Saddleback

[catsup948]

This is kind of what I assumed too but one of the park guys there who is on Newschoolers brought up that without the Rangely lift there is a good chance they wouldn't see enough of a return to cover operating costs.

I think they should have replaced the double instead of Kennebago but as someone else mentioned hindsight is 20/20

This is interesting. I would think closing for a year losing skiers to Sugarloaf would be worse for them. Offer reduced operating schedule running the tbar. I'm only annoyed because I was planning on a long weekend there this year!

 

[Puck it]

The new quad at sugarbush reportedly is costing about 3M but part of that is the removal of two structures and site work for widening the traverse up top.

The double at Mittersill cost 3M. Where is threecy

 

[Newpylong]

Wouldn't surprise me to see Skytrac get the project. They can outprice Dopp or Poma and want their fixed grip business.

 

[Tin]

The Skytrac chair at Berkie could use some extra padding. If it is snowing/your jacket is wet you can get frozen to the back metal piece when going to get off the chair as well.

 

[drjeff]

The Skytrac's at The Hermitage are super comfy, granted they had plush, custom embroidered with the club's logo, chair pads made, but they're comfy and smooth riding lifts for sure!

 

[mbedle]

Apparently, saddleback pulled the sale advertisement for the double lift off the website. Something must of happened and I assume they are keeping the double and going to run for another year or the place down for the year.

 

[Jully]

Would it not be taken down if it had been sold?

 

[mbedle]

Typically they keep it up there with a sold sign on it for a little bit. Who knows, maybe it did sell that fast and Saddleback asked them not to do that.

 

[catsup948]

The Skytrac chair at Berkie could use some extra padding. If it is snowing/your jacket is wet you can get frozen to the back metal piece when going to get off the chair as well.

Eh. I don't mind it so much. The old number 1 black chair, now that was an uncomfortable(dangerous as well) chair lift.

 

[Tin]

Eh. I don't mind it so much. The old number 1 black chair, now that was an uncomfortable(dangerous as well) chair lift.

The Black Diamond Express was the greatest lift in New England History. As a kid if you could ride that thing you were a great skier lol. I think it was in the 640 FPM speed range or something stupid like that.

 

[WWF-VT]

Portland Press Herald has a good article: http://www.pressherald.com/2015/07/...nt-reopen-unless-it-gets-3-million-financing/

“The perception is that during busy times, we have long lift lines,” said Berry. “It does impact your vacation and your weekend traffic.”

Painfully slow double chairs don't seem to prevent people from going to Smuggs.

 

[machski]

Wouldn't surprise me to see Skytrac get the project. They can outprice Dopp or Poma and want their fixed grip business.

Maybe, but Skytrac only has 2 installs this summer in all of North America. From what I have heard, Dopp is fiercly competting on price now as they want to regain a stranglehold of the lift business in America. Even Poma is having trouble winning contracts right now.

 

[xwhaler]

Portland Press Herald has a good article: http://www.pressherald.com/2015/07/...nt-reopen-unless-it-gets-3-million-financing/

“The perception is that during busy times, we have long lift lines,” said Berry. “It does impact your vacation and your weekend traffic.”

Painfully slow double chairs don't seem to prevent people from going to Smuggs.

I would argue that Smuggs is much more of a destination resort than Saddleback. Smuggs has an award winning ski school, a lot of condo build out, multiple restaurants, pools, hot tubs etc.
Saddleback ski school and the terrain they teach on is excellent but they don't really have the other amenities that makes doing a week long vacation quite as easy with a family. Folks at Smuggs are willing to deal with the slow doubles since the build out is already there and there is much more to do beyond the skiing.
Also Smuggs draws from a greater local population base---Burlington and surrounding towns is more built up than Rangeley.
The town of Rangeley is great but is a bit detached from the mountain as well.

 

[Jully]

End of the article makes it seem like the Berrys want to sell pretty bad. Replacing the Rangely would provide incentive for a new owner to come in.

I think they're just looking to make the resort profitable enough to sell and get a return on their $40 million investment.

 

[xwhaler]

The reason for the lift upgrade is pretty simple to me. They are trying to steal potential market share away from SL/SR.
When folks who ski those mtns come to SB they may encounter long lines at the double on the wknds (other lifts ski on but what they first see is the double)
Those folks may not get to appreciate the amazing mtn that Saddleback is if they just try and ski off the double---those folks then don't return.
Saddleback markets themselves as the "no lines, uncrowded slopes" alternative. The slow double with potentially long lines doesn;t help them with this.

 

[deadheadskier]

Personally, I don't think a Fixed Grip is enough to make much of a difference. I think they really need a HSQ to steal market share from SR/SL.

 

[Riverskier]

I have only been to Saddleback once and loved the place. However, the line for the double was out of control. Didn't effect my day that much or my decision to return, as the terrain I wanted to ski was off the Kennebago which was ski on. However, if I was there to ski off the double I would be hesitant to return, so I understand where the long line perception comes from even if it is only the case a small % of days. Of course I told people how much I loved the place, but also about the lines, so I guess I am part of the problem.

 

[thetrailboss]

Personally, I don't think a Fixed Grip is enough to make much of a difference. I think they really need a HSQ to steal market share from SR/SL.

Agreed


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[Newpylong]

Maybe, but Skytrac only has 2 installs this summer in all of North America. From what I have heard, Dopp is fiercly competting on price now as they want to regain a stranglehold of the lift business in America. Even Poma is having trouble winning contracts right now.

Yup, Skytrac tried but lost to Dopple on the new Valley Quad at the Bush.

 

[machski]

End of the article makes it seem like the Berrys want to sell pretty bad. Replacing the Rangely would provide incentive for a new owner to come in.

I think they're just looking to make the resort profitable enough to sell and get a return on their $40 million investment.

They will never find a buyer in my opinion if the keep the ski area sale separated from the mountain real estate property. That is how they have it now and I don't see a buyer for just the ski resort operation. They will need to sell both to find a buyer so I am not convinced they want to sell "really bad". They may want to shed the operations of the ski area if it is bleeding money, but holding onto the real estate tells me they still think long term SB has growth potential.