Skiing Sunday River 2019-2020

[EPB]

http://2030.sundayriver.com/

Really scratching my head on why install a carpet on Tempest just to replace it. Why would replacing South and North Express take priority over that? Are there inherent issues with those two lifts? They seem perfect for their utilization and roles.

I can see Barker and Jordan going to 6's. What would Aurora get, HSQ or new carpet FGQ? It's a pretty short lift.

Sunday River regulars please learn me.

Confusing to me, too.

I'd imagine Jordan could be relocated to Tempest once it's replaced. Barker has gotta be toast.

Carpets can't be that expensive in the grand scheme of things. Maybe it's a way for SR to pat itself on the back without really doing anything. Perhaps the carpet could be reused elsewhere down the line, too.

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[shwilly]

My guess is that they view loading-related stoppages and slow downs on Tempest to be a major problem. I agree! It's a slow lift, but intimidating for beginners (and kids) on loading. It can stop multiple times on a single ride because of loading problems.

If they think they could mitigate that cheaply with a carpet and noticeably speed up the average lift ride, that could be an easy win.

Then who knows how long until their medium / long term items happen.

 

[thetrailboss]

http://2030.sundayriver.com/

Really scratching my head on why install a carpet on Tempest just to replace it. Why would replacing South and North Express take priority over that? Are there inherent issues with those two lifts? They seem perfect for their utilization and roles.

I can see Barker and Jordan going to 6's. What would Aurora get, HSQ or new carpet FGQ? It's a pretty short lift.

Sunday River regulars please learn me.

I'm also confused as to the priorities. Looks like immediate are to buy the Golf Course, install RFID, build more real estate, build an observation tower, and do renovations.

"Short term" includes replacing Jordan Express (?) and Barker with a conveyor for the "Tempest" Quad [White Cap?].

Mid and long term call for new White Cap, North Peak, Aurora, and South Ridge lifts along with a Mountain Coaster.

So am I to read that White Cap upgrade, with the former Big Sky HSQ, is not happening in 2021?

 

[Edd]

So the Tempest not getting replaced. Conveyor belt upgrade. Better than nothing, that lift is crazy slow.

A restaurant at Barker is looong overdue.


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[thetrailboss]

So the Tempest not getting replaced. Conveyor belt upgrade. Better than nothing, that lift is crazy slow.

A restaurant at Barker is looong overdue.


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Is it Tempest or White Cap Quad?

 

[deadheadskier]

I know Boyne fully owns the place now and has more flexibility to do what they want, but 5 or 6 new high speed chairs in the next ten years? I'll take the under.

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[shwilly]

Is it Tempest or White Cap Quad?

The official name is the White Cap Quad, but everyone calls it Tempest.

 

[EPB]

I know Boyne fully owns the place now and has more flexibility to do what they want, but 5 or 6 new high speed chairs in the next ten years? I'll take the under.

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Me too. North Peak especially. Seems Boyne is cool playing musical chairlifts though, so maybe some of the "new" high speed lifts are used ones from SR or elsewhere in the portfolio.

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[MEtoVTSkier]

So nail the list to the wall, then start checking off item that they actually do, and 2025, half-way thru, see if it's still realistic. I think they scale it back, because Sugarloaf needs some serious re-thinking, with Saddleback coming back online.

 

[thetrailboss]

I know Boyne fully owns the place now and has more flexibility to do what they want, but 5 or 6 new high speed chairs in the next ten years? I'll take the under.

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I thought that was ambitious as well.

 

[thetrailboss]

The official name is the White Cap Quad, but everyone calls it Tempest.

Thanks. I thought that was what was going on.

 

[thetrailboss]

So nail the list to the wall, then start checking off item that they actually do, and 2025, half-way thru, see if it's still realistic. I think they scale it back, because Sugarloaf needs some serious re-thinking, with Saddleback coming back online.

So how did Sugarloaf's 2020 Plan end up?

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

Some claiming that that the 2020 plan has slowly, quietly been/being erased as to not draw attention to it. Actually surprised they haven't annouced capital improvement plans yet, since they let some hints of some big changes out. Perhaps they were waiting to see how things at Saddleback shook out.

So they cut Brackett, Eastern and Burnt areas, and replaced one failed lift, replaced another failed lifts drive station, and tore out an antique double without replacing it (yet). Pretty much it.

 

[thetrailboss]

Some claiming that that the 2020 plan has slowly, quietly been/being erased as to not draw attention to it. Actually surprised they haven't annouced capital improvement plans yet, since they let some hints of some big changes out. Perhaps they were waiting to see how things at Saddleback shook out.

So they cut Brackett, Eastern and Burnt areas, and replaced one failed lift, replaced another failed lifts drive station, and tore out an antique double without replacing it (yet). Pretty much it.

Yeah, I know that there was a lot of talk but not much in terms of actual changes.

 

[xlr8r]

As usual I disagree with Boyne's plans

Barker Mountain Express needs to be replaced ASAP, and waiting at least one more year to replace it is bad PR. Clearly it is not a money issue as they have have the money to put in the fancy Kanc 8 this summer when the current Kanc is still very reliable. Barker should have had higher priority than Kanc.

Replacing Jordan (probably with a sixpack) makes some sense as that lift is usually crowded. However there still is the issue of accessing the Jordan Hotel when Jordan gets shutdown for wind. A T-bar or fixed grip chair should be built to go from the bottom of Jordan to the Hotel. A restaurant at the top of Jordan also seems like a bad idea as there is not much room up there, where is it going to fit. A much better location would be at the bottom of Jordan with a small cafeteria, something similar to Camp III at Loon.

If Jordan is replaced, the old lift should be moved to Tempest to drive more people to ski that side of the mountain and park at the Whitecap lodge. Adding a loading carpet does not make the lift more desirable to use. Also a trail needs to be cut to access Obsession from the top of the Tempest lift.

North Peak Express does not need to be replaced, that is a solid lift with not many hours on it for its age as it was not used much during the first few years of the Chondola.

 

[thetrailboss]

As usual I disagree with Boyne's plans

Barker Mountain Express needs to be replaced ASAP, and waiting at least one more year to replace it is bad PR. Clearly it is not a money issue as they have have the money to put in the fancy Kanc 8 this summer when the current Kanc is still very reliable. Barker should have had higher priority than Kanc.

Replacing Jordan (probably with a sixpack) makes some sense as that lift is usually crowded. However there still is the issue of accessing the Jordan Hotel when Jordan gets shutdown for wind. A T-bar or fixed grip chair should be built to go from the bottom of Jordan to the Hotel. A restaurant at the top of Jordan also seems like a bad idea as there is not much room up there, where is it going to fit. A much better location would be at the bottom of Jordan with a small cafeteria, something similar to Camp III at Loon.

If Jordan is replaced, the old lift should be moved to Tempest to drive more people to ski that side of the mountain and park at the Whitecap lodge. Adding a loading carpet does not make the lift more desirable to use. Also a trail needs to be cut to access Obsession from the top of the Tempest lift.

North Peak Express does not need to be replaced, that is a solid lift with not many hours on it for its age as it was not used much during the first few years of the Chondola.

I agree with these thoughts as well. It seemed that NPE is not at all a priority.

 

[deadheadskier]

IMO the number one lift priority in Boynes New England network should be the Superquad.

Barker has a worse track record for reliability than the Superquad, but SR has a far better lift network overall than SL. When the Superquad goes down, SL is a horrible place to ski on a weekend. They just don't have the capacity elsewhere to spread people out. Even when it's running, Sugarloaf has an uphill capacity problem on weekends. A HS6 or 8 would help considerably.

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[Edd]

Also a trail needs to be cut to access Obsession from the top of the Tempest lift.

What’s your reasoning here? I’d like that too but it’s just for fun. Hitting Tempest and taking a right accomplishes the same thing.

 

[xlr8r]

What’s your reasoning here? I’d like that too but it’s just for fun. Hitting Tempest and taking a right accomplishes the same thing.

Adds another trail that can be lapped off of a Tempest. If Tempest is replaced with a HSQ, (Which should happen), a lot more people will be using the lift. cutting a way to get from the top of Tempest to lower obsession creates another lap-able run off of the lift. With a slow underutilized lift right now it is not a big deal as it makes more sense to just ride White Heat to ski Obsession.

 

[Newpylong]

Adds another trail that can be lapped off of a Tempest. If Tempest is replaced with a HSQ, (Which should happen), a lot more people will be using the lift. cutting a way to get from the top of Tempest to lower obsession creates another lap-able run off of the lift. With a slow underutilized lift right now it is not a big deal as it makes more sense to just ride White Heat to ski Obsession.

What if the upload terminal for a new lift is shifted uphill and an area cleared above Tempest? Could they use that cutover that already exists above there? I am in agreement once the uphill capacity goes up it will be critical to get people onto Obsession.