Cannon Tram Future

[ss20]

Thought this might be worthy of its own thread. Something like this could certainly takeover the Cannon skiing thread for a number of years so I decided to post it on it's own.

Cannon Seeking $10 to $30 Million for Tramway - NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com

www.newenglandskiindustry.com

According to DeVivo, Doppelmayr Garaventa expects a rebuild to cost $10 to $15 million, while a replacement would be $20 to $30 million. According to the Union Leader, a rebuild would extend the life of the lift by 20 years, while a replacement would be expected to last 40 to 50 years. According to DeVivo, either project would result in no tram service for one winter and two summers and would increase tram car capacity from 80 to 100 people.

I don't really understand replacing a tram that's only 40 years old, and has been operated part-time 15ish of those past 40 years. Also, given the Cannonball can provide auxiliary summit access in the wind, why not install a gondola? It is a VERY short ride at only 5,400 feet long. With a gondola you get higher capacity, keep people out of the elements, and the price tag would probably be in the $15-$20 million range. There's plenty of trail capacity up there as well that could handle additional skiers.

I get that the Cannon Tram is iconic, but at what point do the modern benefits of gondolas outweigh the sentimental value of having a tram?

 

[ss20]

Wow I went right by the existing thread, please merge @deadheadskier @JimG. my bad

 

[cdskier]

Wow I went right by the existing thread, please merge @deadheadskier @JimG. my bad

Hah...I clicked on this thread with the specific intention of pointing out that a thread on this topic already exists!

 

[BodeMiller1]

I've never skied out west, butt isn't the tram at Cannon the same as one at Park City?

If people complain about the cost of skiing. Then... Is the State trying to compete with Vail and that ilk?

Perhaps the old team that ran Gunstock should take this on

Yea, that's the ticket.

 

[Hastur]

I've never skied out west, butt isn't the tram at Cannon the same as one at Park City?

I don’t think that’s possible.

 

[ss20]

As the girls would say to me at the bars in my college days...

I've never skied out west, butt isn't the tram at Cannon the same as one at Park City?

No

If people complain about the cost of skiing. Then... Is the State trying to compete with Vail and that ilk?

No

Perhaps the old team that ran Gunstock should take this on

No

Yea, that's the ticket.

And no

 

[BodeMiller1]

Okay, so what place out west has the same tram? My father poured concrete for the footings for this latest version. Now everything is flown in.

Further, if the tram is rebuilt it should not be a tram at all, butt a Funtitil. As we all know, Cannon was lucky to get the tram because Mt Moosilauke was (is) a better location. If you look at Cannon in the summer you can see all of the cut and fill construction. The cutback to the tram to the front five is a good example. On the top the cutback to the chair is all man made.

I think it was Brownman on K-Zone who said the tram was the same as one out west. I wish I lived in a world where all lifts were built piece by piece screw by screw, - NOT

Borat out

 

[Puck it]

Okay, so what place out west has the same tram? My father poured concrete for the footings for this latest version. Now everything is flown in.

Further, if the tram is rebuilt it should not be a tram at all, butt a Funtitil. As we all know, Cannon was lucky to get the tram because Mt Moosilauke was (is) a better location. If you look at Cannon in the summer you can see all of the cut and fill construction. The cutback to the tram to the front five is a good example. On the top the cutback to the chair is all man made.

I think it was Brownman on K-Zone who said the tram was the same as one out west. I wish I lived in a world where all lifts were built piece by piece screw by screw, - NOT

Borat out

It was made by Nuova Agudio. I see no other ones in NA operating by that manufacturer.

 

[ceo]

As I've said before, the Cannon tram is a (very successful) summer tourist attraction that happens to have a ski area next to it. Any replacement decisions have to be made in that context. There's no need for the uphill capacity of a Funitel or 3S either for tourists or skiers, and in the words of the attendees at a public hearing on the replacement options, "nobody cares about a gondola".

 

[thetrailboss]

The Cannon Tram is an icon. I don't see them getting rid of it or downgrading. There is too much history and it is a real draw for the area, all year round.

Folks can say what they want, but in the last few years Cannon has been pretty well run.

 

[BodeMiller1]

^^^ Spot On

It looks like The Peabody Lodge is going to be rebuilt. The Governor supports this project and he's willing to spend the money to do so. When the snowmakers were dragging hoses through the woods on the upper trail pod it showed the mountain was taking it to the next level.

 

[machski]

Yup, and given the incline of the Tramline, a Funnitel or 3S system would likely cost just as much as a Team replacement, if not more. Sure it's only 40 years old, but those anchors don't get any breaks from the constant force on them. The box capacity will likely go up with a new Tram, at least 100/box if not a bit more. Given how much of a pain it is to cutback to the Tram base (outside of DJ's and Kinsman of course) even with the improved snowmaking coverage, the tram will never be a highly utilized ski lift. So as others have pointed out, the spring/summer/fall tourist draw is the larger consideration (and the more profitable from the Tram standpoint than as part of the ski area).

 

[jimmywilson69]

It should be a Tram and if it needs replaced then replace it. Tourism is a big part of New Hampshire and the Tram is a tourist destination year round.

 

[Smellytele]

Yup, and given the incline of the Tramline, a Funnitel or 3S system would likely cost just as much as a Team replacement, if not more. Sure it's only 40 years old, but those anchors don't get any breaks from the constant force on them. The box capacity will likely go up with a new Tram, at least 100/box if not a bit more. Given how much of a pain it is to cutback to the Tram base (outside of DJ's and Kinsman of course) even with the improved snowmaking coverage, the tram will never be a highly utilized ski lift. So as others have pointed out, the spring/summer/fall tourist draw is the larger consideration (and the more profitable from the Tram standpoint than as part of the ski area).

put a tbar back on the banshee slopes. Actually cutting over to the banshee slopes off Avalanche isn't bad but I guess crossing over from the zoomer is a bit more of a pain.

 

[ceo]

It looks like The Peabody Lodge is going to be rebuilt. The Governor supports this project and he's willing to spend the money to do so.

Where have you heard this? A Google search turned up nothing.

 

[snoseek]

While they're at it they should drop the contract on food and beverage and run it in house imo

 

[BodeMiller1]

You've got to blow out the Windows in the new Pub. The one with the heavy drugg motifs... . You should be able to see above the top of the place on a nice day. And burn wood in the Peabody Lounge, BUTT, they'll tear it down.

Fun fact, the other trails on the face on Echo Lake are named for Cats which lived at the lower tram building. No one knows why. Maybe these maps and legends have been misunderstood?

 

[BodeMiller1]

Sunday River

 

[BodeMiller1]

The press release on the Mt. Washington Hotel meting thing. Yep

 

[ceo]

What I read in A History Of Cannon Mountain is that Spookie, Gremlin and Jasper's Hideaway are named for deceased Tramway base lodge cats. I assume Jasper got out one day and that's where they found him.