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The NEW Magic Mountain
- Thread starter mriceyman
- Start date
dlague
Active member
billski
Active member
Dreams really do come true. Looking forward to the season. You guys look like you're ready to handle most any adversity that comes our way. Can't wait to get back!
slatham
Well-known member
Take a look at social media for pictures of new HKD's. Saw them today - 14 towers, 5 portable towers, 5 portable ground guns. Tons of other action happening to get ready for the 17th. Geoff and crew mean business. Let it snow let it snow let it
snow.....
snow.....
SAM's report on the closing: http://www.saminfo.com/headline-news/8762-magic-owners-complete-purchase-set-plan
Abominable
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2013
- Messages
- 494
- Points
- 28
Short interview with Geoff Hatheway -
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/...ry.html?p1=Article_Recommended_ReadMore_Pos11
Geoff Hatheway has been skiing since he was 3 years old, when his parents first clicked him in and took him and his siblings on frequent trips to southern Vermont, mostly Stratton, Bromley, and Magic Mountain.
He recalls a period in the 90s when Magic was closed, but when it reopened, it became a natural destination for him to bring his own family as they sought an alternative to larger, more crowded places. Day trips led to more and more involvement in racing and other skiing programs as well as the Magic community. Hatheway even spent some time as the area’s marketing director.
On Nov. 21, however, his role grew exponentially when he announced on YouTube that the sale of the ski area to an investment group he is leading was complete following a lengthy and complicated process. The next day, he discussed it with me in a phone interview. Here are some of his answers from our conversation:
It took a long time to get this done. Was it worth it?
“It’s definitely worth it. Oh yeah. I mean, you just see the response of people that I’ve gotten over the last 24 hours, and you know what a special place this is to those people, and they have an innate trust in what were going to do with the place. This place quite frankly wouldn’t have been here this year if we didn’t get the deal done, so we don’t want to lose a great natural resource that we have here in Magic.”
It sounds like Magic has a unique charm.
“I think every area has its unique charms, and its own drawbacks, and we’ve got our drawbacks, but I think our charm outdoes our drawbacks. And we’re trying to reduce the drawbacks, quite frankly. That’s what our investor group is trying to mitigate - some of the issues that Magic has faced in the past, and those revolve around all our lifts running, and functional, and approved, and all that kind of stuff, and the other part is having enough snowmaking. People don’t even think we make snow, but we do, and we’ve made it over the years but we need to do a better job of making that snow consistently on more trails so there’s a good feeling that no matter what the weather brings, that Magic’s going to have a good variety of terrain.”
What’s on the to-do list then?
“A huge priority for us is getting this second summit lift going, which hasn’t run in two years. It’s a great old lift, but it’s been neglected. We put a lot of money into the thing and we’re getting close on it.”
What do you envision your first run at your own mountain will be like for you personally?
“It’s going to be very sweet. It’s one thing to have been here all this time and contributed on a volunteer basis, it’s another thing to be absolutely 100 percent responsible for the product that you’ve got out there. The first run is going to be mentally satisfying, physically hopefully challenging, and three, I think there will be a lot of analysis going on, because I’m skiing the product and I’m going to be getting that word out about it, so I’m going to be making sure everything is good.”
What can guests expect at Magic in both the short- and long-term?
“In the short term they’re going to get what Magic has always had, which is a really challenging and interesting ski experience on the trails, and in the glades, and just a really warm, friendly, fun community in the lodge and on the slopes. ... What we do want people to notice is that there’s going to be an improvement in the product. ... [In the long term] we’ve got really good plans for bringing back a mid-mountain lift which will make more beginner and intermediate terrain accessible to more people, but also a beginner conveyor belt, a magic carpet in a whole new area, so we’ve got some really good plans to enhance the family aspect of this mountain.”
Opening day is scheduled for Dec. 17.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/...ry.html?p1=Article_Recommended_ReadMore_Pos11
Geoff Hatheway has been skiing since he was 3 years old, when his parents first clicked him in and took him and his siblings on frequent trips to southern Vermont, mostly Stratton, Bromley, and Magic Mountain.
He recalls a period in the 90s when Magic was closed, but when it reopened, it became a natural destination for him to bring his own family as they sought an alternative to larger, more crowded places. Day trips led to more and more involvement in racing and other skiing programs as well as the Magic community. Hatheway even spent some time as the area’s marketing director.
On Nov. 21, however, his role grew exponentially when he announced on YouTube that the sale of the ski area to an investment group he is leading was complete following a lengthy and complicated process. The next day, he discussed it with me in a phone interview. Here are some of his answers from our conversation:
It took a long time to get this done. Was it worth it?
“It’s definitely worth it. Oh yeah. I mean, you just see the response of people that I’ve gotten over the last 24 hours, and you know what a special place this is to those people, and they have an innate trust in what were going to do with the place. This place quite frankly wouldn’t have been here this year if we didn’t get the deal done, so we don’t want to lose a great natural resource that we have here in Magic.”
It sounds like Magic has a unique charm.
“I think every area has its unique charms, and its own drawbacks, and we’ve got our drawbacks, but I think our charm outdoes our drawbacks. And we’re trying to reduce the drawbacks, quite frankly. That’s what our investor group is trying to mitigate - some of the issues that Magic has faced in the past, and those revolve around all our lifts running, and functional, and approved, and all that kind of stuff, and the other part is having enough snowmaking. People don’t even think we make snow, but we do, and we’ve made it over the years but we need to do a better job of making that snow consistently on more trails so there’s a good feeling that no matter what the weather brings, that Magic’s going to have a good variety of terrain.”
What’s on the to-do list then?
“A huge priority for us is getting this second summit lift going, which hasn’t run in two years. It’s a great old lift, but it’s been neglected. We put a lot of money into the thing and we’re getting close on it.”
What do you envision your first run at your own mountain will be like for you personally?
“It’s going to be very sweet. It’s one thing to have been here all this time and contributed on a volunteer basis, it’s another thing to be absolutely 100 percent responsible for the product that you’ve got out there. The first run is going to be mentally satisfying, physically hopefully challenging, and three, I think there will be a lot of analysis going on, because I’m skiing the product and I’m going to be getting that word out about it, so I’m going to be making sure everything is good.”
What can guests expect at Magic in both the short- and long-term?
“In the short term they’re going to get what Magic has always had, which is a really challenging and interesting ski experience on the trails, and in the glades, and just a really warm, friendly, fun community in the lodge and on the slopes. ... What we do want people to notice is that there’s going to be an improvement in the product. ... [In the long term] we’ve got really good plans for bringing back a mid-mountain lift which will make more beginner and intermediate terrain accessible to more people, but also a beginner conveyor belt, a magic carpet in a whole new area, so we’ve got some really good plans to enhance the family aspect of this mountain.”
Opening day is scheduled for Dec. 17.
camberstick
Member
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- Dec 6, 2014
- Messages
- 91
- Points
- 8
This has me really excited. Good luck to the new management. I do believe in the viability of a smaller family oriented hill, I personally can't wait to get my kids up there . The soul of magic IS pretty special. Only a handful of these kind of places left on the east.
billski
Active member
Beginner terrain has been a real hole in their offering. For adults and kids. Hook 'em on Magic while they're new. It brings a whole other avenue of revenue. Beginner terrain begets the whole family, more junk food, more rentals, lessons (lessons, imagine that!) and admiration for those sharp new flags! My guess is with an offering that can compete with Bromley (for beginners), they can start drawing peeps from there. There are only so many northeast skiers to go around.
I've brought a number of intermediates here who had a blast. Keeping that marketing balanced, not on fearful steeps is essential. Let's hope this time they have deep enough pockets to take it to the finish line.
Lift lines? I would hope so. Then again, with two lifts cranking, we might overwhelm the slopes. What a nice problem to have!
I've brought a number of intermediates here who had a blast. Keeping that marketing balanced, not on fearful steeps is essential. Let's hope this time they have deep enough pockets to take it to the finish line.
Lift lines? I would hope so. Then again, with two lifts cranking, we might overwhelm the slopes. What a nice problem to have!
slatham
Well-known member
If most of the trails are open then even with both lifts at capacity the trails would not be close to overwhelmed. That's the beauty - a crowded day on the lifts (the type they need to get into the black) - would still result in minor crowding on the slopes, especially vs. the mega resorts.
slatham
Well-known member
If most of the trails are open then even with both lifts at capacity the trails would not be close to overwhelmed. That's the beauty - a crowded day on the lifts (the type they need to get into the black) - would still result in minor crowding on the slopes, especially vs. the mega resorts.
NYDB
Well-known member
Yes, a thousand times this. Can't wait til my 4 year old can handle some blue trails (Maybe next winter?
) and can take her with the family to Magic. For now it's Stratton for a few more years.slatham
Well-known member
Yes, a thousand times this. Can't wait til my 4 year old can handle some blue trails (Maybe next winter?
Don't underestimate your 4 year old....or the empty greens of Upper and Lower Magic Carpet, Wand, Kinderspiel, Hocus Pocus, Lower Red line (maybe Carumba?), the woods of Disappearing Act, etc. I mean what respectable 4 year old does't want to tell the kids in the Stratton Village that he/she skied Magic? Instant creed......
bdfreetuna
New member
This. Plus 4 year olds don't really get hurt if they do take a tumble.
SIKSKIER
New member
I've been told I act like a 4 yo.I wish my body would do the same when I fall.
NYDB
Well-known member
Potential loss of street cred not withstanding.....I'm hoping next year we'll dip a few days with the younger child and then 17-18 winter we'll make the switch full time. My 8 year old loves Magic already. Still working on the wife but she's coming around.
I'll be there a couple days at least this year. bought a few 4 packs
I'm excited about this also. I'm gonna reach out to Geoff and see if we can't get an AZ day or similar on the mountain this year.
RustyGroomer
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- Apr 30, 2009
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- 920
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- 28
We can do that Nick. If you'd like me to help, i'm happy to. Geoff has embraced this sort of thing verbally to me. I feel he has a zillion things going on right now. I'll mention it to him & but let's get the place open then we'll figure a date.
JamaicaMan
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- Feb 16, 2015
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Nick let's do it!
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