Nothing New at Ragged

[Abubob]

Took a swing by Ragged today to see what kind of construction was taking place with the alpine slide and Spear chair replacement. And it looks like there will be no improvements this year.


IMG_5817 by Bob Misu, on Flickr


IMG_5818 by Bob Misu, on Flickr

Still - this was in their lobby.


IMG_5821 by Bob Misu, on Flickr

I took a few other photos found here in http://www.flickr.com/photos/wasabibob/sets/72157634478032661/with/9210329096/

 

[thetrailboss]

Were they supposed to do the chair this year?

 

[deadheadskier]

Were they supposed to do the chair this year?

It's been "rumored" ever year for about the last five years.

It really needs to happen. It would be a game changer for them. Some people like that the 14 minute ride keeps the crowds away from Spear and preserves the snow, but it's just way too long of a lift ride for only 1100 or so vert of terrain; much of it run out.

 

[Abubob]

The rumor I heard was this year for sure. Well that just goes to show how much you can trust rumors.

I like the long ride on Spear. It does keep the crowds away plus it doesn't pump so many skiers out on the slopes all at once. I don' t know about preserving snow but I really like to bomb flying Yankee and if there were a bunch of Joeys zig zagging across the fall line that would pretty much ruin it for me. Same goes for Showboat but the ungroomed side would get skied off a lot quicker after a snow event with a HSQ. By the same token it would also take a lot of pressure off Ragged side.

The alpine slide on the other hand was pretty much official for this year. Don't know what happened there.


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[deadheadskier]

Well, it is somewhat a travesty that they groom Showboat at all. As a bump run, it would be one of, if not the best bump run in Southern, NH.

 

[Abubob]

True that.

 

[drjeff]

Could all the absolute cr@p weather of the last roughly month, especially for outdoor construction projects on the side of a mountain that involve bringing heavy equipment and concrete up the mountain have something to do with the lack of new projects progress?

I totally get that the new lift would of needed to have started (or at least some parts delivered by now) if it was going to happen for the '13-'14 season, but an alpine slide is a much quicker and less labor intensive project

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[deadheadskier]

I'm more curious if the lack of development has to do with a problem in obtaining EB-5 Visa investment funds. That's where the bulk of the investment income was supposed to come from.

 

[xwhaler]

Agreed that a hsq would be a game changer for ragged. Would definitely help them steal market share from sunapee and gunstock.
Any idea if ragged and d-mouth ski way are joining for a reciprocal pass again this yr? My dad has a place in New London NH we could stay at that may make a combo pass attractive at some point in the next couple yrs

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[thetrailboss]

Interesting. Depending on who the lift company is, and how busy they are, they may be starting later. But you would have expected that the chairs would be off and the cable down on the old lift if it definitely was going.

 

[steamboat1]

I'm more curious if the lack of development has to do with a problem in obtaining EB-5 Visa investment funds. That's where the bulk of the investment income was supposed to come from.

Don't think they can use EB-5 money for a new lift. EB-5 money has to guarantee a certain amount of new job creation. New lifts don't create a heck of a lot of jobs.

 

[thetrailboss]

Nothing listed on Poma's map....

http://leitner-poma.com/2013-projects-map/

 

[Abubob]

Interesting. Depending on who the lift company is, and how busy they are, they may be starting later. But you would have expected that the chairs would be off and the cable down on the old lift if it definitely was going.

As a matter of fact it looks like they taking chairs down, making repairs, repainting and then reattaching them. I expected to see some demo going on at the very least.

 

[ss20]

Nothing listed on Poma's map....

http://leitner-poma.com/2013-projects-map/

Well, L-P seems to be exiting the market these last 5 seasons. The lift would have definitely been down by now, and digging begun. The increase from a triple to HSQ would require serious blasting and excivating for the terminals since they are 4x larger than a fixed-grip lift terminal.

 

[deadheadskier]

This may be true, but there's a lot of space at both the base and the summit of Spear to accommodate the terminals. The only thing that would be a bit tricky at the summit is the terminal would block the entrances to the Ravine glades. It might mean a bit of walking around the terminal to get to them.

 

[dlague]

Well we ski Ragged 2-3 times per season and personally, that lift ride is great on sunny days or in the spring. But ... when it is cold - it is a long ride! i think if they had a faster chair it would distribute people over the mountain better! I am for a HSQ, but I do not see it happening any time soon (big investment) since they do not appear to be meeting the ideas expressed in this EB-5 announcement!

Funny how the EB-5 program is working out for Jay Peak but for Ragged ...... crickets!

 

[thetrailboss]

Well we ski Ragged 2-3 times per season and personally, that lift ride is great on sunny days or in the spring. But ... when it is cold - it is a long ride! i think if they had a faster chair it would distribute people over the mountain better! I am for a HSQ, but I do not see it happening any time soon (big investment) since they do not appear to be meeting the ideas expressed in this EB-5 announcement!

Funny how the EB-5 program is working out for Jay Peak but for Ragged ...... crickets!

Yeah, as said, EB-5 requires that each investment create a certain number of jobs. So the funds usually go into real estate development such as hotels, etc. and not new lifts or snowmaking. I think that is why Jay is developing as it is and the ski operation is slowly moving ahead.

 

[canobie#1]

Ragged mountain will install a newly expanded family area with a new surface lift. Other improvements are a new tubbing park, snowmaking enhancements and more trail improvements.

 

[steamboat1]

Ragged mountain will install a newly expanded family area with a new surface lift. Other improvements are a new tubbing park, snowmaking enhancements and more trail improvements.

They're going big this year.:lol:

 

[ss20]

, snowmaking enhancements and more trail improvements.

Name me a mountain that doesn't do this each year :lol:

I'd like to see Ragged expand. Gives me more of a reason to go to NH.