Saddleback

[freeski]

So this place can't make it and can't find funding. But plans for a massive resort at the Balsams can find tons of $$$.

Plans for Balsams could be what is making banks nervous about loaning SB cash. If the Balsams succeeds there might not be enough skiers to keep SB, SR and SL going. I hope they can keep it going at SB. Hate to see any ski area close.
Feel for any who have invested in a condo up there.

 

[freeski]

It's obvious that there is some kind of posturing going on here. I imagine that the bank(s)/investors who financed much of the earlier work have balked at giving them $3 million more. So the resort is now saying, "give us the money or lose everything", in order to force the situation. It's not really fair to the loyal skiers and riders.

Yes, announcing this now is odd. They are trying to make something happen. Good theory...

 

[steamboat1]

Feel for any who have invested in a condo up there.

Guess you've never seen the multi-million dollar homes around Rangely Lake. Don't think they invested in the skiing.

 

[thetrailboss]

Guess you've never seen the multi-million dollar homes around Rangely Lake. Don't think they invested in the skiing.

More like fishing and snowmobiling.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[ss20]

I always like it when resorts expand rather than replace (hate it when ski resorts brag about "summer maintenance" and new carpets or whatever)... but a life from 1963 should've been on the chopping block 15 years ago.

 

[freeski]

Guess you've never seen the multi-million dollar homes around Rangely Lake. Don't think they invested in the skiing.

There are condos on the mountain. Check out the SB website. They followed the money making ski model. Build a nice ski area and sell condos around it. You think the people who bought the condos/townhouses at the ski area believe they're sitting pretty?
Want to buy a condo at Ascutney. I bet there are some available.

 

[steamboat1]

There are condos on the mountain. Check out the SB website. They followed the money making ski model. Build a nice ski area and sell condos around it. You think the people who bought the condos/townhouses at the ski area believe they're sitting pretty?
Want to buy a condo at Ascutney. I bet there are some available.

The lake is 10 minutes down the road. Ascutney on the other hand has cow pastures.

 

[Jully]

Definitely won't be the worst thing that could happen to the condo owners, but if you buy a condo at the base of a ski mountain and said mountain closes it instantly will destroy the condo's value and cut back on what you can do there from December to April. Plus the Rangely town isn't exactly a booming place in the winter months, its all up at the mountain. Saddleback has a giant access road too, not exactly prime lakefront property.

Still an awesome area though.

 

[fiddleski]

Part-time Rangeley resident and Saddleback enthusiast here, but I've been nervous about them for years. The build-out never got very far, then they tried to go EB-5 which seems to have been a dead-end, then they put it up for sale in 2012 (still is), and now this, which seems like the most desperate step of all to find some capital. It will break my heart if they close - such a great mountain with so much potential.

 

[bigbog]

If they say the lift is at the end of it's useful life, which they did, how do they expect to sell it? Perhaps they should have replaced the lift before spending for a new base lodge & two other new lifts that weren't absolutely necessary. Hindsight is always 20/20. I'd really hate to see the place close. Having skied there several times myself it really is a great mountain. It's just to far away from anything.

+1

 

[bigbog]

Guess you've never seen the multi-million dollar homes around Rangely Lake. Don't think they invested in the skiing.

+1
...Too many luxury autos and multi-million dollar homes BEYOND the lake(as well) with higher-priced restaurants that never fill up... and then they whine for mo-money and if they don't get it = higher prices.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Woa. I'd hate to see this happen seeing as they are starting to get regional recognition and even were mentioned in ski magazines top 20 last year

 

[Newpylong]

An example of poor capital planning at its best.

 

[wa-loaf]

Maybe Boyne can buy it and put in a Sugarloaf interconnect?

 

[dlague]

Maybe they are going for public appeal and looking for a State bail-out?

 

[ss20]

Maybe Boyne can buy it and put in a Sugarloaf interconnect?

If CNL doesn't get what they want they might close Sugarloaf and their mountains lol.

 

[steamboat1]

Rangely town isn't exactly a booming place in the winter months, its all up at the mountain.

Quite the opposite. Try getting a room/condo in Rangely on a weekend when there's plenty of snow on the ground. Skiing is not the thing in Rangely. Snowmobiling is by far more popular & the town is filled with people pursuing that sport, not skiing. It's one of the more popular areas in New England to go snowmobiling. Saddleback is dead compared to the town.

 

[dlague]

Quite the opposite. Try getting a room/condo in Rangely on a weekend when there's plenty of snow on the ground. Skiing is not the thing in Rangely. Snowmobiling is by far more popular & the town is filled with people pursuing that sport, not skiing. It's one of the more popular areas in New England to go snowmobiling. Saddleback is dead compared to the town.

Spot on! The Pittsburg, NH to Rangley, ME trail is very popular!

 

[Smellytele]

Quite the opposite. Try getting a room/condo in Rangely on a weekend when there's plenty of snow on the ground. Skiing is not the thing in Rangely. Snowmobiling is by far more popular & the town is filled with people pursuing that sport, not skiing. It's one of the more popular areas in New England to go snowmobiling. Saddleback is dead compared to the town.

+1

 

[steamboat1]

Spot on! The Pittsburg, NH to Rangley, ME trail is very popular!

One night we were eating dinner in the Rangely Inn & the local snowmobile club was having a meeting in the dining room. They were planning a trip up into Canada & across the Great Lakes to somewhere in the midwest. They had trail maps & were planning places they could stay & also fill up with gas. It was quite interesting.
I've been up to that area of ME. at least 8 times & only twice stayed at Sugarloaf. All the other times we stayed in Rangely.