• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Black Mountain, NH OPEN AGAIN more alive than ever

urungus

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
2,059
Points
113
Location
Western Mass
Great news ! Indy Pass really stepping up to the plate here - nice to see after their recent bullying of Cooper, Whaleback etc … Will add Black to Windham as must-skis this winter, before it is too late.
 
Last edited:

Zand

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
Messages
4,320
Points
113
Location
Spencer, MA
Hopefully they're a little more eager to run the double on weekdays. Being stuck with the triple only on a powder day was brutal. If you're only going to run one lift (which I understand) why not just run the double which has a midstation right next to the triple anyway?

Glad they're getting another shot at life.
 

Abubob

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2010
Messages
3,579
Points
63
Location
Alexandria, NH
Website
tee.pub
Hopefully they're a little more eager to run the double on weekdays. Being stuck with the triple only on a powder day was brutal. If you're only going to run one lift (which I understand) why not just run the double which has a midstation right next to the triple anyway?
Doesn’t seem likely. If they were on a shoestring budget before then it won’t be any less now. Seems they’re only opening so it’ll be more attractive to a buyer.
 

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
28,238
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
Doesn’t seem likely. If they were on a shoestring budget before then it won’t be any less now. Seems they’re only opening so it’ll be more attractive to a buyer.

I'm not seeing your point unless the triple runs more efficiently (cheaper) than the double. I can only see two reasonable reasons to run the triple vs the double. (Assuming comparable maintenance condition)

1. The triple base is more convenient to the lodge and the East / busier side of the mountain. It is kind of a pain to skate over to the double from the East side.

2. They're looking to reduce the amount of terrain they need patrol coverage for or to groom less and save cost. Though minimal terrain is groomed off the summit.


Actually maybe a third would be to preserve snow for the weekends on some of the Upper Mountain expert trails. Carter Notch, Lost Bo , White Knuckle etc can all get skied down to ledge in spots pretty quickly.
 

Abubob

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2010
Messages
3,579
Points
63
Location
Alexandria, NH
Website
tee.pub
They're looking to reduce the amount of terrain they need patrol coverage for or to groom less and save cost. Though minimal terrain is groomed off the summit.

Actually maybe a third would be to preserve snow for the weekends on some of the Upper Mountain expert trails. Carter Notch, Lost Bo , White Knuckle etc can all get skied down to ledge in spots pretty quickly.
That’s a money issue right there. I am not familiar at all with Black. It’s on my bucket list. But if they’re having issues with snowmaking and grooming that would certainly be a reason.
 

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
28,238
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
That’s a money issue right there. I am not familiar at all with Black. It’s on my bucket list. But if they’re having issues with snowmaking and grooming that would certainly be a reason.

There's maybe a quarter mile worth of groomed terrain above the triple and even less snowmaking. But, there's quite a bit of expert / natural terrain you lose out on when the double isn't running. If you are an expert skier, it is extremely frustrating to show up and see plenty of snow on that terrain, but no chair running to access it.
 

doublediamond

Active member
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
536
Points
43
4. Less operators needed if tuning the triple. The double has a mid station and it must be open/manned as the greens are off the mid station
 

Dickc

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
577
Points
43
Location
Northeast Mass
I'm not seeing your point unless the triple runs more efficiently (cheaper) than the double. I can only see two reasonable reasons to run the triple vs the double. (Assuming comparable maintenance condition)

1. The triple base is more convenient to the lodge and the East / busier side of the mountain. It is kind of a pain to skate over to the double from the East side.

2. They're looking to reduce the amount of terrain they need patrol coverage for or to groom less and save cost. Though minimal terrain is groomed off the summit.


Actually maybe a third would be to preserve snow for the weekends on some of the Upper Mountain expert trails. Carter Notch, Lost Bo , White Knuckle etc can all get skied down to ledge in spots pretty quickly.
The double has a mid station that needs an extra operator to staff, and to relieve.
 

Los

Active member
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Messages
505
Points
28
Location
NH
Hallelujah - wasn’t specifically planning on going this year, but we definitely will now. Black is a very special place.
 
Top