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The Dismantling Begins

riverc0il

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As much as so many bemoan lost areas in our somewhat morbid fascination with them, I truly feel sorry for those that have never and now will never be able to sample the unique flavor this area offered as a "lost" area. The terrain will pretty much remain the same minus some widening and thinning and the snow conditions will generally be worse due to increased traffic. But most significantly the feel for the area will never be the same again.

While many are looking forward to a "lost" area being reclaimed and again having an operating lift, it is truly sad to see the soul taken out of one of New England's best sidecountries. Indeed, it was an open area once. But it was a better experience hiking over the saddle, I am certain of that. I have skied most of New England's most well renowned terrain but the mystique of Mittersill still captures my spirit these many years later since I first hiked up the saddle and begin my journey of seeking turns and adventure by earning my way.

Farewell to one of New England's most precious gems! Never will it be the same again though it won't stop me from pretending every once in a while. Other options will now be even better than before and with change comes opportunity. But my heart still grieves, nonetheless.

:beer:
 

wa-loaf

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While many are looking forward to a "lost" area being reclaimed and again having an operating lift, it is truly sad to see the soul taken out of one of New England's best sidecountries. Indeed, it was an open area once. But it was a better experience hiking over the saddle, I am certain of that. I have skied most of New England's most well renowned terrain but the mystique of Mittersill still captures my spirit these many years later since I first hiked up the saddle and begin my journey of seeking turns and adventure by earning my way.

I imagine they won't be running the lifts there much early and late season. I think that will leave some opportunities for people to still hike over there in storms when the new lift isn't turning.
 

Rogman

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I'm thrilled to see Mittersill come back. Skied it as a kid and loved the place. There is plenty of other side country. Sorry, but lamenting the rebirth of a beloved ski area with so much history is just plain selfish.
 

dmc

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How will we survive... May as well just end it all...
 

4aprice

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I'm thrilled to see Mittersill come back. Skied it as a kid and loved the place. There is plenty of other side country. .

Sorry Steve but I am too. I've never skied Mitt but am looking forward to it. I have some old Ski93 maps that I've stared at many times and imagined what it was like. Gotta admit I not much into hiking for turns particularly in the east.(done a little out west) My feeling is there is enough in bounds at most places to keep me entertained. Mount Washington will always be earn your turns.

Speaking of Ski93 I've heard Tenney may soon be another place to earn your turns as well.:sad:

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ
 

bvibert

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As much as so many bemoan lost areas in our somewhat morbid fascination with them, I truly feel sorry for those that have never and now will never be able to sample the unique flavor this area offered as a "lost" area. The terrain will pretty much remain the same minus some widening and thinning and the snow conditions will generally be worse due to increased traffic. But most significantly the feel for the area will never be the same again.

While many are looking forward to a "lost" area being reclaimed and again having an operating lift, it is truly sad to see the soul taken out of one of New England's best sidecountries. Indeed, it was an open area once. But it was a better experience hiking over the saddle, I am certain of that. I have skied most of New England's most well renowned terrain but the mystique of Mittersill still captures my spirit these many years later since I first hiked up the saddle and begin my journey of seeking turns and adventure by earning my way.

Farewell to one of New England's most precious gems! Never will it be the same again though it won't stop me from pretending every once in a while. Other options will now be even better than before and with change comes opportunity. But my heart still grieves, nonetheless.

:beer:

I'm definitely sad that I never got to experience Mitt as sidecountry. I really wanted to get up there this last season, but it just never happened. However I'm also really stoked to see a lost area even partially reclaimed...

Thanks for posting the pictures Johnskiismore!
 

Puck it

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For us that hold season passes at Cannon, it is a big bummer, since the traffic at the whole area will probably increase too.

There is a plenty of other hidden lines that it won't affect me too much. I am looking forward to the lift but not the extra traffic.
 

UVSHTSTRM

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As much as so many bemoan lost areas in our somewhat morbid fascination with them, I truly feel sorry for those that have never and now will never be able to sample the unique flavor this area offered as a "lost" area. The terrain will pretty much remain the same minus some widening and thinning and the snow conditions will generally be worse due to increased traffic. But most significantly the feel for the area will never be the same again.

While many are looking forward to a "lost" area being reclaimed and again having an operating lift, it is truly sad to see the soul taken out of one of New England's best sidecountries. Indeed, it was an open area once. But it was a better experience hiking over the saddle, I am certain of that. I have skied most of New England's most well renowned terrain but the mystique of Mittersill still captures my spirit these many years later since I first hiked up the saddle and begin my journey of seeking turns and adventure by earning my way.

Farewell to one of New England's most precious gems! Never will it be the same again though it won't stop me from pretending every once in a while. Other options will now be even better than before and with change comes opportunity. But my heart still grieves, nonetheless.

:beer:

Is it really changing that much, I mean it's not like you are hiking back country, it's just a saddle which you access from a ski trail to get to another ski trail, it's not like it's some extreme hike to get over there.:razz:
 

deadheadskier

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Is it really changing that much, I mean it's not like you are hiking back country, it's just a saddle which you access from a ski trail to get to another ski trail, it's not like it's some extreme hike to get over there.:razz:

put 10 times the skier traffic over there and yes it will
 

riverc0il

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You guys ribbing me might be thinking that my post was a bit over dramatic. But contrary to some opinions shared, the troubling reality is there is very little of this type of slack country around and there is even less true backcountry in the east.

In an over homogenized industry (especially the northeast US sector), any unique area that presents a different than standard experience should be treasured. Now its just another lift pod with minimal grooming, little to no snow making, and too many skiers for what the natural conditions allow.

All that said, I can't wait for the first powder day this year when Mitty is mobbed and I'll be off tracking up Zoomer six ways until Sunday all by my lonesome and then off to other untracked goodness while the hoards are excited about this new lift and "new" terrain.

I'll always treasure my last powder run down CL last year. Can't wait to see how they ruin that area. As it existed prior to the lifts, it may have been my all time favorite non-technical non-tree run. After it gets scraped bare from a thousand skiers in one weekend? I fear it shall never be the same run again.

Is it really changing that much, I mean it's not like you are hiking back country, it's just a saddle which you access from a ski trail to get to another ski trail, it's not like it's some extreme hike to get over there.:razz:
Maybe not to me or you but to overwhelming and vast majority of skiers at Cannon, that 5-10 minute hike might as well be the entire vertical of Cannon mountain. Maybe 1 in 10 Cannon skiers go over the saddle and even the vast majority of them only do it once a day at most. With a full hour cycle time counting the three lifts (assuming going all the way down), the most runs you could hope to get in a day over there would be 7-8 max. Very good for snow preservation and low skier density. The new chair will put over 1000 skiers per hour on the mountain. That is going to change things substantially.
 

snoseek

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I will miss seeing that old shack and the liftline ramp. God knows what's been going on in that shack!

For the sidecountry experience, well, there's still Tuckerbrook.

I slept in that shack when I was much younger. It was silly cold that night too!

I've also probably smoked a quarter pound of weed at that spot.:beer:

That's all i'm saying for now:smile:
 

EPB

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Just think Riv, people will still be oblivious to all those stashes that only you and a select few know about.
 
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