Mt. Snow announcement

[mikestaple]

Hmmm. So Peak is taking care of Mt. Snow. I wonder if they have any Fed bucks to do anything with Attitash's slow poke lift?

 

[deadheadskier]

interesting thought / tie in with Attitash. If I were an Attitash regular, I'd be a bit peaved to see not one, but two high speed lifts going in at snow and that triple not being addressed.

I would think replacing the summit triple with a HSQ would bring better ROI than the Sunbrook HSQ will for Peaks.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

interesting thought / tie in with Attitash. If I were an Attitash regular, I'd be a bit peaved to see not one, but two high speed lifts going in at snow and that triple not being addressed.

I would think replacing the summit triple with a HSQ would bring better ROI than the Sunbrook HSQ will for Peaks.

Unless that FG quad at Sunbrook ends up being the replacement for the triple.

 

[jaytrem]

Unless that FG quad at Sunbrook ends up being the replacement for the triple.

I'd feel sorry for them if it is. That's gotta be an even slower lift.

 

[arik]

Oh, yea that would not be good to get a hand me down that everybody hates.

 

[drjeff]

Unless that FG quad at Sunbrook ends up being the replacement for the triple.

I'd feel sorry for them if it is. That's gotta be an even slower lift.

Oh, yea that would not be good to get a hand me down that everybody hates.

Bottomline line with that lift, if it does get recycled, even with a brand new bigger electric motor, it's not running faster than 500 ft/min (I'm pretty sure that the last 2 winters after they removed about 25 chairs from the line that it's now running at about 475 ft/min up from about 440 ft/min with the extra chairs on it.

 

[arik]

Would that lift work out better on a flat beginner trail where people riding the lift don't want to go fast anyway?
Or perhaps something so steep you are climbing quickly despite the slow forward speed?

 

[drjeff]

Would that lift work out better on a flat beginner trail where people riding the lift don't want to go fast anyway?
Or perhaps something so steep you are climbing quickly despite the slow forward speed?

In theory they *could* increase both the horsepower of the main drive motor and also the spacing of the chairs to allow it to run at the maximum legal limit of 500 feet/min. The other thing that they could do, and I guess is one of the "achilles heels" of Sunbrook Quad, is they way people load it. Trying to get 4 people out to the load board from directly behind the bull wheel takes a bit of time - especially given that that lift tends to have a decent percentage of lower ability folks riding it. If anything, putting one of those loading conveyor belts there (or anyplace that lift might be installed in the future) would likely allow them to run it at the max limit.

If you take a look at the fixed grip lifts at Mount Snow, the ones that tend to have a high(er) ridership by those of lower abilities (Discovery, Tumbleweed, Seasons, Sunbrook) do run a bit slower than those that have a higher percentage of ridership by higher ability folks (Outpost, Challenger, Ego, Sundance, Summit Local, Bear Trap, Heavy Metal) - gotta factor that into the equation too - since it doesn't make a bunch of sense to run a lift faster if it likely ultimately means that you'll need to staop it more to clean up the carnage

 

[mountainman]

Go Mount Snow. The new plans sound awesome. Mount Snow is a gold mine that has not been taped yet and if Peaks follows through with their new plans with the lifts and the base area nothing but good will happen. Most other Major North East Resorts are at a stand still right now. When somethng new is built they will come to check it out. Stand by Attitash cause if this goes through and happens thier will be plenty of resourses to improve at Attitash. Go Mount Snow.

 

[arik]

Go Mount Snow. The new plans sound awesome. Mount Snow is a gold mine that has not been taped yet and if Peaks follows through with their new plans with the lifts and the base area nothing but good will happen. Most other Major North East Resorts are at a stand still right now. When somethng new is built they will come to check it out. Stand by Attitash cause if this goes through and happens thier will be plenty of resourses to improve at Attitash. Go Mount Snow.

You make a good point, one step at a time.

 

[drjeff]

You make a good point, one step at a time.

Yup! I think that we can all agree that ASC, and now to some extent Intrawest, has proved/is still proving that you CAN'T do everything for everyone at once and still remain a solvent business

 

[MommaBear]

Yup! I think that we can all agree that ASC, and now to some extent Intrawest, has proved/is still proving that you CAN'T do everything for everyone at once and still remain a solvent business

But I sure do miss those ASC pass prices and use of 6 mountains.

 

[drjeff]

Cross posted from The Rutland Herald and the Mount Snow Passholders site:

"From the Rutland Herald on line:


By Bruce Edwards STAFF WRITER - Published: June 8, 2010

Central Vermont Public Service Corp. and Mount Snow Resort are among five companies that will share in $92 million in federal stimulus bonding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The preliminary approvals were announced Monday by the Vermont Economic Development Authority.
.................
Mount Snow in West Dover intends to apply the $25 million in bond proceeds to pay for the replacement of two chairlifts, construction of a 120-million gallon storage pond for snowmaking, and snowmaking fan guns. According to VEDA, the upgrades will increase lift capacity and make its snowmaking more efficient.
.................
With the latest bonding approvals, Vermont has committed all its $135 million in federal tax-exempt bonding capacity under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"

25 million! 2 lifts and the snowmaking water upgrade and expansion to essentially 100% snowmaking Going to be mighty busy at Mount Snow next summer!!

 

[arik]

Wow that's awesome, and unusual. I am impressed with Peaks that they were able to find funding this way. I am also excited that I am going to personally experience some direct benefit of bailout stimulus.

 

[Glenn]

Wow! If they can get the snowmaking going and the lfits at the same time...

That's great news for Mount Snow though. Those current 251 fan guns made a huge difference. I can only imagine more. Wooo!

 

[arik]

Has any ski area ever received state/government financial support for improvement/expansion before?
And if so was it this size? (25 million)
I see this as really extraordinary.
I am so totally buying a pass for 2011-2012

 

[jaytrem]

Has any ski area ever received state/government financial support for improvement/expansion before?
And if so was it this size? (25 million)
I see this as really extraordinary.
I am so totally buying a pass for 2011-2012

Bolton Valley got a "community development grant" for their quad, $650,000. Mentioned in this article...

http://www.newliving.com/issues/apr_2005/articles/boltonvalley.html

 

[vcunning]

Has any ski area ever received state/government financial support for improvement/expansion before?
And if so was it this size? (25 million)
I see this as really extraordinary.
I am so totally buying a pass for 2011-2012

Jay took advantage of this type of program for chairlifts, lodge improvements and a golf course revamp a year or two ago.

I'm guessing that with some very low government sponsored financing, that Mount Snow is accelerating plans that they've communicated before for capital improvements. Good news for all of us that are passholders.

 

[threecy]

Has any ski area ever received state/government financial support for improvement/expansion before?

All the time, but using direct Federal stimulus funds for a privately owned ski area in New England may be a first.

Other examples (aside from Bolton's quad arrangement) include energy efficient grants (though I believe these are technically private sector funds), conservation grants and/or write offs, etc.

 

[vcunning]

http://www.veda.org/interior.php/pid/2/sid/102