Loon South Peak Expansion

[skef]

Back to the topic of the thread: thanks to the shutdown of the Tote Road transverse today, after skiing South Peak I was treated with a shuttle bus tour that took me through the Escape Route lot. Looks like they’ve already felled a bunch of trees there. It’s already happening.

Off topic: ROTD (12/28) was Upper Twitcher + Jobber, under the guns. Soft whales, morphing throughout the day. When the Tote Road broke, I lapped this until I saw a bus at the base.

 

[urungus]

Went to Loon for the first time recently and was surprised to see a second chairlift running at the South Peak Pemigewasset Base that does not appear on the trail map. Despite being a busy day, I did not see anyone using the chairlift, the chair is unloading at the Pemi base and appears to be coming up from a lower parking lot or condos, anyone know anything more about this chair ? Also the Loon Flight path mentioned that they would be clearing trees on the Undercut glade to provide additional access to the new South Peak trails, assuming we ever get any snow this season, is it worth trying to ski this glade before the tree clearing takes place ?

 

[mbedle]

Went to Loon for the first time recently and was surprised to see a second chairlift running at the South Peak Pemigewasset Base that does not appear on the trail map. Despite being a busy day, I did not see anyone using the chairlift, the chair is unloading at the Pemi base and appears to be coming up from a lower parking lot or condos, anyone know anything more about this chair ? Also the Loon Flight path mentioned that they would be clearing trees on the Undercut glade to provide additional access to the new South Peak trails, assuming we ever get any snow this season, is it worth trying to ski this glade before the tree clearing takes place ?

I believe that is the South Peak Resort chairlift.

 

[danimals]

Went to Loon for the first time recently and was surprised to see a second chairlift running at the South Peak Pemigewasset Base that does not appear on the trail map. Despite being a busy day, I did not see anyone using the chairlift, the chair is unloading at the Pemi base and appears to be coming up from a lower parking lot or condos, anyone know anything more about this chair ? Also the Loon Flight path mentioned that they would be clearing trees on the Undercut glade to provide additional access to the new South Peak trails, assuming we ever get any snow this season, is it worth trying to ski this glade before the tree clearing takes place ?

I believe it is the rivers edge lift for the condos. you can ride it but everything, trails included, is unmarked.

 

[urungus]

Here is some more info on the “Mystery Lift”

Rivers Edge – Loon Mountain, NH

Visit the post for more.

liftblog.com

 

[machski]

Went to Loon for the first time recently and was surprised to see a second chairlift running at the South Peak Pemigewasset Base that does not appear on the trail map. Despite being a busy day, I did not see anyone using the chairlift, the chair is unloading at the Pemi base and appears to be coming up from a lower parking lot or condos, anyone know anything more about this chair ? Also the Loon Flight path mentioned that they would be clearing trees on the Undercut glade to provide additional access to the new South Peak trails, assuming we ever get any snow this season, is it worth trying to ski this glade before the tree clearing takes place ?

Undercut can be a blast of and when Loon gets ample natural. That said, it's exposure angle causes it to get blown out by NW winds so you have to hit it while it is dumping or they actually have gotten several storms in a row to be good and not super boney. There was a good lower portion for a while, but AFIK, it hasn't been maintained and would expect it to be quite littered with downed crap and grown in. Another Snowmaking trail on South from the upper portion won't be a bad thing, given how rare this glade is open now.

 

[skef]

Maybe this is the Loon thread now? Anyway…
Drove up last night at about 1/2 speed through the snow.
Today was totally worth the slog.
They groomed a bunch of the new snow out, which was FINE, but kept the east basin (Angel Street, Double Dipper, …) au naturale.
Got to see the new pod logging from the top (Cruiser) (no pic of that, sorry).

 

[bigbob]

Went to Loon yesterday, cold start of 10 above, but bluebird with no wind. Gondola is still down, so they ran the Seven Brothers Quad and the East basin Double, which I prefer over the gondola. Started the day at South Peak lodge, which has been leased to Cisco Brewers. It is now a sports bar, which limits seating for booting up. Snow was nice, and the ice base didn't start reappearing till around 2 PM when we called it after 32,000'. Place was pretty empty, especially after late morning when all the seniors left. Hopefully Loon will build a real lodge at South Peak in 2 years BEFORE rebuilding the Governor's lodge!

 

[deadheadskier]

Oh man Cisco? Quite possibly the worst brewery in the Northeast. I have no idea how they stay in business. Maybe people think because it started in Nantucket folks think it's good / exclusive?

 

[Edd]

Oh man Cisco? Quite possibly the worst brewery in the Northeast. I have no idea how they stay in business. Maybe people think because it started in Nantucket folks think it's good / exclusive?

My thought exactly. Haven’t been to Loon in a few years but always had respect for the massive beer selection at the Bunyan Room. Never cared for Cisco’s beers but a ton of customers will probably love it.

 

[chuckstah]

Cisco is a weak choice for sure. It's owned by Anheuser-Busch. However, I find the Wandering Haze quite drinkable.

 

[thebigo]

The bunyan room is good but the whole bring your own food thing is weird.

What they are trying at south is exactly what loon needs, large bar with decent menu and local beer. Problem is cisco was a terrible choice and the entire space was not well implemented. Have ordered one beer at south all year, they were out of almost everything on tap, only thing they had was some lousy IPA that tasted like a warm bud heavy bottle left in the sun for a month.

Need a large horseshoe bar with food ordered from barkeep. Not my favorite but being right down the road, woodstock would have been a better choice. Hopefully this is a short term lease and they do the space right once the new south lodge is built. Dont need to redo the building, Crotched is an example of a decent bar in a lousy building.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'd have seen if One Love would have wanted the contract.

 

[skef]

Visited the South Peak lodge today. Won’t comment on the beers, but I will say that the pressed turkey and spinach sandwich (ordered sans spinach…) was the best on-mountain food I’ve eaten at Loon this year. And here is a shot of (I think) what will be the new lift line, from Cruiser, skiers left, just below Escape Route.

 

[urungus]

View attachment 56585Visited the South Peak lodge today. Won’t comment on the beers, but I will say that the pressed turkey and spinach sandwich (ordered sans spinach…) was the best on-mountain food I’ve eaten at Loon this year. And here is a shot of (I think) what will be the new lift line, from Cruiser, skiers left, just below Escape Route.

Did you happen to notice if they have cleared out Undercut yet ? Was hoping to ski it while still gladed, but I haven’t noticed it being open all year.

 

[skef]

Did you happen to notice if they have cleared out Undercut yet ? Was hoping to ski it while still gladed, but I haven’t noticed it being open all year.

Undercut seemed untouched (and unskied, except for what I assume were a few poachers).

 

[urungus]

Undercut only trail not open. Think I missed my chance.

 

[thebigo]

Undercut only trail not open. Think I missed my chance.

definitely poached yesterday and looked good from lift. Would have gone for it, had I been alone.

 

[4aprice]

definitely poached yesterday and looked good from lift. Would have gone for it, had I been alone.

I was up at Loon the weekend of the 3rd-5th. Skied South Peak that Friday and it was closed but many people were ducking. It snowed that night and they actually had it listed as open on the 4th. (green light on the map on the gondola building). Talked to a boarder on the gondola who had been in there and described it as a "Mash Unit".



Like someone mentioned, the entrance looked good.

 

[skef]

Another Loon day trip today. Got to hit Triple Trouble for the first time this season.