Black Mountain, NH CLOSED

[snoseek]

co-op model works at mrg because they don’t make snow. very little pipe to install and maintain and very negotiable snowmaking budget.

Sounds like black needs to make a lot of snow with its aspect and elevation. Plus 2 lifts need to be replaced? And massive pipe improvements?


best bet Is to get some rich guy who doesn’t mind losing 15 million. Does Dave portnoy ski?

maybe the owners from pats peak can come in and consult. They seem to have the small mountain snowmaking game figured out.

The owners of pats are hands off in the business. They have a good gm that makes smart moves and a huge market of people close by. Pats probably holds snow better despite being south.

Either one rich dude or a group of them locally to save this place. I don't think any of the conglomerates would look at black as it's a risky bet. It's a passion project all the way.

 

[Smellytele]

co-op model works at mrg because they don’t make snow. very little pipe to install and maintain and very negotiable snowmaking budget.

Sounds like black needs to make a lot of snow with its aspect and elevation. Plus 2 lifts need to be replaced? And massive pipe improvements?


best bet Is to get some rich guy who doesn’t mind losing 15 million. Does Dave portnoy ski?

maybe the owners from pats peak can come in and consult. They seem to have the small mountain snowmaking game figured out.

Really only need one lift with a midstation like the summit lift is now. The other lift really isn't needed.

 

[Newpylong]

co-op model works at mrg because they don’t make snow. very little pipe to install and maintain and very negotiable snowmaking budget.

Sounds like black needs to make a lot of snow with its aspect and elevation. Plus 2 lifts need to be replaced? And massive pipe improvements?


best bet Is to get some rich guy who doesn’t mind losing 15 million. Does Dave portnoy ski?

maybe the owners from pats peak can come in and consult. They seem to have the small mountain snowmaking game figured out.

Whomever buys it would be better off consulting with one of the most knowledgeable snowmakers and system installers in the East, who just happens to live less than a mile from the mountain. None other than Doug Fichera who has made snow there since he was a kid but parted ways with the mountain.

 

[urungus]

Sad I never got the chance to check this place out. Looking at the trail map, anyone know who “Mr. Rew” is ?

 

[eatskisleep]

Whomever buys it would be better off consulting with one of the most knowledgeable snowmakers and system installers in the East, who just happens to live less than a mile from the mountain. None other than Doug Fichera who has made snow there since he was a kid but parted ways with the mountain.

Wait, so the owner’s son had a falling out and didn’t make snow there anymore ?

 

[Newpylong]

Correct.

Summit Resources LLC

summitresourcesne.com

 

[Zand]

Sad I never got the chance to check this place out. Looking at the trail map, anyone know who “Mr. Rew” is ?

My one experience with Black was a weird one and I think this trail was the weirdest part of the whole day.

I went the day after they got about 2 feet. They still had numerous trails closed on the more intermediate side of the hill for some reason even though coverage was really good. But fucking Mr. Rew, which was all rocky and bare and totally covered with vines and pricker bushes, was open with no warning at the top about how bad it would be and no way to see the steep pitch from the top and how terribly covered it was.

 

[deadheadskier]

I didn't realize that Black is the oldest lift serviced ski area in the state. That makes this situation even more sad.

Need a billionaire ski history enthusiast to buy it and complete this vision. Would make it more competitive with Cranmore

South Peak - Black Mountain Resort - New England Ski Area Expansions

 

[thetrailboss]

co-op model works at mrg because they don’t make snow. very little pipe to install and maintain and very negotiable snowmaking budget.

Sounds like black needs to make a lot of snow with its aspect and elevation. Plus 2 lifts need to be replaced? And massive pipe improvements?

True.

maybe the owners from pats peak can come in and consult. They seem to have the small mountain snowmaking game figured out.

The same family has owned it since the beginning. That helps. They also own their own construction company(ies) so that helps also.

 

[thetrailboss]

I didn't realize that Black is the oldest lift serviced ski area in the state. That makes this situation even more sad.

Need a billionaire ski history enthusiast to buy it and complete this vision. Would make it more competitive with Cranmore

You mean like Reed Hastings?

Netflix co-founder becomes majority owner of Utah ski resort

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings is now the majority owner of a Utah ski resort as he invested $100 million into the facility.

www.fox13now.com

Be careful what you wish for....

 

[SteezyRob]

Sad I never got the chance to check this place out. Looking at the trail map, anyone know who “Mr. Rew” is ?

just from searching "mr rew black mountain" one of their horses is named Mr. Rew but he was probably named after "Mr. Rew" too. Could also just be a goofy name.

i will hold by the belief that black mountain had and always will have had the best trail map of all time.
i skied my first black diamond here. never got the chance to ski mr. rew or lostbo glades. i miss it already.

 

[eatskisleep]

just from searching "mr rew black mountain" one of their horses is named Mr. Rew but he was probably named after "Mr. Rew" too. Could also just be a goofy name.

i will hold by the belief that black mountain had and always will have had the best trail map of all time.
i skied my first black diamond here. never got the chance to ski mr. rew or lostbo glades. i miss it already.

My first black diamond was there too! S-Turns. You weren’t missing much with Mr. Rew but Lostbo Glades are AMAZING on a powder day!

 

[AdironRider]

My one experience with Black was a weird one and I think this trail was the weirdest part of the whole day.

I went the day after they got about 2 feet. They still had numerous trails closed on the more intermediate side of the hill for some reason even though coverage was really good. But fucking Mr. Rew, which was all rocky and bare and totally covered with vines and pricker bushes, was open with no warning at the top about how bad it would be and no way to see the steep pitch from the top and how terribly covered it was.

View attachment 59245

I don't think complaining about conditions on a double black diamond trail is giving the mountain a fair shake.

 

[SteezyRob]

actually looks pretty fun to me

 

[jimk]

IIRC, Mr. Rew is steeper than it looks in @Zand 's photo, but it's very short. It was boiler plate ice when I skied it and that made it almost a mandatory straight-line because if you caught an edge and went down you were likely going to slide 20 or 30 yards before you got to the bottom of the steep part.

mORE photos:
midstation

think this is carter notch trail/glade

base area and horse corral, Is that Attitash in the background?

 

[Smellytele]

The biggest issue I had there was it was south facing. Powder turned to mash potatoes very quickly with any sun. On the day it was snowing it would be great. It would stay untracked for many days.

 

[The Sneak]

Only went there once, but had a great day. Circa 2010. In fact, my testimonial about it being more fun than the previous day at "Someday Bigger" was on the Black Mtn website for years. It was a powder / chowder day, super deep in places but over minimal base. Might have been fairly early season. I recall mostly riding the triple that day for some reason. The double may not have been running.

 

[Edd]

The biggest issue I had there was it was south facing. Powder turned to mash potatoes very quickly with any sun. On the day it was snowing it would be great. It would stay untracked for many days.

It has disadvantages but that’s a reason I’ve always liked having Cranmore in the MWV as an option. When Wildcat or Attitash were hopelessly icy or windy, Cranmore can be downright pleasant being south-facing.

I’m a bit concerned about The Shovel Handle, although Black certainly didn’t bring tons of people there, it obviously won’t help.

 

[Fishski]

My one experience with Black was a weird one and I think this trail was the weirdest part of the whole day.

I went the day after they got about 2 feet. They still had numerous trails closed on the more intermediate side of the hill for some reason even though coverage was really good. But fucking Mr. Rew, which was all rocky and bare and totally covered with vines and pricker bushes, was open with no warning at the top about how bad it would be and no way to see the steep pitch from the top and how terribly covered it was.

View attachment 59245

I had an almost identical experience after a powder dumping on that trail. Dropped in with my son and one of his buddies (age 10 or 11 at the time). No warning, no closure. Both boys had to take off their skis to hike, slide and walk down. I exited the trail skier's right into the woods.

Have been skiing black every year before kids, and have been skiing there a couple of days each year when snow would permit. Have a pic with my nephews and a big moose in the middle of the ski trail standing behind them from about 17 years ago. Sad to see it go under.

 

[Fishski]

Black Mountain circa 2006 or 2007