Spruce Triple - Sunday River, ME

[deadheadskier]

Very true on the lodge. Even though it is a dump it is typically where I started my day as a passholder. Nice level to the lodge parking, no lines. I'm surprised the Tempest chair is only 3200. I would have guessed 4200. It seems like at least a ten minute ride. I suppose the ride seems longer than it is because the runs off it or down to Barker Basin are short compared to time spent on the chair.

 

[dlague]

On WhiteCap, Tempest is the shortest line, followed by heat and little white cap. At only 3200' line length, I cannot see the mountain spending the $ to upgrade it to a detach. I always thought a HSQ would be nice, but it would likely only be used in the morning. My idea of a TTB HSQ would replace White Heat and if you unload at the mid station as well, provides access to the Grand Summit from base on what is basically beginner terrain on lower starlight. But again, I think any big upgrades at White Cap are wishful thinking. That lodge needs to be reimagined/rebuilt before anything lift wise, it is a mess and not much of an attraction to start your day from as is.

First time at SR, we parked and started skiing from there before we realized that the better lodge was on the other side of the hill. Parking was close and the lift line to get on was short. After that we went to the other lodge and parking was not an issue - slip the guys monitoring the unloading zone a $20 and we parked in the pass holders area.

 

[Jully]

Very true on the lodge. Even though it is a dump it is typically where I started my day as a passholder. Nice level to the lodge parking, no lines. I'm surprised the Tempest chair is only 3200. I would have guessed 4200. It seems like at least a ten minute ride. I suppose the ride seems longer than it is because the runs off it or down to Barker Basin are short compared to time spent on the chair.

The chair does have a long run out. Tempest/Jibe are nicely pitched trails for about two thirds of it and then become a run outs.

Revitalizing the area seems like a good idea if they want to focus on the Grand Summit Hotel. Right now both of the SR hotels are in strange locations compared to where they are focusing their efforts at South Ridge, though Jordan is in a way better location as the Jordan Bowl is served by a fast lift and has nice family oriented trails.

The big lift to the top of Barker would be fascinating, but pretty unlikely sadly. It would be a way to focus more on that base area and the hotel though.

 

[machski]

The tempest extension lift has been mulled over for some time. Funny, most SR skiers would love to see it extended to the top of Locke (which arguably would require a turn or a new line). Doubt that too. I can tell you they have been doing work at White Cap this summer. The old decking tied into the side building off the back has been removed. Was THE SPOT back when I started skiing there in 1990. The western expansions have pulled the focus west and White Cap is in limbo with what it should be today. I have heard several ideas tossed around for White Cap base the last several years. Still curious to see if any stick. I do know the mountain is focusing on bringing it's hotels up to Boyne star rating standards. A lot of work was going on at snow cap this summer.

 

[Jully]

The tempest extension lift has been mulled over for some time. Funny, most SR skiers would love to see it extended to the top of Locke (which arguably would require a turn or a new line). Doubt that too. I can tell you they have been doing work at White Cap this summer. The old decking tied into the side building off the back has been removed. Was THE SPOT back when I started skiing there in 1990. The western expansions have pulled the focus west and White Cap is in limbo with what it should be today. I have heard several ideas tossed around for White Cap base the last several years. Still curious to see if any stick. I do know the mountain is focusing on bringing it's hotels up to Boyne star rating standards. A lot of work was going on at snow cap this summer.

That is exciting news then. Out of curiosity, what were the plans that you have heard tossed around? I would much rather see the lift go to Locke too, that area is totally underutilized because no one wants to go up the triple.

I'm kind of torn as to revitalizing that area though. With the focus west, it means that there are no crowds over in the far eastern end of the resort. Even on Holidays I could find no lift line at White Heat and especially Tempest when there were substantial lines at Aurora, Barker, Jordan, etc. Revamping that area could lead to more crowds there and that parking lot could fill up too.

 

[xlr8r]

The tempest extension lift has been mulled over for some time. Funny, most SR skiers would love to see it extended to the top of Locke (which arguably would require a turn or a new line). Doubt that too. I can tell you they have been doing work at White Cap this summer. The old decking tied into the side building off the back has been removed. Was THE SPOT back when I started skiing there in 1990. The western expansions have pulled the focus west and White Cap is in limbo with what it should be today. I have heard several ideas tossed around for White Cap base the last several years. Still curious to see if any stick. I do know the mountain is focusing on bringing it's hotels up to Boyne star rating standards. A lot of work was going on at snow cap this summer.

Extending it to the top off Locke or Barker would be bad IMO none of the peaks besides North should have more than one lift. If it went to Barker, then it really just becomes an odd transport lift with little lapping ability. If it goes up Locke, then it would ruin the classic feel Locke has with its narrower trails.

Just extend it to the top of Monday Mourning would be best i think. That way Monday Mourning, all of Cascade, Crossbow, and Snowbound to Lower Obsession would be accessible from the top. I would keep it ending below the Locke mid station as that area with Lower Sunday Punch is a weird intersection. This new alignment would not require a completely new lift line cut as it only angles slightly to the left of the current tempest lift, so most of it would still be over the tempest trail.

Sooner rather than later the Locke triple will need to be completely replaced as well, based on all the problem Boyne is having with Borvigs. Maybe when that happens it could be replaced just with a short fixed lift up T2 aligned like the old T bar with its base near the top of my proposed extended Tempest lift. The upper half of Locke is laid out like its own mini pod already. And typically I use Barker to lap Monday Mouring, Lower Sunday Punch etc anyway. Then the new Tempest lift could be used for uploading downloading early season.

 

[Jully]

That would be a pain for racers to use Locke though as it would require 2 lifts to reach the top of the mountain from the Barker Lodge. If I'm understating your alignment correctly?

 

[Smellytele]

Extending it to the top off Locke or Barker would be bad IMO none of the peaks besides North should have more than one lift. If it went to Barker, then it really just becomes an odd transport lift with little lapping ability. If it goes up Locke, then it would ruin the classic feel Locke has with its narrower trails.

Just extend it to the top of Monday Mourning would be best i think. That way Monday Mourning, all of Cascade, Crossbow, and Snowbound to Lower Obsession would be accessible from the top. I would keep it ending below the Locke mid station as that area with Lower Sunday Punch is a weird intersection. This new alignment would not require a completely new lift line cut as it only angles slightly to the left of the current tempest lift, so most of it would still be over the tempest trail.

Sooner rather than later the Locke triple will need to be completely replaced as well, based on all the problem Boyne is having with Borvigs. Maybe when that happens it could be replaced just with a short fixed lift up T2 aligned like the old T bar with its base near the top of my proposed extended Tempest lift. The upper half of Locke is laid out like its own mini pod already. And typically I use Barker to lap Monday Mouring, Lower Sunday Punch etc anyway. Then the new Tempest lift could be used for uploading downloading early season.

So with this the top of the new tempest would be where the top of the old t-bar was that came up from Barker?

 

[deadheadskier]

That cascade / Monday morning intersection can kind of be a pinball alley as is, I really couldn't imagine a lift unloading there.

 

[machski]

I doubt an extended Tempest lift is ever installed. What I have heard mulled about with White Cap base is a new lux condo development with a new/smaller lodge to go along with that. Just looking at how White Cap has been used the last decade, you can tell the resort is trying to figure it out. Shipyard has been there for a while and the one constant. For several years, the cafe was run by an outsourced company from town (which pissed many passholder as discounted mountain dining cards were not accepted). The mountain took it back over 2 years ago? But it is only open weekends and holidays. Lodge is open midweek without much service (limited Ski shop is open every day).

 

[Smellytele]

white cap was the lot we used all the time back in the early 90's. They used to have a skating rink there and they used to do sleigh rides there as well. tailgaited in the parking lot - only went in the lodge to use the rest room. only sat in the north peak lodge for a break

 

[dolehendrix]

White cap can be a good deal, unless it's full of high school bus trips. I immediately recall being a 15 year old boy and proceed with caution.

 

[Newpylong]

Rather than extending or replacing any White Cap lifts I think a modest improvement to Tempest with a carpet loader (assuming mechanically the lift is capable of faster FPM) would be the best option with highest ROI for them.

Locke triple has life left in it.

 

[thetrailboss]

Rather than extending or replacing any White Cap lifts I think a modest improvement to Tempest with a carpet loader (assuming mechanically the lift is capable of faster FPM) would be the best option with highest ROI for them.

Locke triple has life left in it.

I think everyone agrees that the carpet option is the most likely; folks were just doing the armchair resort operator thing

 

[drjeff]

I think everyone agrees that the carpet option is the most likely; folks were just doing the armchair resort operator thing

The carpet does make sense the majority of the time in this case, unless SR decides that they need to/want to redevelop/revitalize that part of the resort, then, if for no other reason than so many of the masses that they'd hope to attract to that redeveloped/ revitalized area will respond to the marketing blitz of a new high speed lift vs a new carpet loader (a device that as we all know here on AZ can be very polarizing in its extra line speed worth vs causing more lift stoppages value :smash: )

As I have heard many of my friends who work in marketing departments of various ski areas say, the 2 easiest things for them to market to have significant, tangible impact on revenue generated are fresh powder on weekends and new high speed lifts....

 

[thetrailboss]

The carpet does make sense the majority of the time in this case, unless SR decides that they need to/want to redevelop/revitalize that part of the resort, then, if for no other reason than so many of the masses that they'd hope to attract to that redeveloped/ revitalized area will respond to the marketing blitz of a new high speed lift vs a new carpet loader (a device that as we all know here on AZ can be very polarizing in its extra line speed worth vs causing more lift stoppages value :smash: )

As I have heard many of my friends who work in marketing departments of various ski areas say, the 2 easiest things for them to market to have significant, tangible impact on revenue generated are fresh powder on weekends and new high speed lifts....

Exactly.

 

[Newpylong]

I like what ifs.

If I was to replace anything over there I would either A) replace White Heat with a top to bottom HSQ, or B) replace White Heat with a top to bottom high speed quad while also removing Tempest. I bet with a HSQ you can get people over to Barker off the top of White Cap as fast as up Tempest, and that's all that lift really does.

Widen regrade Salvation so you can get anyone off the top to the rest of the mountain. Rework from current bottom of White Heat quad to base because that will be a mixing bowl.

 

[machski]

I like what ifs.

If I was to replace anything over there I would either A) replace White Heat with a top to bottom HSQ, or B) replace White Heat with a top to bottom high speed quad while also removing Tempest. I bet with a HSQ you can get people over to Barker off the top of White Cap as fast as up Tempest, and that's all that lift really does.

Widen regrade Salvation so you can get anyone off the top to the rest of the mountain. Rework from current bottom of White Heat quad to base because that will be a mixing bowl.

The only thing with a TTB high speed quad and remove Tempest is you loose your easier ski-out from the Grand Summit off Tempest Quad to overeasy. Of course, if the Monday Morning racing Poma is ever installed, we loose Over Easy as a trail cannot run under a new surface lift line. Then again, I have heard a new elbow may be cut between Cascades and Wildfire if the Poma becomes reality to maintain an easier route down.

Still, other than a Tempest carpet (and Tempest has had past electrical issues they wanted to iron out first which I think they have), I think there are other pressing needs at the resort ahead of a complete revitalization of White Cap. I like it quiet, especially when we have snow to open Chutzpah and Hardball which are now TTB off White Heat Quad.

 

[deadheadskier]

I like what ifs.

If I was to replace anything over there I would either A) replace White Heat with a top to bottom HSQ, or B) replace White Heat with a top to bottom high speed quad while also removing Tempest. I bet with a HSQ you can get people over to Barker off the top of White Cap as fast as up Tempest, and that's all that lift really does.

Widen regrade Salvation so you can get anyone off the top to the rest of the mountain. Rework from current bottom of White Heat quad to base because that will be a mixing bowl.

Personally I wouldn't want to deal with the run-out a ttb Heat lift would create. I like how it is positioned. Though as someone said, you could do a midstation at the base of heat, which would be big money, but we are talking what ifs so what the heck right?

I don't think removing Tempest chair is a good idea. Top of Heat can get pretty windy. If that lift goes on hold, all the Grand and Condo people would be stuck taking a shuttle to Barker or South ridge.

 

[thetrailboss]

Speaking of White Heat, this is an interesting read:

https://sundayrivermaine.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/winching-white-heat/