Killington - Infrastructure Collapse Pending

[jimmywilson69]

they should bite the bullet and buy a used lift to fix the problem.

you would think that they could acquire a used double or triple fairly cheaply. They don't need a quad over there even to assist with getting out of Bear.

 

[machski]

South Ridge lift is so low priority for K. The old SRT never fully served its original purpose in the first place (the uphill with the big turn was to facilitate early season skiing on Upper South Ridge terrain. That never panned out and the mid station was abandoned). While it might be a nice alternative for those in the know, the vast majority of visitors would never ride a SR lift. This, even a used lift installed requires $$ to install and then $$ to operate and maintain. Sorry, I see the same for that lift as Bucksaw at SL, no replacement likely ever.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think with a little better signage of using it to get to the Canyon would help.

The positive affects of that lift is felt in so many ways. It's a much different animal than Bucksaw IMO as you can still lap Bucksaw trails from the SQ.

The SRT

- allows for lapping some nice terrain
- reduces SPE lift lines
- reduces traffic on the Skye Peak terrain
- reduces the clustered@#$ of having to skate around the lodge to get to K1 or ST
- reduces lines to the K1 and ST as people can ski direct into the Canyon from the lift.

Sugarloaf isn't broken without Bucksaw. Killington is without the SRT.

If there's one type of bitching about Killington I endorse from Highwaystar, it's the removal of the SRT.

 

[Newpylong]

I don't know of any Killington "regulars" who have not mentioned the loss of the SRT as being a big deal to them. The reason it wasn't utilized is because there minimal snowmaking over there and the lift rarely run, meaning people expected it to not be spinning or you simply had no open terrain there.

If I was to do anything I would put a used triple or quad (Snowdon?) in and repair the snowmaking on Lower Pipe Dream. You make snow on it when you make snow on Falls Brook / Bear Cub down to Bear. To me that is a good compromise on retaining the natural style of South Ridge vs being able to capitalize/utilize the pod better. That gives a beginner and intermediate route down with snowmaking and keeps the natural expert runs. Run the lift every weekend.

 

[Highway Star]

Yup

The same thing Highwaystar has done for over ten years. Last I checked Killington is still the most popular ski destination in the East. With the return of the longer season and work towards becoming more viable in the summer, they're doing just fine.

The only thing they've done which has been unfortunate is the SRT removal. As many state, the mountain is broken without it and not just because it offers an alternative to the SPE and it's awful line. It sucks skiing down skye and getting back over to K1 or Snowdon lifts. That should be the top priority, not Snowdon lifts. A HSQ in Snowdon is sexier, but doesn't make the mountain ski better. A new SRT would.

Wow, you have the long term memory of a squirrel, don't you? Powder has dones tons and TONS of horrible things in it's past 8 years of ownership. Which is why their skier visit fell off a cliff, and have only recently recovered somewhat.

 

[deadheadskier]

Then go elsewhere. They won't miss your money I'm sure.

 

[steamboat1]

South Ridge only ran weekends the last several years it was in service. The Bear quad only runs Fri-Sun now. Even if they put a new lift in I don't see them changing their operating philosophy. As a weekday skier a new lift wouldn't change anything for me.

 

[HowieT2]

One thing about replacement: the ski market from 1985-2000 was DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT than this market. Back then SKI was VERY aggressive and still growing. Skiing was still a growth (or at least) stable market. Energy and labor were cheaper. Capital was relatively easy to get...especially for a ski area that had been profitably run for decades. SKI was using YAN for their lifts because of price. Now who do you look to for lifts? Pretty much "Coke" or "Pepsi". As a result, there is no real competition and prices for lifts are just that much more. Sure, Sky Trac is out there, but really, who uses them?

Also remember that POWDR owns NOTHING--they lease the place. You should be ragging on the owner...who is SP Lands. After the PCMR disaster I bet that POWDR will be very cautious with their properties.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but werent interest rates much higher from '85-'00 than recently??? so it was much more expensive in that period to do capital improvements. I think the reason there was such a binge of lift installation back then was that HSQ were new to the market and so resorts could justify investing in them because the increased capacity made the return on the investment made sense. replacing existing lifts doesnt increase capacity so its harder to justify it financially.

 

[JimG.]

I think the reason there was such a binge of lift installation back then was that HSQ were new to the market and so resorts could justify investing in them because the increased capacity made the return on the investment made sense. replacing existing lifts doesnt increase capacity so its harder to justify it financially.

Until the lift malfunctions and someone gets hurt.

 

[joshua segal]

The South Ridge had some nice trails with no crowd even on most busy days. Now, to ski the South Ridge, you've got to take two or three lifts. I sure hope they put something back there, but I'm not holding my breath...!

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

I'm confused by the claims that Killington needs a SR lift back in place. I've been skiing at Killington, sporadically at least, since the early 80's. I have never seen a crowd on that lift and I don't get how it could have been a crowd reliever from other lifts.

I agree the area was a nice place to lap with the SR lift, and I do miss the old lift, at least nostalgically, but objectively I think the SRT was about as essential as DF.

 

[dlague]

The South Ridge had some nice trails with no crowd even on most busy days. Now, to ski the South Ridge, you've got to take two or three lifts. I sure hope they put something back there, but I'm not holding my breath...!

Never really thought about the void that left. The few times that I have skied that area that was served by that chair was from K-1. Not a big fan of that part of the ski area. Probably since it dumped me below trails that allowed me to get to the to very easily. Never really thought about this either, there isn't any summit access from that side.

 

[Highway Star]

I have better reasons to miss south ridge than almost anyone, but I just changed the way I ski the mountain. You better bet that if I'm going to Bear from the Peak on a good snow day, it's going to be via southridge.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm confused by the claims that Killington needs a SR lift back in place. I've been skiing at Killington, sporadically at least, since the early 80's. I have never seen a crowd on that lift and I don't get how it could have been a crowd reliever from other lifts.

I agree the area was a nice place to lap with the SR lift, and I do miss the old lift, at least nostalgically, but objectively I think the SRT was about as essential as DF.

I've never seen a crowd at the SR lift either, but I have seen some of the worst lines on the hill at SPQ over the years. The SR allows you to avoid that line. I never understood why more people didn't take advantage of the lack of a lift line there. The bigger benefit IMO though is not having to skate around the K Base Lodge. Dropping straight from the SR into the Canyon area was a much better way to get out of Bear than to go SPQ, ski down Superstar or other trails, around the base lodge and up the Gondola or Snowdon Tripple.

 

[skiadikt]

I've never seen a crowd at the SR lift either, but I have seen some of the worst lines on the hill at SPQ over the years. The SR allows you to avoid that line. I never understood why more people didn't take advantage of the lack of a lift line there. The bigger benefit IMO though is not having to skate around the K Base Lodge. Dropping straight from the SR into the Canyon area was a much better way to get out of Bear than to go SPQ, ski down Superstar or other trails, around the base lodge and up the Gondola or Snowdon Tripple.

never mind skiing just to the canyon, you can easily access the north ridge, snowdon and even ramshead from that lift. as i'm sure others have said, the area is broken w/o that lift.

 

[thetrailboss]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but werent interest rates much higher from '85-'00 than recently??? so it was much more expensive in that period to do capital improvements. I think the reason there was such a binge of lift installation back then was that HSQ were new to the market and so resorts could justify investing in them because the increased capacity made the return on the investment made sense. replacing existing lifts doesnt increase capacity so its harder to justify it financially.

SKI used its own capital or issued debentures or bonds to expand; I don't believe that they took out many loans.



Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[skiNEwhere]

I think with a little better signage of using it to get to the Canyon would help.

The positive affects of that lift is felt in so many ways. It's a much different animal than Bucksaw IMO as you can still lap Bucksaw trails from the SQ.

The SRT

- allows for lapping some nice terrain
- reduces SPE lift lines
- reduces traffic on the Skye Peak terrain
- reduces the clustered@#$ of having to skate around the lodge to get to K1 or ST
- reduces lines to the K1 and ST as people can ski direct into the Canyon from the lift.

Sugarloaf isn't broken without Bucksaw. Killington is without the SRT.

If there's one type of bitching about Killington I endorse from Highwaystar, it's the removal of the SRT.

South Ridge only ran weekends the last several years it was in service. The Bear quad only runs Fri-Sun now. Even if they put a new lift in I don't see them changing their operating philosophy. As a weekday skier a new lift wouldn't change anything for me.

For once I actually agree with steamboat. If the SRT was so important, then why was it removed? I can't see K putting in a new lift, or even moving moving an old lift there if they're never gonna run the damn thing.

The fact that it was one of the mountains least utilized lifts, regardless of how convenient it was, means that it's low on the priority list.

 

[Newpylong]

Important to customers and important to the resort aren't necessarily correlated.

 

[deadheadskier]

For once I actually agree with steamboat. If the SRT was so important, then why was it removed? I can't see K putting in a new lift, or even moving moving an old lift there if they're never gonna run the damn thing.

The fact that it was one of the mountains least utilized lifts, regardless of how convenient it was, means that it's low on the priority list.

The lift was removed because of maintenance issues. I do believe it was a penny pinching Nyberg decision.

Lots of important weekend lifts at various ski areas in New England are closed midweek.

To name some:

Sunday River - Locke, Quatum Leap, Oz
Cannon - Tram
Sugarbush - Slidebrook (until recent years), Valley House - there's a multi-million dollar brand new chair that likely won't be operating midweek

No one is saying that the SRT is the Superstar Chair, but anyone who skis there on the weekends and knows the mountain well probably used it almost every single weekend to avoid crowds or travel easier back to K Peak and beyond from the Bear side.

You maybe right that they won't spend the money to replace it, but the mountain is definitely broken without it for those who know the area well.

 

[ss20]

Important to customers and important to the resort aren't necessarily correlated.

That is 99% false. How do you make money? You get people to buy your product. How do you get people to buy your product? You improve it. The customer is profit.