Saddleback Maine for Sale!

[Smellytele]

I think they need to replace the Rangley Double first before another lift over there

 

[St. Bear]

I hear ya...But in Saddleback's case they've got More than 2k vertical ft. It's just that their current lift infrastructure doesn't support it.

Interesting article about Saddleback's history where it talks about a gondi line that was cut in the early 70's that was supposed to terminate just below the summit. It would have been just OVER 2,000 vertical ft, with the 3 top-bottom runs appropriately named Hook, Line, and Sinker. I think the new ownership should bring this idea back

http://www.pressherald.com/life/outdoors/snowed-under-at-saddleback_2013-01-06.html

Just last night I was reading this article about Saddleback that said it was once envisioned as the "Vail of the East". Your article fits with it nicely.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think they need to replace the Rangley Double first before another lift over there

IMO they should have replaced the Rangeley Double before replacing the Kennabago T-Bar. Experts don't mind T-bars, heck some prefer them to chairlifts. Intermediates and Beginners aren't too keen on waiting in liftlines for long slow double chairs.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Sugarloaf has 10,000 beds at the base(largest in the east) and does around 250,000 skier visits. Although Saddleback has a couple od older condo complexes below the new lodge and some newer townhouses to the right of the lodge I would think they would have to build many more to simply lodge the guests they will need to be profitable. They have a very small day skier market. Even Jay has millions of people less than two hours away in Quebec. The few current motels open in the winter, including the Rangeley Inn, cater mostly to snowmobilers in the winter.

 

[AdironRider]

LL Bean, worked there 2001-2005, does not sell alpine skis but does sell everything else alpine from ski helmets to ski boot bags. They are very into hunting and fishing, kayaking etc which fits well into Rangely's summer/fall activities.

Bean does do alot of stuff up at Baxter SP, guided trips and product testing. Rangely and Milinocket have alot in common. Gorgeous areas but that has not equated to big influx of tourist stuff. It amazes me that with a depressed economy due to paper mill closings Millinocket has made little effort to encourage developement. House prices are in the toilet, even before the 2008 recession. It's the gateway town to Baxter SP, an incredibly beautiful area.

What you might classify as micro-sprawl, Millinocket has a couple of motels on the road to I95, At Rangeley, just up the hill on your way to Saddleback there is a new convenience store and a Rite-Aid(?) plus a new motel that looks like one you would see off any exit of any interstate in the country.

Conversly, Greenville on Moosehead Lake who's ski area is basically DOA has been in the middle of a huge resort/second home development for 10 years by Plume Creek the mega huge timber company who happens to be the largest landowner in America.

One thing in common is that all 3 are primarily summer resort areas. Regarding Rangeley I get the impression that the snowmobilers and skier/riders are not exactly compatible winter groups.

IMHO I just don't see Saddleback as a large destination ski resort. Jackson Hole would have the same problem if not for the busy JH Airport. When I was out there the resort owner brought in Delta and United by quaranteeing/underwriting unsold seats. Without an airport, train or major highway. Build it, Saddleback has done a nice job there, but I doubt they will come. Anyone have any skier visit numbers the last few winters? Sugarloaf does around 250,000 but SR doubles that to 500,000. Pretty obvious which one is more financially successful.

I agree with you across the board. However, I dont think the airport being there makes Jackson a viable place in the winter exclusively. We are a tax haven (if you want to call it that in comparative terms to the rest of the US), and big money has always been here, that airport would be there whether Jackson Hole the ski area was there or not if you ask me. No doubt though the ski area, and most of the surrounding major hotels pay hefty fees to keep the place open to the extent that it is though. THink quarter mill just for a hotel, I imagine the resort paid much more. At least some transferable passes are included in the deal for most of the people in the AIR program.

I never understood the clash between skiers and bilers. For people who enjoy it the most in winter its odd how there is little overlap, especially on the East Coast. Out here at least you have the sled access crews for BC tours. That being said, as someone who's experienced hill climb weekends as well, each sport definitely has its own culture to put it lightly.

Still though, regardless of demographic preferences, from the towns standpoint, having a vibrant year round tourist economy is better than a vibrant summer tourist season and a bunch of drunks for the rest of the year.

 

[tipsdown]

I think they need to replace the Rangley Double first before another lift over there

Agreed. A lift on Tightline would not be priority number one but it should be something to consider. It would be the only 2k plus lift in Maine

 

[deadheadskier]

Agreed. A lift on Tightline would not be priority number one but it should be something to consider. It would be the only 2k plus lift in Maine

You would like a chair from the base all the way up to the top of Tightline? I don't see how that would be a lift that would see a lot of use. It would have a pretty significant run out. I know I wouldn't want to ski from the Kennebago Steeps all the way down to the base.

 

[Smellytele]

I would go with replace the double then maybe false peak. Could move the double to there.

 

[tipsdown]

You would like a chair from the base all the way up to the top of Tightline? I don't see how that would be a lift that would see a lot of use. It would have a pretty significant run out. I know I wouldn't want to ski from the Kennebago Steeps all the way down to the base.

i think it would make some sense with additional trail development to the east. Without studying a map I believe there's less run out further east. Lower tight line currently exists and it's marked as a blue. It begins to run out when it jogs back toward the lodge instead of following the fall line away from the lodge to the east. If you added lower extensions to the trails lookers left of Tightline and groomed a few of them you get some long cruisers. There my be better lift options that access slightly less vertical but this still could be a viable option...

 

[riverc0il]

The run out from the Kennebago to the lodge is super flat, very boring skiing. The current lift setup is ideal. I don't know what they were thinking when they originally cut that line (well, besides wanting a T2B lift for marketing purposes). The current setup wins. I disagree with DHS on replacing the double before the t-bar. I skied there when the t-bar was in and there was never any one up there. That t-bar scared away a lot of potential guests. Fixed grip quad? Win. The double needs to go for sure, but I think they did it in the right order.

 

[deadheadskier]

I guess I just view there being a larger demographic of skiers (read: beginners thru advanced intermediates) that would appreciate the terrain off the Rangeley serviced by a HSQ than the demographic of skiers appreciating the Expert area of the mountain serviced by a chairlift over a T-Bar.

A lot of mountains are known for the quality of their expert terrain (Saddleback being one of them), but having decent cruising terrain accessed by good lifts is the bread and butter to bring in families looking for a viable big mountain alternative in Maine to SL and SR.

 

[riverc0il]

Excepting the headwalls (easier bypassed) and the glades, the Kennebago area is a steep groomer paradise. It isn't the blue square gold mine of something like Loon's Kanc Quad but it is entirely serviceable as a pod for the upper intermediate and lower advanced skier ready to push their boundaries a bit and certainly for an advanced skier or family that enjoys something with pitch. I don't see that pod as an expert only pod. But I certainly see your point that a high speeder for the cruising terrain would have helped a lot. But crazy as it might seem, when families are picking out places to go, they don't know a Blue Hills black from a Saddleback black and they'll look at a trail map and see a major pod serviced by a t-bar and wonder WTF?

 

[xwhaler]

Agree with River on this one. The great thing abt the Kennebago quad is 2 fold. 1) You can ski with a group up there and hit everyting from an easy blue (America) to Casa #1/Dark Wizard and still all meet back and ride the lift up. The variety of terrain up there is great.

2) There is some great terrain off the Rangeley that can also be skied using the quad. Upper Intimidator Glades, Peachy's Professor, Jane Craig, Upper Thrombosis are all great advanced/expert runs that you can run down and hook back up on the Pass back to the quad.
My group of friends doesnt mind the double since we really only use it to start our day. After lunch we often will do some laps over on the T which has some nice cruisers.

 

[billski]

"John, would you have any interest in buying an unnamed ski area in Rangeley, Maine?"

Fascinating article by John Christie, former owner of Saddleback

""If Maine has a chance, it will probably be through the best efforts of not only the environmentalists but a new breed of businessmen as well -- men who want primarily to see their state develop rather than be developed. There are strong indications that John Christie fits that pattern. He's coming home to Maine from the big-time national ski world in order to develop Saddleback Mountain. One thing is certain, we'll know a bit more about John Christie and Saddleback Mountain 10 years and 30 million dollars from now."" - I. William Berry, 1973

The Portland Press Herald, January 6, 2012