Balsams Grand Resort teams up with ski industry legend Les Otten

[djd66]

You have to give the guy credit for trying. If he gets lifts installed, I think a lot of people will take it serious and start snapping up real-estate.

 

[deadheadskier]

Wish this was a bit south on the Pliny Range instead of up in Dixville. The topography of the Balsams really does little to excite me. It's basically Bretton Woods

 

[Former Sunday Rivah Rat]

I looked at a topo map of the area and was hard pressed to find 2k of vertical. No one's driving to Dixville for another Boring Woods. He better have some steeps or it's a waste of $$.
NH has 48 4000+ ft. summits, and 22 5000+ ft. summits. Why can't someone build a ski area of one of those 5000 foot plus mountains?

 

[machski]

I looked at a topo map of the area and was hard pressed to find 2k of vertical. No one's driving to Dixville for another Boring Woods. He better have some steeps or it's a waste of $$.
NH has 48 4000+ ft. summits, and 22 5000+ ft. summits. Why can't someone build a ski area of one of those 5000 foot plus mountains?

Ever been up any of those in winter? Not very hospitable on many days and doubt many lifts could run all that often in the alpine on those. That is why.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

Ever been up any of those in winter? Not very hospitable on many days and doubt many lifts could run all that often in the alpine on those. That is why.

I want a bubble chair to the summit of Mt Adams dammit!

 

[thetrailboss]

Ever been up any of those in winter? Not very hospitable on many days and doubt many lifts could run all that often in the alpine on those. That is why.

And they are in the WMNF and protected by the Feds.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

I looked at a topo map of the area and was hard pressed to find 2k of vertical. No one's driving to Dixville for another Boring Woods. He better have some steeps or it's a waste of $$.
NH has 48 4000+ ft. summits, and 22 5000+ ft. summits. Why can't someone build a ski area of one of those 5000 foot plus mountains?

lol dumb post is dumb. not surprising considering the source.

 

[thebigo]

NH has 48 4000+ ft. summits, and 22 5000+ ft. summits. Why can't someone build a ski area of one of those 5000 foot plus mountains?

How are you counting 22 5Ks? Short of counting every cairn, tough to get past seven.

 

[thebigo]

Ever been up any of those in winter? Not very hospitable on many days and doubt many lifts could run all that often in the alpine on those. That is why.

True but a late spring/summer surface lift on the east snowfields sure would be fun, an eastern beartooth.

 

[Hawk]

There are 6 peaks in NH that are above 5,000 Feet. Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, Maddison, LaFayette and of course Washington. NY there is Mount Marcy and Algonquin Peak and there is Kahtadin in ME. That is it for the Northeast.

 

[thebigo]

There are 6 peaks in NH that are above 5,000 Feet. Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, Maddison, LaFayette and of course Washington. NY there is Mount Marcy and Algonquin Peak and there is Kahtadin in ME. That is it for the Northeast.

you missed lincoln

 

[Hawk]

Yes you are right. It is usually considered part of the Lafayete loop and is overlooked.

 

[deadheadskier]

Why I suggested the Pliny Range instead of the more extreme mountains is I assume less severe wind. It's a several mile long range of peaks between 3500 and 4k feet. It kinda reminds me of the range Sugarbush is on. Close proximity to Lancaster for services. It really would have been one of the better ranges in NH and all of New England for a ski resort.

 

[hardscrabble]

Why I suggested the Pliny Range instead of the more extreme mountains is I assume less severe wind. It's a several mile long range of peaks between 3500 and 4k feet. It kinda reminds me of the range Sugarbush is on. Close proximity to Lancaster for services. It really would have been one of the better ranges in NH and all of New England for a ski resort.

Willard Basin Ski Area, New Hampshire - New England's Cancelled Ski Areas

www.newenglandskihistory.com

There were once some pretty ambitious plans for a ski resort on the north face of the Starr King/Waumbek ridge.

 

[kbroderick]

He's talking out his ass. No major ski area development in New England in 20+ years and Les thinks he can build a 1,000 acre mega resort. Gimmie a break.

I'm pretty sure S-K-I Ltd folks thought the same when he bought Sunday River.

True but a late spring/summer surface lift on the east snowfields sure would be fun, an eastern beartooth.

I don't think you could pull off a Beartooth Basin here, as much as I'd love to be able to lap the snowfields via surface lift. Things are a bit different at 10,000 feet in Wyoming than they are around here, and critically 212 gets cleared a lot more efficiently than the Auto Road.

 

[Hawk]

Why I suggested the Pliny Range instead of the more extreme mountains is I assume less severe wind. It's a several mile long range of peaks between 3500 and 4k feet. It kinda reminds me of the range Sugarbush is on. Close proximity to Lancaster for services. It really would have been one of the better ranges in NH and all of New England for a ski resort

You know every time I did the Route 2 shuffle from VT to Sunday River I looked at those mountains and thought they would be cool to explore. That whole ridge down into Kilkenny is North facing and has some very steep areas. That would have been a really great area. Too bad.

 

[Newpylong]

I looked at a topo map of the area and was hard pressed to find 2k of vertical. No one's driving to Dixville for another Boring Woods. He better have some steeps or it's a waste of $$.
NH has 48 4000+ ft. summits, and 22 5000+ ft. summits. Why can't someone build a ski area of one of those 5000 foot plus mountains?

Yes, no one drives to Bretton Woods, except everyone from Massachusetts who doesn't get off 93 at Campton or Lincoln that is...

 

[Hawk]

So other that Mad River Glenn and Stowe, where do you find 2K of steeper skiing from a lift?
White Heat 1300 and the bottom/top 1/3 is prety flat.
Outer Limits 1200
Steins Run 1100
Superstar 1200
Anything at Sugarloaf......Fagetaboutit

There are 1200' sections of steeper skiing in that complex he is developing. the huttington falls area and the area near the existing wind mills is at least that.

 

[2planks2coasts]

Yes, no one drives to Bretton Woods, except everyone from Massachusetts who doesn't get off 93 at Campton or Lincoln that is...

Yep. Further, the clientele that Otten is targeting is all about the Bretton Woods type experience. Buffed and polished cruisers.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

So other that Mad River Glenn and Stowe, where do you find 2K of steeper skiing from a lift?
White Heat 1300 and the bottom/top 1/3 is prety flat.
Outer Limits 1200
Steins Run 1100
Superstar 1200
Anything at Sugarloaf......Fagetaboutit

There are 1200' sections of steeper skiing in that complex he is developing. the huttington falls area and the area near the existing wind mills is at least that.

DJs, Madonna liftline, top of jay chutes to quai or Valhalla into powerline