs of the North Country.The Balsams, he said, “fits very neatly into the areas of economic development and tourism” that the fund was created to promote - See more at: http://www.unionleader.com/Balsams-...-behalf-of-Northern-Pass#sthash.fDUI38Ep.dpuf

 

[wtcobb]

On Tuesday, both Scott Tranchemontagne, on behalf of developer Les Otten, and Martin Murray, on behalf of Eversource, said there was no connection between Otten receiving the Forward New Hampshire Fund award and his speaking in favor of Northern Pass on Monday evening.

Just ignore that $2M pile of cash, I'm here on my own terms.

Bio-fuel (AKA wood) needs to stop being classified as a renewable energy source. The rate at which wood burns is a bit faster than the rate at which trees grow. I say this as someone who relies on a wood stove for heat.

 

[yeggous]

Just ignore that $2M pile of cash, I'm here on my own terms.

Bio-fuel (AKA wood) needs to stop being classified as a renewable energy source. The rate at which wood burns is a bit faster than the rate at which trees grow. I say this as someone who relies on a wood stove for heat.

We have more trees in New England today than any time in about 200 years.


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[Newpylong]

Just ignore that $2M pile of cash, I'm here on my own terms.

Bio-fuel (AKA wood) needs to stop being classified as a renewable energy source. The rate at which wood burns is a bit faster than the rate at which trees grow. I say this as someone who relies on a wood stove for heat.

Wood is biomass, not biofuel. Biofuel is ethanol, etc.

Wood is generally considered renewable. Not that I think there is data to show we burn faster than it re-grows in New England. Ever wonder why there are stone walls everywhere? It all used to be pasture...

 

[wtcobb]

Yes, sorry, Biomass. And having more trees today than any time in the past 200 years doesn't change the consumption of wood vs. the growth. I burned 2+ cords this winter. Denser NE hardwoods - the ones we strive after for heat - are slow growth. Point here is that Biomass isn't renewable the same way solar/wind is. Yes, the trees grow back, but if you harvest faster than they grow, it's not really renewable...