Sugarloaf Announces $1.8 mill in Improvements for 2009-2010

[thetrailboss]

From their website and Facebook.

Fairly modest changes.

Comments?

 

[deadheadskier]

Gondi ext snowmaking is nice

certainly is all that can be expected in the current economy.

The number one thing on my list for that mountain is replacement of the double runner and spillway chairs. When that happens, improvement news will be big.

 

[thetrailboss]

Gondi ext snowmaking is nice

certainly is all that can be expected in the current economy.

The number one thing on my list for that mountain is replacement of the double runner and spillway chairs. When that happens, improvement news will be big.

Just interesting considering the amount of capital that has gone into Sunday River. But then again the stats I have seen indicate that Sunday River has many more skier visits than Sugarloaf.

 

[Vortex]

Rumors were of lowering the super quad and putting up wind fences to keep the lift running more. The snow making improvements were talked about quite a bit. good stuff.

 

[skiadikt]

i particularly like the emphasis on improving early season skiing:

“We’ve committed a lot of resources over the past few years to improving our snowmaking system, and the results were extremely evident during the first few weeks of the season last year,” said John Diller, Sugarloaf General Manager. “The upgrades this summer will continue with the same objective, which is to make more snow and open more terrain early in the season.”

 

[deadheadskier]

Just interesting considering the amount of capital that has gone into Sunday River. But then again the stats I have seen indicate that Sunday River has many more skier visits than Sugarloaf.

If I had to guess, I'd say by a 2 to 1 margin. 600K for SR and 300K for SL

I know if I were the one signing checks where the majority of my investment would be going....

 

[snoseek]

I like the idea of making those key lifts more wind resistant, that is a big deal IMO. Gondi line from the top early season is pretty awesome too!

 

[Mildcat]

I like the snowmaking on Gondi Line Ext. I hope the wind fencing works. Maybe I misunderstood it but why would you need wind fencing for a t-bar?

 

[deadheadskier]

I like the snowmaking on Gondi Line Ext. I hope the wind fencing works. Maybe I misunderstood it but why would you need wind fencing for a t-bar?

good question

I thought the same. Only thing I could see the fencing helping is blocking the winds to improve the riders enjoyment, not the lift's operation.

 

[Mildcat]

good question

I thought the same. Only thing I could see the fencing helping is blocking the winds to improve the riders enjoyment, not the lift's operation.

I was wondering if it was to help block the wind towards the top of the spillway lift. Most riders of the t-bar are happy anyways because they are getting all of the great terrain by themselves on a windy day.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

just $1.8 million?

why doesn't highwaystar lend some of his expertise to reviewing other mountains?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

congrats!!!

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

If I had to guess, I'd say by a 2 to 1 margin. 600K for SR and 300K for SL

I know if I were the one signing checks where the majority of my investment would be going....

Pretty good guess...SL usually shoots for ~400K and ends up in the mid to high 3's, SR hits high 5s with 600K being a banner year. F&B at SR is run by the mountain, F&B at SL used to be contracted out, not sure if that changed with Boyne or not. SL owns their golf course, SR is run by Harris Golf. Not sure how much that's changed since I was privy to the intel, but my guess is not much.

Like you said, the lifts are where the Loaf needs the improvement...too many LSDs (long, slow doubles) and too much interruption from the wind that almost always blows up there.

 

[Geoff]

Sugarloaf is doing things that mostly fall into the "routine maintanence" category replacing snowmaking lines, lift shacks, and hotel cosmetics. With the economy the way it is, that is what virtually every ski area is doing.

 

[bigbob]

Pretty good guess...SL usually shoots for ~400K and ends up in the mid to high 3's, SR hits high 5s with 600K being a banner year. F&B at SR is run by the mountain, F&B at SL used to be contracted out, not sure if that changed with Boyne or not. SL owns their golf course, SR is run by Harris Golf. Not sure how much that's changed since I was privy to the intel, but my guess is not much.

Like you said, the lifts are where the Loaf needs the improvement...too many LSDs (long, slow doubles) and too much interruption from the wind that almost always blows up there.

I think the Sugarloaf golf coarse is owned by the town, and leased by Boyne.

 

[SLyardsale]

3T goes on hold too - which means the whole MT is down - the problem being the NE wind comes right at it at the terminus causing some problems with dismount and T cord retraction. This is a good attempt - it shouldn't cost much to try

Uphill lift capacity increases to Spillway would ruin the MT. Uncrowded trails need to remain in the center MT area. SQ1 and wiffletee HSQ serve the tourists after 10am and the purists at 8:00am getting out of dodge and up to the goods. There is no need to come below Spillway chair if you know what you are doing. It is effective crowd control - but when the wind blows the strategy changes.

They are looking to reconfig the sheaves on SQ1 to help tolerate wind more. Also good and smarter than lowering SQ1 towers. We all want SQ1 to run as often as possible to siphon off unknowning crowds. There is not a big need for doing anything with double runner chairs IMO.

 

[snowmonster]

Snowmaking on Gondi Line extension is key. I like this development.