LiftBlog Reports that Smuggs and Stowe are Exploring an Interconnect Gondola

[jimmywilson69]

I love Skiing at Spruce

 

[jimmywilson69]

Most sno-cats can travel at 10 mph (or more). At 10 mph the trip would be a little over 8 minutes (2600 ft). If you add a few minutes to unload and unload, you might be looking at a one way trip of roughly 15 minutes. At the various cat skiing areas, the capacity is between 12 and 20 people. This set-up would not move many people per hour.

They were talking about a snowcat drive through the notch, which is much longer than 2600 ft which is the length of the proposed gondola.

 

[kbroderick]

It could be done, but it would be a pretty long round-trip in total minutes, plus snowcats dont hold enough people to make that a realistic option. Sure would be a beautiful ride though.

If we weren't so liability-conscious, someone would've suggested snowmobile tows by now. Get some Taigas with tow ropes and run shuttles for a quick transfer with zero permanent infrastructure and minimal overall impact; over flat ground, you could probably pull 3-6 people per machine and go a lot faster than a snowcat.

Of course, that would also require people who can stand upright and hold on while towed behind a snow machine, so there's that, too.

 

[ThatGuy]

if you want to go to stowe, and who wants to spend time at spruce...

Spruce is awesome, no crowds and some great trails. Upper Smugglers is one of my favorites in all of Vermont. Whirlaway is fun as well with some great trees.

 

[cdskier]

im confused, it seems like some of you would be fine with this? wouldn't this absolutely ruin smuggs. plus, who wants to waste time traveling back and forth? even at sugarbush i try to stick to one side at a time, and that's just a 15 min chair ride. if you want to go to stowe, and who wants to spend time at spruce... you'd have to take the gondi, ski down, get to the other side, and then ride another lift up (and presumably back?)

I'm against the gondi as I don't think it is appropriate for that land. That said, I would absolutely personally use it if it existed to get to Smuggs more easily. I do think it would very much change Smuggs and is another reason I'm against it. This is very different from the Sugarbush comparison. You can drive from ME to LP in 5-10 minutes so it is easy to ski both without using/needing a lift. Stowe/Smuggs are a world apart in the winter by car. For Sugarbush you can stay in the MRV and ski LP one day and ME the other day with virtually no change in driving distance in the morning. Conversely if you stay in Stowe, it is a pretty long drive to Smuggs if you want to ski both the same weekend (and vice versa).

As for Spruce...I think that's a bit of a hidden gem at Stowe. The upper mountain trails over there were some of my favorite trails last time I was at Stowe. Seriously fun stuff.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Fast lifts and no lines

But don't ever go over there

 

[deadheadskier]

im confused, it seems like some of you would be fine with this? wouldn't this absolutely ruin smuggs. plus, who wants to waste time traveling back and forth? even at sugarbush i try to stick to one side at a time, and that's just a 15 min chair ride. if you want to go to stowe, and who wants to spend time at spruce... you'd have to take the gondi, ski down, get to the other side, and then ride another lift up (and presumably back?)

When I was a Stowe local and before it became Steaux, I absolutely would have loved to have seen it. The vibe back then at Stowe was more laid back than what Sugarbush is today. So, combining the two wasn't going to impact Smuggs that much.

Now that things have changed the past 22 years, I have no interest in seeing Smuggs becoming Steaux North.

As for going back in forth, back then you could get a free one up from either side. Middle of the season I almost always started my day parking at Big Spruce, skiing the bowls down to Smuggs and then make a few laps on Sterling or Madonna playing dumb until a lifty told me to get a one up. Then I would head back and spend the rest of my day at Stowe. Some might think that sounds like a pain, but hardly anyone skied the bowls back then. Always had the best snow and longest lasting fresh tracks

 

[SteezyRob]

no spruce hate, i just meant i would rather ski on mansfield, if i was gonna be skiing there for a while.

steaux is funny

 

[BenedictGomez]

Most sno-cats can travel at 10 mph (or more). At 10 mph the trip would be a little over 8 minutes (2600 ft). If you add a few minutes to unload and unload, you might be looking at a one way trip of roughly 15 minutes. At the various cat skiing areas, the capacity is between 12 and 20 people. This set-up would not move many people per hour.

And that's the problem. Plus those times would be worse as it's steep and you aint "straight-lining" the notch road by any means!

 

[BenedictGomez]

smuggs may have the best terrain in vermont for challenge. the woods are endless. madonna liftline is iconic.

Smuggs and Stowe have the best terrain in Vermont for challenge, and the second & third best woods.

 

[BenedictGomez]

he ain't investing in anything more costly than duct tape and paint, for what's already in place.

So....... the way it's always been? We can only hope.

 

[BenedictGomez]

im confused, it seems like some of you would be fine with this? wouldn't this absolutely ruin smuggs.

I dont think some form connector (lift, giant carpet, gondi, Belgian draft horses, etc..)would ruin Smuggs at all.

What would 100% ruin Smuggs with 0% doubt in my mind is an acquisition by Vail Resorts.

 

[BenedictGomez]

As for going back in forth, back then you could get a free one up from either side.

It was actually a $10 one-ride lift ticket, but almost nobody knew it even existed, and that's how they wanted it as Stowe certainly didn't advertise it. I still dont understand the point of its existence, other than maybe it was more of a slight punishment than a legit thing as $10 in 2000 would be closer to $20 in today's money.


And I dont know how many of the liftees "enforced" it, though I know some did as I'd occasionally had people come up to my window saying they "needed one", but if you're saying you did this a handful of times and were never told to do so, I'm guessing it was probably only like 10% of the time or something & instead the liftees just said "dont do it again" most of the time. I worked at Stowe & had a Smuggs season pass, so I could come & go over the mountain as I pleased thus I dont know how that aspect of it realistically went down.

 

[chuckstah]

I remember getting asked for a ticket occasionally back in the day when I skied both often. We would generally have weed, or a couple beers on hand for such an occasion ( or $5 bill). Never did have to go get a ticket. I never thought of the traverse as anything to even think about. Just do it when needed. No drive around was happening. Now that I'm old and it's been a while, I'll have to give it a go, and see if I still feel the same way. I think I'll still feel the same. Not sure if a bribe will work anymore though?

 

[kingslug]

Shhhhh...don't talk about spruce.....

 

[thetrailboss]

Smuggs officials to press on with gondola study

Smugglers’ Notch Resort officials say they plan to go back to the drawing board on plans to build a gondola connecting Smugglers’ Notch and Stowe.

www.wcax.com

 

[doublediamond]

So Vail basically told Smuggs that there will be no purchase unless permits are in place. Vail does have the upper hand in any sale.

 

[Edd]

So Vail basically told Smuggs that there will be no purchase unless permits are in place. Vail does have the upper hand in any sale.

Source for that? To my knowledge there's been no admission by Vail or Smuggs that an acquisition is afoot, even though that's the only way this gondola makes sense.

 

[2planks2coasts]

I dont think some form connector (lift, giant carpet, gondi, Belgian draft horses, etc..)would ruin Smuggs at all.

What would 100% ruin Smuggs with 0% doubt in my mind is an acquisition by Vail Resorts.

One doesn't happen without the other.

 

[danimals]

New Connector Chairlift To Link Two Japanese Ski Resorts

One of the biggest projects in Japan this offseason will connect two of its most popular ski resorts. Over this offseason, a new chairlift is being built

unofficialnetworks.com

Saw this and immediately thought of Stowe/smuggs.