The NEW Magic Mountain

[AdironRider]

What a junk show.

 

[Newpylong]

That all passes the sniff test to me, but no big reveal. I was torn whether it was gonna be a boy or a girl.

Business as usual for a small ski area, a shit load of work to do and not a lot of time to do it. Hampered by a ridiculously wet off-season.

 

[AdironRider]

They have had over five freaking years on black. No one can argue they haven't had time except for the brown nosers here.

 

[WoodCore]

Bullwheel bearings done, check that one off the list.

 

[skithetrees]

Bullwheel bearings done, check that one of the list.

And excavator back down. Haul rope still on track. People don’t excuse management, they see the issues. However, they see the other options in the area and all magic has to offer, and frankly love it in spite of those issues because it’s such a special place. The people that are complaining are probably the people coming on powder days and ruining the vibe.

 

[slatham]

Good news - according to a FB post by the former head of mountain ops, it appears that the liability concerns have been mitigated (participants will be required to sign a liability waiver) and the 2 work days are moving forward. After seeing this online yesterday, I ran this past my initial source this morning and they were able to confirm that it is now a go.

With that out of the way, it's time for the lift update:

Green Double - inspected and certified to go for the season.

Red Double - Did NOT get flooded although it was very, very close. Apparently Mtn Ops was able to use heavy equipment to divert the water flow and came literally inches from the vault being flooded & submerged. Unfortunately, NONE of the required work announced in June/July has been completed, so the rope still needs to come off the bottom bullwheel for a new liner and/or bearing work. The equipment required to lift the bullwheel is being used on the top terminal of the Black Quad. Once complete, the plan is to move on to the Red Double work. Given Pfisters skills and history with this lift, I'd say there is a >80% chance that this chair is 'ready' for the start of the season.

Black Quad - Essentially zero progress made so far this off season. The equipment required to lift the top bullwheel was scheduled to be brought to the summit this past Saturday, but I do not believe that occured due to the weather. The plan was to handle the work on the top terminal this week in preparation for pulling the new haul rope and splicing next week. Since splicers are even more in demand and difficult to schedule than Pfister, Magic/Pfister have to complete that work this week and not run into any unexpected surprises. Given the way this install has been mis-managed, unexpected surprises are pretty much par for the course. Assuming that the top terminal and haul rope work is completed by the end of next week as scheduled there is STILL a pretty long punch list of items that need to be tackled before the lift can be inspected, load tested and (possibly) certified for operation. If this project were happening at a well run and funded mountain, it would have a 50/50 chance of completion for opening day. Since we're dealing with Magic, the chances are somewhat lower. Perhaps around 25-35% chance that the lift is completed, inspected and certified for passengers before the end of the 2023 calendar year? I'd bump those chances up to approximately 50% by the end of the ski season.

Beginner area upper tow rope - Despite newpylong's insistence a few years back that this is an (sic) "easy project that Magic can easily handle without outside assistance in a single off-season" there is STILL no plan to complete work on this lift. The concrete pads were poured a few years back, but electric service has not yet been extended and the parts have been sitting in a pile gathering rust since the start of COVID.

Beginner area magic carpet - This is the only fully functional and reliable lift on the mountain. It's primed and ready to carry beginner skiers and snowboarders almost half way up the bunny hill.

Who took over Hughconway?

That was an informative, mostly unbiased, and reasonably accurate report. So it’s gotta be a hack or hijacking.

All I know for sure is I plan to be in the woods Saturday working to clear some lines for my winter enjoyment.

 

[slatham]

They have had over five freaking years on black. No one can argue they haven't had time except for the brown nosers here.

I don’t think there is anyone here, or at Magic, that doesn’t think mistakes were made. That includes Geoff Hathaway. Shit happens, people fuck up, bad decisions get made. That doesn’t negate the fact that a once Neslap area, and nearly so again under Sullivan and Barker, is actually making progress.

 

[skimagic]

The people that are complaining are probably the people coming on powder days and ruining the vibe.

This seems accurate. Magic has been operating with the red chair since they reopened. The black chair was always a novelty. Once it finally comes online people will complain that there's too much lift capacity to the Summit, ruining the powder experience.

 

[IceEidolon]

I have a sneaking suspicion the beginner tow won't see any work until Magic staffs Red, Green and Black for a season - no sense putting time in during summer if there's no staff in the winter, and staff don't just grow on trees.

I agree that the beginner area is horrendously underutilized, but a full length carpet or new chair is really slow and spendy. Getting the never-never carpet and moving away from the tubing/park area was probably the right call at the time.

 

[skithetrees]

I have a sneaking suspicion the beginner tow won't see any work until Magic staffs Red, Green and Black for a season - no sense putting time in during summer if there's no staff in the winter, and staff don't just grow on trees.

I agree that the beginner area is horrendously underutilized, but a full length carpet or new chair is really slow and spendy. Getting the never-never carpet and moving away from the tubing/park area was probably the right call at the time.

The magic carpet is a great interim solution and should remain. However, the handle tow is a waste of time and money. They are miserable for beginners. When the time comes, they should put a lift in. Fingers crossed, they can find a cheap used one and have a relatively simple installation. I think it is one of the better beginners areas out there.

Years ago there was talk of putting a handle tow in from the top of black to the true summit. That would be cool.

 

[Newpylong]

Yeah but the thing is they already owned it so they just had to pay for engineering, two small pads, plus electrical. If they had gotten it in when they wanted to that's an extremely short ROI to get the whole slope open again. The true beginners can stick to the carpet and move up to the tow when they're ready. I see nothing wrong with that progression, that's what we did at WB. Carpet to tow to T-Bar (or straight to chair depending on terrain open off top).

 

[slatham]

Pfister arrived at 9am this morning right as the Volunteer Day kicked off. When I left at 2 they had both up and down lines off the first couple of towers to prep for rope replacement.

Great day clearing out a very skiable Voodoo. Upper cliff section very clear, and with Do Work to scale things, a nice size drop! Then took advantage of free ride on Green, with the down haul run offering some sweet views. Back in 2 weeks……

 

[skithetrees]

T

Yeah but the thing is they already owned it so they just had to pay for engineering, two small pads, plus electrical. If they had gotten it in when they wanted to that's an extremely short ROI to get the whole slope open again. The true beginners can stick to the carpet and move up to the tow when they're ready. I see nothing wrong with that progression, that's what we did at WB. Carpet to tow to T-Bar (or straight to chair depending on terrain open off top).

Thats fair and I get the logic. I think at this point they are better saving the money and investing in a lift later. But its easy to play arm chair mountain manager.

 

[Newpylong]

At this point it should just be all labor, so they'll likely finish it as it's a sunk cost up to now. Yes a T2B lift would be ideal.

 

[skithetrees]

Haul rope going on now. Magic posted pictures and video on Instagram.

 

[slatham]

To my layman eyes it looks like splicing is next and soon. The Blue Gentian pond work is done, and it is full, and main pond nearly so.

 

[slatham]

The second of the “not going to happen” volunteer days was today. Great crew on an unmarked glade that will ski sweet this winter. I did a solo recon run down one of the steepest unmarked glades only to realize just how steep and dangerous it is. I then ventured into an another, well known but not listed glade where the Magic crew needs to clear a downed tree - Geoff said they’d get to it. Black lift all set for Monday splice. Snowmaking pond being drained to clean slit from flood around pump house, and to clear pump vault. Cold weather coming, crunch time……

 

[JoeB-Z]

To my layman eyes it looks like splicing is next and soon. The Blue Gentian pond work is done, and it is full, and main pond nearly so.

 

[jimmywilson69]

was just about to post that its being spliced today. One step closer!

 

[slatham]

Unfortunately with work and the weather I got over today after the splice. Good news is it’s done, weather be dammed. But I did see Hunter Excavation setting up at the snowmaking pond to desilt the pond and clean the pump vault. Meanwhile temp is 35 at condo 8pm and I feel snowguns will be running tonight somewhere…….