Changes at Windham

[rjc1976]

I don't think this has been posted yet, and I remembered to check the news section first this time! Anyway, I saw this on Windham's site...looks like the new owners are getting to work very quickly. The replacement of the G lift will be a nice change that will hopefully reduce the number of times that lift has to stop from beginners falling:


"It didn't take long for the new owners of Windham Mountain to demonstrate that they aren't fooling around. At a party this week for season pass holders and other friends of the resort, President Dan Frank first offered a look back at the past 45 years of skiing and riding here. Since just 1981, previous owners Snow Time invested over $28 million in capital improvements ranging from a beautiful base lodge to snowmaking, lifts and more.

And the hits just keep coming. Frank announced that the next 18 months will represent the largest period of on-mountain capital improvements in the history of the resort. The plan includes the following:

Two chair lifts - replacing G Lift with a high-speed lift in a slightly relocated position, and replacing C lift and realigning it as well;
Two new trails - pending environmental approval, these trails will be located in the bowl between A lift and G lift;
A new skating rink at the Mountain Top Adventure Park, the first piece of a plan to augment non-ski activities at the resort;
Another increase in snowmaking capacity;
Some real estate development at the Winwood Inn property;
A number of smaller projects designed to enhance the experience for skiers and riders.
Judging by the roar of the crowd in attendance, the improvements will be much appreciated!"

 

[RIDEr]

I love hearing improvments and future opportunities at our local Catskills Mountains.

 

[rjc1976]

There seems to be a lot of good stuff going on in the Hunter/Windham area lately! I've personally been spending less time in VT and more time up in the Catskills. (Though I do still spend more time in VT overall during the winter time.)

 

[dmc]

Thats awesome!!!

 

[catskills]

Wow 2 new high speed lifts planned for the future in the Catskills. One for Windham and one for Belleayre. That means the Catskills will have a total of 4 hight speed detachable lifts. H'mm would that be more high speed lifts than the Adirondacks?

In reality as previously posted I think that high speed lifts are over hyped and do nothing more than put smaller resorts out of business. On the other hand, installing more high speed lifts in the Catskills makes it possible to compete with ski resorts in VT that have a large number of high speed lifts installed. Now if only the Catskill resorts could somehow acquire 2000 feet of vertical.

 

[BeanoNYC]

It's a good sign for the future of the catskill's ski industry. Very interesting.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Wow 2 new high speed lifts planned for the future in the Catskills. One for Windham and one for Belleayre. That means the Catskills will have a total of 4 hight speed detachable lifts. H'mm would that be more high speed lifts than the Adirondacks?

In reality as previously posted I think that high speed lifts are over hyped and do nothing more than put smaller resorts out of business. On the other hand, installing more high speed lifts in the Catskills makes it possible to compete with ski resorts in VT that have a large number of high speed lifts installed. Now if only the Catskill resorts could somehow acquire 2000 feet of vertical.

To me when you're talking ADK's the only 2 worth talking about are Gore and WF. At WF the Gondi and Base quad are high speed. At Gore Gondi and triple. So I guess we will be tied.

Good luck on the vert. thing :wink: People always say vert isn't everything and I agree, but it sure is nice.

 

[dmc]

Wow 2 new high speed lifts planned for the future in the Catskills. One for Windham and one for Belleayre. That means the Catskills will have a total of 4 hight speed detachable lifts. H'mm would that be more high speed lifts than the Adirondacks?

Add one more for Hunter too.. Rumour has it - the main Quad will be moved to the Westside and a new Quad has been ordered to replace it..

 

[catskills]

Wow 2 new high speed lifts planned for the future in the Catskills. One for Windham and one for Belleayre. That means the Catskills will have a total of 4 hight speed detachable lifts. H'mm would that be more high speed lifts than the Adirondacks?

Add one more for Hunter too.. Rumour has it - the main Quad will be moved to the Westside and a new Quad has been ordered to replace it..

Interesting. Belleayre's long long term plans has the potential for a 2nd high speed detachable lift. So that would mean the Catskills could possibly have a total of 6 high speed detachable lifts in the future. Given that currently the catskills have 2 high speed lifts, that would be a 3x (3 times) improvement in the number of high speed lifts in that region of the North East.

I asm surprised that some large corporation does not buy Plattekill and install a high speed lift like Windham. Plattekill has a lot of potential. Anyone that has skied Plattekill knows its an awesome place to ski when they get the snow.

Anyone know how many high speed detachable lifts in Southern VT, Northern VT, NH, MASS, and Eastern PA ?

 

[drewfidelic]

Good luck on the vert. thing

Hunter, at least, is on a 4000'+ mountain and could physically expand to 2400' vertical.

Ok, that is about as unlikely as me winning the Olympic GS in Torino. Hunter mtn proper is on state land in the Catskill State Parkand subject to the "Forever Wild" restrictions. Allowing Hunter to buy (or swap for) that land would require an amendment to the state constitution. And then, it would need to comply the watershed regulations.

But, rumor has it that eventually Hunter will develop skiing on the west side a bit higher than currently.

Windham, however, doesn't have the potential for too much more vertical-- there isn't any further up on Cave Mountain to develop.

But these changes will be very nice. Replacing G Lift with a high speed lift will keep it from slowing down as much. There is some nice terrain there-- not too challenging, but with much longer consistent pitch than off of A lift. The triple chair there, though, boy is it slow.

Rumour has it - the main Quad will be moved to the Westside and a new Quad has been ordered to replace it..

That seems kind of convoluted, but it does make sense.

Inteeresting note-- AA lift at hunter and G lift at Windham were both installed in the same year (1987) and may both be replaced in the same year...
________
HOMEMADE VAPORIZER REVIEW

 

[catskills]

Good luck on the vert. thing

Hunter, at least, is on a 4000'+ mountain and could physically expand to 2400' vertical.

Inteeresting note-- AA lift at hunter and G lift at Windham were both installed in the same year (1987) and may both be replaced in the same year...

Belleayre currently has the highest peak and does have the potential for more vertical by going lower into Pine Hill. It would not be 2000 vert but it would be close to it. Obviously going lower is more expensive given the lower you go the warmer it is in the early season, which make snowmaking more difficult. Hunter's potential of going higher to 4000 foot makes the most sense for early snowmaking capabaility.

Obviously more vertical in the Catskills is required to stay competitve with other regions in the Northeast.

Interesting on the timing of the previous HSQ construction. Will see if history repeats itself for the Catskill ski resorts

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

But, rumor has it that eventually Hunter will develop skiing on the west side a bit higher than currently.

I always thought that the mt. you see straight ahead when you're skiing the west side would be a great place to run a lift. You can see some kind of trail system (hike, work road?) on it. However, I get DEC and forever wild.

 

[JimG.]

I asm surprised that some large corporation does not buy Plattekill and install a high speed lift like Windham. Plattekill has a lot of potential. Anyone that has skied Plattekill knows its an awesome place to ski when they get the snow.

I for one hope that never happens. High speed lifts and alot of snowmaking would simply ruin Plattekill. It's an awesome place because of what it is now, basically the Catskill version of MRG.

I'd rather see a co-op of skiers similar to MRG buy it and run it the way it is now.

 

[JimG.]

I always thought that the mt. you see straight ahead when you're skiing the west side would be a great place to run a lift. You can see some kind of trail system (hike, work road?) on it. However, I get DEC and forever wild.

That's Rusk Mountain...what you see are old logging roads. Superior BC terrain that is designated forever wild by the state.

 

[loafer89]

High speed lifts In Eastern Pennsylvania:

Camelback - 2
Blue Mountain - 1
Whitetail - 1

The two high speed quads at Camelback make skiing an 800' vertical area a little more fun as you can get in more runs in a shorter period of time.

 

[kirk]

Rusk is not forever wild except the very top. In fact Hunter owns most of it. Yhey logged it only a few years ago.

 

[kingslug]

I'm suprised that it is so hard to develop these areas. You would think that the state would want to bring in more tourism to the area, create more jobs, more business. Hunter is the largest employer in it's area. Making it better would only help.

 

[catskills]

I'm suprised that it is so hard to develop these areas. You would think that the state would want to bring in more tourism to the area, create more jobs, more business. Hunter is the largest employer in it's area. Making it better would only help.

Nah the tree huggers are very concerned about the environment around these parts. For some reason the word Casinos keeps popping up in the news as the solution to improve the quality of life in these parts. :blink: IMHO that would just result in more crime like this recent bank robbery , degrade the quality of life and overall health. People need to get outside and get some exercise. Sitting on a chair loosing $1000 to a Casion that took your entire life to earn is just a waste of time.

 

[dmc]

Rusk is not forever wild except the very top. In fact Hunter owns most of it. Yhey logged it only a few years ago.

I think Hunter owns up to the signout box by the top of the X line... At least on that side of the valley.. It would stand to reason that the line goes all the way accross the valley to the side of Rusk - The shoulder between Col. Chair and Rusk where the shelter is definately Forestland..

The plans I ve seen include putting in a cair over there and cutting some trails off to skiers left of the X line... As wel as trails cut down to Anna Purna.

 

[JimG.]

Rusk is not forever wild except the very top. In fact Hunter owns most of it. Yhey logged it only a few years ago.

Welcome to the bridge Captain!

Hope you continue to visit and present valuable insight.

Great weekend eh? Got my run down 44 late yesterday...very nice.