Lost ski areas

[dlague]

Every day driving to work these slopes call me! I look at them and think about hiking to make a few turns. Tenney Mountain closed many years ago but as you can see the trails are still very visible and yes they have snow! I never knew how many condos were there!

Base lodge and chairlift


Trails higher up



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[wa-loaf]

That looks like respectable terrain. Too bad it closed. I wonder if it could be revived ala Magic?

 

[Mapnut]

I haven't been to Tenney but it appears its problems, which Magic doesn't share to the same degree, are low elevation and a really long, slow lift which has less vertical than Magic. In other words, not much advanced terrain.

It's been my observation that most lost ski areas closed for good reason, and are very unlikely to be restored. There are exceptions like Mittersill, which had good terrain. I don't know why it closed. A few other lost areas had good terrain but were very remote, like Big Tupper and Enchanted Mountain. I expect Magic's problem was aggressive competition in the area, but since it has very good terrain it's been able to come back.

 

[Brad J]

I would have thought Plymouth State would have saved it , like Dartmouth Skiway

 

[catsup948]

Maple Valley on route 30 heading toward stratton is still for sale. That place suffered from its proximity to bigger better options.

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[Savemeasammy]

Maple Valley on route 30 heading toward stratton is still for sale. That place suffered from its proximity to bigger better options.

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Low elevation probably didn't help much, either. And it really doesn't look like much from the road...


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[deadheadskier]

I actually had a pass at Tenney in 2009 I believe. It was $99, so I figured why not. I think they closed in 2010.

Skied there about a half dozen times that season and enjoyed it. They have some great character trails there as well as some pretty cool low angle glades. The long ass summit lift was the problem. It was a solid 15 minute ride, so it was tough to get in much skiing.

They don't have much snowmaking. To be viable they'd need a snowmaking overhual and a High Speed lift to the summit; so probably an investment of at least $10M. Can't see anyone spending that kind of cash on the hill unless they feel there's a bunch of money to be made in real estate.

 

[ScottySkis]

Bearpen and Bobcat in the NY both were open once. I think smow it be great if we could get some hilllls open again

 

[Cannonball]

DHs, every time I see a lost area thread here I think about your trip report from Whittier. That was one of the best reads ever on this site! It had it all: adventure, comedy, history. But mostly comedy!

 

[skiNEwhere]

Got a link?

 

[Cannonball]

http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=89642

 

[MadMadWorld]

Funny, I was talking with Riverc0il on the lift last Saturday about Tenney. As someone else pointed out the lifts are super slow and the terrain is mainly geared towards intermediate skiers. Why would people go there when Waterville, Loon, etc. are all very close.

 

[xwhaler]

I skied Tenney once back in March of '08. Had a free voucher so figured I'd give it a shot. Not overly impressed.
Lift was super slow and the terrain was inverted....flat for the 1st 2/3rds of the mountain before finally getting steep at the bottom.
I do recall there being some decent glades skiers left though.
I'd be surprised if they came back---to me Ascutney is a better bet to come back than 10E (better terrain, good access of 91, lots of lodging infrastructure already built at base)

 

[MadMadWorld]

I skied Tenney once back in March of '08. Had a free voucher so figured I'd give it a shot. Not overly impressed.
Lift was super slow and the terrain was inverted....flat for the 1st 2/3rds of the mountain before finally getting steep at the bottom.
I do recall there being some decent glades skiers left though.
I'd be surprised if they came back---to me Ascutney is a better bet to come back than 10E (better terrain, good access of 91, lots of lodging infrastructure already built at base)

You can't see the ski area from 91 but just looking at the mountain from the highway it doesn't take a genius to realize it probably has some semi challenging terrain. I would love to see it reopen. I may have skied it as a kid but I don't remember it.

 

[marcski]

IMHO, I don't think a 1000' ski area needs a high speed lift. 1000' ski areas are not really competing directly with larger areas that cater to crowds who expect a high speed lift.

Regarding Tenney, a buddy of mine grew up skiing there and loved it!

 

[Puck it]

http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=89642

We were there this year but not as long. Throwing skis uphill while bushwhacking must be the best know method.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Been to both Tenney and Ascutney, when they had the HSQ running to boot.
I thought ascutney was kind of boring, generic terrain. Not to mention because of the one blue trail coming off the summit it was very slick.

I do remember Tenney having some good glades. I don't think they need a HSQ necessarily to reopen, but definitely a loading carpet. I believe the summit lift is a stadeli, but that lift is so freaking old I don't think they could overhaul it to run at higher speeds.

 

[deadheadskier]

IMHO, I don't think a 1000' ski area needs a high speed lift. 1000' ski areas are not really competing directly with larger areas that cater to crowds who expect a high speed lift.

Regarding Tenney, a buddy of mine grew up skiing there and loved it!

Tenney isn't your typical 1000 foot hill. It has a flat upper mountain that goes on and on and on. I'd have to look it up but I'm guessing that lift was close to 5000 feet long.

They would either need to break up the mountain into upper and lower pods or get a much faster lift. The hornet double is absolutely brutal.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Just looked it up. The hornet is 5985 ft long covering 1285 vert

 

[deadheadskier]

Funny, I was talking with Riverc0il on the lift last Saturday about Tenney. As someone else pointed out the lifts are super slow and the terrain is mainly geared towards intermediate skiers. Why would people go there when Waterville, Loon, etc. are all very close.

How's river doing? Does he still plan on remaining in self exile from AZ?

My experience at Tenney was that beginning and intermediate families chose Tenney over loon of water ville primarily due to lack of crowds.