Resort Improvements 2015

[deadheadskier]

Agreed. Pretty easy to read between the lines.

I'm guessing the whole CNL potentially selling the area has got their hands tied some. Maybe next year the fireworks/improvements will be a bit more impressive.

 

[thetrailboss]

Again, love Sugarloaf and have been very happy with Boyne, but they really have effed up with Sugarloaf's lifts.

 

[Jully]

As to King Pine, saying it will be a "new lift" is pretty lame. Again, it was a forced change.

I wonder if it will be a conveyor lift.

The one thing that did interest me was the special "lift maintenance" page they will have and their "trouble line" for folks to call. I don't know of any resort that has this sort of page. Someone is really trying to fix their troubled image.

Definitely not ideal. Though that terminal is typically used in conveyor systems. Sugarloaf loves skyline to my knowledge and so hopefully they do make it a conveyor.

Definitely an off year in terms of improvements for sure. Not sure if there will be improved snowmaking either unfortunately.

However, if they make KP a conveyor load I personally wouldn't even care if it was the permanent replacement. In fact, I'd be stoked! However, KP was never going to be eliminated from the lift pool, it was destined to replace the double runners, so still a totally viable possibility.

I gotta say I think the website idea is great. Totally unorthodox it would seem, but I love the idea of trying to repair their image. I have hopes it'll work. I don't think SL/Boyne is going to ever let anything like this year's incident happen again. Twice in five years is a little worrysome, but three times in 7-10 years would be a death sentence.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Why? It runs fine, takes pressure off the Forerunner when needed and offers a back up option during high winds.

I bet they replace the triple with a HSQ before the Lookout chair. The triple services the majority of the intermediate terrain and the parks. More capacity could be justified off that lift than the double

I am a big fan of the Lookout. Same great terrain and my choice when the wind sucks or the Forerunner is out of control.

 

[steamboat1]

New bottom terminal for the King Pine lift at Sugarloaf

http://sugarloaf.com/media-room/press-releases/capital-improvements-x1761

On the one hand, this is good as it fixes the safety issue. On the other hand, that kind of investment likely means the rumored HSQ for that terrain pod is likely not going to happen for quite sometime. I suppose they could move the King Pine and it's new terminal. I just wouldn't expect that anytime soon after spending $800K on the fix.

Maybe Saddleback is interested in the old bottom terminal from King Pine. Heard they have the bottom terminal of the Rangeley double up for sale.

 

[dlague]

Not big news but Tenney amongst everything they are doing just bulldozed the front steps because they were concerned about safety.

 

[steamboat1]

I'm guessing the whole CNL potentially selling the area has got their hands tied some. Maybe next year the fireworks/improvements will be a bit more impressive.

Doesn't CNL also own Okemo among others? Doesn't seem to be affecting their lift & resort improvements.

 

[deadheadskier]

Okemo's projects are not entirely financed by the resort operators. The the new lift and development is a partnership with an outside developer. I'm guessing Okemo's commitment of a trail and chairlift for the Southface area has been planned for many years prior to CNL making their divestment decisions.

So, really their investment in putting a Bubble on Jackson Gore is probably a similar investment as Sugarloaf is making with their lifts.

They're two different companies though. Meullers have always been one of the most aggressive investors in their property. That's been the case for 30 years. Boyne has been much more cautious. It should be no surprise that their investment is conservative at Sugarloaf. I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that the uncertainty regarding CNL might have had an affect on things. They had been talking HSQ for King Pine for a few years.

 

[deadheadskier]

Not big news but Tenney amongst everything they are doing just bulldozed the front steps because they were concerned about safety.

just looked at the picture. I completely remember busting my ass on those stairs. :lol: The old owners weren't able to keep the snow and ice from flowing onto those stairs.

So, while funny to call it an improvement, it really is. hah

 

[EPB]

As I recall, Sugarloaf had recently planned to move the King Pine chair down to the lower mountain to replace the Double Runner chairs (and replace KP with the longer former Kanc high speed lift from Loon). This doesn't have to change anything and could even be viewed as progress toward that goal. That terminal will presumably have a significant impact on the life of that lift and the carpet loading system (assuming they build it/can build it if the lift is moved) would be nice upgrade for the Double Runner area, as it seems like a decent amount of beginners use those lifts.

 

[Jully]

Former Kanc high speed lift from Loon? I'd heard about the Double Runner replacement, but nothing about the Kanc HSQ. What's happening to the Kanc quad?

 

[EPB]

I remember hearing that there was a medium run plan to replace that lift with a six pack, but this was a couple years ago now and might not be a serious plan anyway

 

[deadheadskier]

If they put in a six there, I'd think it would make the most sense to use the Kanc to replace the seven brothers chair to take pressure off the gondola

 

[EPB]

Yeah that gondola is ridiculous capacity wise for such a busy place. It's also 25+ years old now and I thought it had been a candidate to get moved to that expansion between Bucksaw and west mountain that never happened. Maybe I've just spent too much time lurking on the Sugarloaf today forum for my own good...

 

[Jully]

I remember that expansion plan. Didn't realize they wanted the Loon gondola to go there. I know that after 2020 Sugarloaf does want to reconsider getting a base to summit lift. Complete opposite of Sugarbush in VT. They've said time and again that they are done with base to summit lifts.

Would the seven brother lift really get used that much more if it was a HSQ? Maybe moving the Kanc quad to SL is the best plan for it. That would be pretty peachy

 

[deadheadskier]

If the Seven Brothers was replaced with a HSQ, many, many people would ride it to get to the North Peak area. It would take a lot of pressure off the Gondola.

Would I personally rather see it deployed in some capacity at Sugarloaf? You bet. Just don't see Boyne moving a valuable lift assert away from an area that still could desperately use the capacity

 

[Highway Star]

Killington = Fail.

 

[Tin]

Killington = Fail.

 

[mbedle]

I remember that expansion plan. Didn't realize they wanted the Loon gondola to go there. I know that after 2020 Sugarloaf does want to reconsider getting a base to summit lift. Complete opposite of Sugarbush in VT. They've said time and again that they are done with base to summit lifts.

Would the seven brother lift really get used that much more if it was a HSQ? Maybe moving the Kanc quad to SL is the best plan for it. That would be pretty peachy

Wonder why Sugarbush is done with base to summit lifts. Seems to be a little short sighted on their part. Would think a base to summit at mount ellen would be pretty nice. Also wondering why the got rid of the gondola in the first place, other than it was pretty old.

 

[Jully]

Win considers it expensive and inefficient. The uphill capacity would be lower than the current set up they have. It would cost a ton to run and have wind problems frequently. Furthermore the lift would not access terrain that everyone wants to ski, in fact, very few people want to ski from HG down to the base, and it wouldn't be as effective at crowd dispersal as the current lift arrangement is.

All good reasons for sure, nothing I can really say I disagree with, but Sugarloaf wants one still because they think it brings the mountain together and provides an important symbol