Saddleback

[Jully]

I have to agree with skifane. I used to live in NH, and feltthere was nothing big in NH like the loaf or river, or in VT like K or thebush. That being said, I particularly enjoyed wildcat and Bretton woods.Cranmore and a couple others were fun also. But to get the “big” skiexperience, I liked them to be tough to ski all the trails 3 times in a day.Not doing that at the River or loaf, or even Saddleback.

That being said, I’d ski about any resort, but tend to get bored on my thirdlap of all the trails.

In NH I'd say Cannon skis bigger than Bretton, others really might not agree, but I'm not a huge fan of BW.

If I'm going to ski NH I'll do Wildcat which also feels pretty big, but then I'll drive by anything else to ski Cannon.

 

[Jully]

Here's a hypothetical compelling product. This idea only came to me yesterday as I was up in Greenville Maine for the first time. What if whoever buys Saddleback took management of Big Squaw as well. I always had this impression of Big Squaw being appreciably further from the Portland metro area than SL and SB, but it really is only 20-30 minutes. Squaw is an easy commute from Bangor area and also only three hours from Quebec City.

If a little snowmaking was added and the summit lift restored combining Big Squaw with Saddleback would provide two really nice vertical mountains of old school no frills New England skiing. The combined season pass would likely be much more affordable than the Boyne pass and provide an excellent alternative to locals.

That to me would be a much more compelling twist to the Maine skiing industry than Boyne simply gobbling up Saddleback and trying to turn it into another McSkiArea.

Wow, that's cruel for you to suggest that because now I really want that to happen and it probably never will.

Beyond just squaw being a great old NE style mountain, I'd also like to see another multi mountain company enter the Maine market. It's really hard for me to rationalize getting say, a Shawnee pass or a SB pass because it's 1 mountain (debateably smaller than SR/SL too) versus those two even if I enjoy SB more than SL a good portion of the time.

I'm assuming it's also a lot of the reason why solo operations on the bigger side are struggling in Maine.

 

[Edd]

Tweet from Sunday River today:



It boils down to they're offering the 2015 spring rates to SB pass holders.

 

[thetrailboss]

Tweet from Sunday River today:

View attachment 17979

It boils down to they're offering the 2015 spring rates to SB pass holders.

Better than nothing


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[EPB]

Way better.

 

[DoublePlanker]

Portland Herald article also used as source in Boston Globe article. Just frustrated season pass holders.

http://www.pressherald.com/2015/11/27/silence-on-saddleback-resorts-status-frustrates-skiers/

 

[billski]

Portland Herald article also used as source in Boston Globe article. Just frustrated season pass holders.

http://www.pressherald.com/2015/11/27/silence-on-saddleback-resorts-status-frustrates-skiers/

for every bitching passholder I'll bet there are a dozen who have voted with their feet. Hell, the season is pretty much in gear. Who would be paying for a full price pass this late in the game at a mountain that can't figure out if it wants to open. A poor reflection how the place might operate if indeed it opens.

 

[Jully]

for every bitching passholder I'll bet there are a dozen who have voted with their feet. Hell, the season is pretty much in gear. Who would be paying for a full price pass this late in the game at a mountain that can't figure out if it wants to open. A poor reflection how the place might operate if indeed it opens.

I don't think it reflects on the new owners at all, and not even on the Berry's. They were fine communicators when they were in command. I think however this supposed sale is going down is just limiting communication on both sides.

 

[deadheadskier]

for every bitching passholder I'll bet there are a dozen who have voted with their feet. Hell, the season is pretty much in gear. Who would be paying for a full price pass this late in the game at a mountain that can't figure out if it wants to open. A poor reflection how the place might operate if indeed it opens.

Did you even read the article? The passes were already purchased. I'm sure many of them can't "vote with their feet" because they have serious money already invested at Saddleback that the mountain refuses to refund.

 

[deadheadskier]

It doesn't appear you can buy a Saddleback pass currently. Says Out of Stock

The point to me of the article is that people purchased their passes to Saddleback early in good faith in order to get a good price.. I did the same buying my Wildcat pass in May.

Now their money is tied up in a product that may not exist.

Sunday River is doing these people a solid by offering the early discount prices. Some will have the extra cash to go that route (or Shawnee's offer), but some will not.

Whether it's the Berry's or the new owners, I feel refunds should have been available immediately upon disclosure that operations were in doubt for the season.

 

[thetrailboss]

It doesn't appear you can buy a Saddleback pass currently. Says Out of Stock

The point to me of the article is that people purchased their passes to Saddleback early in good faith in order to get a good price.. I did the same buying my Wildcat pass in May.

Now their money is tied up in a product that may not exist.

Sunday River is doing these people a solid by offering the early discount prices. Some will have the extra cash to go that route (or Shawnee's offer), but some will not.

Whether it's the Berry's or the new owners, I feel refunds should have been available immediately upon disclosure that operations were in doubt for the season.

I am a bit surprised that they have not refunded the money and just admitted that things are on hold at this point. They certainly can do that and resell later.

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

When did they open for the "season" last year?

 

[xwhaler]

Saddleback has traditionally opened for the season the wknd before Xmas every yr. I've seen them open 2 wknds prior bit generally have not gone sooner than that.
Ususally the goal is to have upper mtn open by new yrs

 

[Brad J]

I am sure that they are using the pre sold passes as a negotiation chip in the sale, certainly thats not fair to the pass holders and the troops will make it hard on the new owners if this is not resolved quickly. IMO if they don't open this year that the value is reduced buy 1/3. If it is indeed Peaks Resort may be they think that waiting a year and reopening will work like it did at Crotchet. That strategy may not work with a remote location like Saddleback.

 

[danimals]

Regardless, if they ever open again, I will go. It's been on my friends and mines radar for years. The drive up from Philly is what prevented us from going before, however this summer we solidified plans to actually do it. Bummer we will have to put it off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jully]

I am sure that they are using the pre sold passes as a negotiation chip in the sale, certainly thats not fair to the pass holders and the troops will make it hard on the new owners if this is not resolved quickly. IMO if they don't open this year that the value is reduced buy 1/3. If it is indeed Peaks Resort may be they think that waiting a year and reopening will work like it did at Crotchet. That strategy may not work with a remote location like Saddleback.

Highly doubt it's peaks at this point. Too many rumors about foreign buyers. Peaks was a stretch even when we knew nothing about the buyer.

I think peaks realizes the problems associated with running a resort business model like Saddleback and that's why they seek a different market.

 

[Smellytele]

If it is indeed Peaks Resort may be they think that waiting a year and reopening will work like it did at Crotchet. That strategy may not work with a remote location like Saddleback.

Crotched was closed for many years before Peaks bought it so different situation.

 

[thetrailboss]

Crotched was closed for many years before Peaks bought it so different situation.

+ 1. And Crotched is closer to more people.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[salsgang]

As probably the biggest Saddleback homer on this thread (haha) with $1,500 tied up in 2015-16 season passes, I put together some thoughts on the whole situation on my blog:

Condensed version:

- I absolutely love Saddleback
- My problem is not that big. This really impacts the folks that live and work in the Rangeley area.
- Pre-season pass holders are angry and I don't blame them
- Chris Farmer (GM) is doing everything he possibly can to get this resolved
- Owning a ski mountain is risky business!
- Even if not this year, the lifts will turn at Saddleback again. I am hopeful.

For more words and details - visit my post on the blog.

http://www.maineskifamily.com/2015/11/my-thoughts-on-saddleback-maine-ski-area.html

 

[Edd]

This is on the Saddleback Realty website. Like just the lodge is for sale? Not sure if this has been in the thread already.



Edit: it does say resort under primary use. This listing isn't a great sign, obviously. Not even an "under contract" indication.