Shawnee Peak or Pleasant Mountain? Boyne Wants Your Input

[thetrailboss]

Very interesting article. From 1938 to 1988 this ski area was known as Pleasant Mountain because it was on Pleasant Mountain. Then the owner of Shawnee Mountain in Pennsylvania bought it and, "to be consistent", ranamed it to Shawnee Peak. I never would have guessed that. Now Boyne is reconsidering going back to Pleasant Mountain (or something else). The reason is that the name has no connection to the area in Pennsylvania anymore and the Shawnee Tribe were not in Maine.

What’s in a name? Ask the skiers at Shawnee Peak

The Bridgton ski area was called Pleasant Mountain for 50 years before being renamed after a ski resort in Pennsylvania. Some skiers hope it will revert to its original name under new ownership.

www.pressherald.com

So what say you?

How about naming it after Lake Sebago?

 

[foofy]

How about naming it after Lake Sebago?

It's Sebago Lake, not Lake Sebago.
Anyways, no, that's 30 minutes away. Shawnee / Pleasant overlooks Moose Pond. But reverting to its old and actual name of Pleasant Mountain makes way more sense.

 

[thetrailboss]

It's Sebago Lake, not Lake Sebago.
Anyways, no, that's 30 minutes away. Shawnee / Pleasant overlooks Moose Pond. But reverting to its old and actual name of Pleasant Mountain makes way more sense.

Ah got it. Sebago Lake.

 

[Terry]

It needs to be Pleasant Mountain because that is the history of the place.

 

[Edd]

Yeah, seems like an error to change it (in 1988) in the first place. Someone interviewed in the article wondered how much the transition would cost. I’m curious about that also.

 

[thetrailboss]

I didn’t know that they were the largest night ski area in New England.

 

[PAabe]

Storm Skiing podcast with the Shawnee (PA, but same guy was involved in ME for a while) guy is interesting. Apparently they brought a lot of the PA methods in like night skiing and group sales to nearby schools for weekly ski club to turn the place around to be profitiable

 

[2planks2coasts]

Storm Skiing podcast with the Shawnee (PA, but same guy was involved in ME for a while) guy is interesting. Apparently they brought a lot of the PA methods in like night skiing and group sales to nearby schools for weekly ski club to turn the place around to be profitiable

I wonder to what extent Boyne will keep these things. I'm saddened to see them go corporate, even if I can visit with my Ikon.

 

[thetrailboss]

I wonder to what extent Boyne will keep these things. I'm saddened to see them go corporate, even if I can visit with my Ikon.

Of all the corporate entities Boyne is by far the best one that could’ve taken it over. They are very good about truly allowing local management to run the mountain and giving them the resources to do it well. Granted they’re not perfect but trust me they are way better than Alterra, POWDR, or Fail.

I would be very surprised if they did not expand snowmaking or upgrade lift in order to try to draw more of the Portland crowd. And considering that Vail’s areas in the Mount Washington Valley are sucking so badly Boyne has everything to gain.

 

[thetrailboss]

And latest vote count was 2 for Shawnee Peak, 23 for Pleasant Mountain.

 

[2planks2coasts]

Of all the corporate entities Boyne is by far the best one that could’ve taken it over. They are very good about truly allowing local management to run the mountain and giving them the resources to do it well. Granted they’re not perfect but trust me they are way better than Alterra, POWDR, or Fail.

I would be very surprised if they did not expand snowmaking or upgrade lift in order to try to draw more of the Portland crowd. And considering that Vail’s areas in the Mount Washington Valley are sucking so badly Boyne has everything to gain.

Oh most definitely. I kinda like their lift situation as it is though! Before I moved to NH, Shawnee was always my go-to for night skiing when spending a week in North Conway each winter.

 

[thetrailboss]

Oh most definitely. I kinda like their lift situation as it is though! Before I moved to NH, Shawnee was always my go-to for night skiing when spending a week in North Conway each winter.

The only thing I can see, from 2,000+ miles away, would be replacing the summit lift with an HSQ. But maybe not. I don't know how things are on the ground. The last time I drove by was 2011 (!)

 

[thebigo]

That night skiing claim sounds suspicious. Doesn't Jiminy light nearly the entire mountain? Wonder if the claim is most lit vertical? How many acres is Wachusett?

Wouldn't be surprised to see one of the loon hsdq refurbished and installed at Shawnee, either north or south when loon upgrades to a six.

 

[machski]

The only thing I can see, from 2,000+ miles away, would be replacing the summit lift with an HSQ. But maybe not. I don't know how things are on the ground. The last time I drove by was 2011 (!)

This is more likely than not actually, and it will probably be a donor used lift from the same resort the current summit carpet load triple was from (Loon's former North Peak Triple). Would not surprise me if Loon's current North Peak Express finds it's way to Shawnee as it and the South Peak Express quad are both in Loon's flight plan to be upgraded mid term. Pretty sure that would make it the first time a lift was upgraded twice from the same former location at a different resort.

 

[machski]

I wonder to what extent Boyne will keep these things. I'm saddened to see them go corporate, even if I can visit with my Ikon.

Well, you cannot visit this year with your Ikon and there is no guarantee moving forward you will be able to as well. In fact, Boyne hasn't said anything about Shawnee/Pleasant being added to the New England Pass even for next season yet. Maybe we hear more by the end of the month, NEP flash sales are usually early March for following season.

 

[2planks2coasts]

Well, you cannot visit this year with your Ikon and there is no guarantee moving forward you will be able to as well. In fact, Boyne hasn't said anything about Shawnee/Pleasant being added to the New England Pass even for next season yet. Maybe we hear more by the end of the month, NEP flash sales are usually early March for following season.

Not adding it to the NEP and Ikon seems unlikely. Unlike POWDR, Boyne currently allows Ikon access at all of their mountains.

 

[bigbob]

That night skiing claim sounds suspicious. Doesn't Jiminy light nearly the entire mountain? Wonder if the claim is most lit vertical? How many acres is Wachusett?

Wouldn't be surprised to see one of the loon hsdq refurbished and installed at Shawnee, either north or south when loon upgrades to a six.

Kanc Quad is staying at Loon and will replace 7 brothers triple next summer. Now what do with 7 Brothers chair, will it stay at Loon and go to South peak?

 

[machski]

Kanc Quad is staying at Loon and will replace 7 brothers triple next summer. Now what do with 7 Brothers chair, will it stay at Loon and go to South peak?

That is my guess, 7 Bros to South Peak learner's pod and either North or South HSQ for the longer of the two learner pod lifts. But then again, no mention of the South learner pod and build out of the base at end of Escape Route on the 2030FP.

 

[Terry]

Trails are crowded enough as it is with the summit triple on busy days. A hsq would make it worse and also be more wind and ice susceptible I believe. Every weekend this season the parking lots have been full and people have been parking along the access road as well. Don't think they need to draw more people, just need to extend the season on both ends weather permiting.

 

[deadheadskier]

Trails are crowded enough as it is with the summit triple on busy days. A hsq would make it worse and also be more wind and ice susceptible I believe. Every weekend this season the parking lots have been full and people have been parking along the access road as well. Don't think they need to draw more people, just need to extend the season on both ends weather permiting.

Do they still close the Sunnyside midweek? That's a change I'd hope to see Boyne make.