The NEW Magic Mountain

[MG Skier]

Chairs moving off and on today on the Quad per the snow report Webcam.

 

[MG Skier]

Let me clarify.....lift running sporadically today. Caught them moving at least two times.
The chairs are all on the line, again, to be clear.

 

[NYDB]

I heard a little rumor last weekend that a majority of the investors will push for an exit (full sale or otherwise) if some specific operational targets are not met by seasons end. Some are infrastructure related, some are revenue related. It doesn't make sense to me to even think about selling until you have a fully functional black lift but whatever.

This was from the mouth of an employee there for what its worth. The employee is not privy to financial or insider info as far as I can tell.

 

[MidnightJester]

I heard a little rumor last weekend that a majority of the investors will push for an exit (full sale or otherwise) if some specific operational targets are not met by seasons end. Some are infrastructure related, some are revenue related. It doesn't make sense to me to even think about selling until you have a fully functional black lift but whatever.

This was from the mouth of an employee there for what its worth. The employee is not privy to financial or insider info as far as I can tell.

operational targets = GET BLACK LIFT RUNNING which means fully and with people riding without issues after!

Let me clarify.....lift running sporadically today. Caught them moving at least two times.
The chairs are all on the line, again, to be clear.

This seems like maybe they are trying to get Load testing and Safety checks done soon : )

 

[urungus]

I heard a little rumor last weekend that a majority of the investors will push for an exit (full sale or otherwise) if some specific operational targets are not met by seasons end. Some are infrastructure related, some are revenue related. It doesn't make sense to me to even think about selling until you have a fully functional black lift but whatever.

This was from the mouth of an employee there for what its worth. The employee is not privy to financial or insider info as far as I can tell.

I hear Alterra has some spare cash …

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

Ugh, I totally want to sit on a Black chair whose final work, inspection, etc was performed under a do or die timeline I mean, if everything is actually sorted out for real this time, then great, but.... Well I guess we'll just have to trust. Assuming said rumor is true

 

[MG Skier]

Lets hope for a "we are ready to load test" in the Alpine Update.

 

[letitsnow1]

I have heard similar rumors that this year is make or break for the mtn

 

[Newpylong]

Ugh, I totally want to sit on a Black chair whose final work, inspection, etc was performed under a do or die timeline I mean, if everything is actually sorted out for real this time, then great, but.... Well I guess we'll just have to trust. Assuming said rumor is true

The Tramway board is there from start to finish of the load test but since this is a relocation ie new install they will go up in a work chair and stop at every tower uphill and downhill and review the entire profile. I would have no problem riding it up.

 

[urungus]

I heard a little rumor last weekend that a majority of the investors will push for an exit (full sale or otherwise) if some specific operational targets are not met by seasons end. Some are infrastructure related, some are revenue related. It doesn't make sense to me to even think about selling until you have a fully functional black lift but whatever.

This was from the mouth of an employee there for what its worth. The employee is not privy to financial or insider info as far as I can tell.

What does “otherwise” mean ? nelsap ? I was under the impression that until this year Magic was on the upswing financially and it’s always been at least somewhat busy every time I’ve visited in last few years.

 

[tumbler]

operational targets = GET BLACK LIFT RUNNING which means fully and with people riding without issues after!

This seems like maybe they are trying to get Load testing and Safety checks done soon : )

I think they also need to fire up the snowmaking and be open for Christmas week. It's normally the biggest revenue week of the year.

 

[snoseek]

I heard a little rumor last weekend that a majority of the investors will push for an exit (full sale or otherwise) if some specific operational targets are not met by seasons end. Some are infrastructure related, some are revenue related. It doesn't make sense to me to even think about selling until you have a fully functional black lift but whatever.

This was from the mouth of an employee there for what its worth. The employee is not privy to financial or insider info as far as I can tell.

I'm gonna need a Katz meme for this thread as well.

 

[letitsnow1]

They should aim to open around Thanksgiving like every other mountain in the area

 

[ne_skier]

While there are other issues/factors, none have earned "live or die" status as much as that Black Chair. I'm not saying that Magic goes belly up if it isn't spinning, but if the Black Chair gets functionally abandoned as the Green Chair did multiple times under previous ownerships, and if other areas don't see improvement such as snowmaking capacity and proper use of resources, Magic could look a lot more like it did during the pre-2016 "Country Club" days which were great for the 30 people skiing there on a given Saturday, but the mountain was a lift breakdown away from closure and revenue was too low to even fantasize about a second reliable summit lift. If Black drags on, the narrative in many peoples' minds that Magic can't finish a project will live on and sales will diminish as people get tired of long lift lines, but if it is finished, Magic will have its best and most reliable lift network by far since the 1980s. Having that done and over with as well as reaping the benefits of new customers and potentially raising the ticket sale limit will allow Magic to invest in other areas, such as the pumping capacity issue.
I'm happy to see work being done and I'll be excited to see the lift spinning, for my own experience and for the improvement of the mountain.

 

[slatham]

Well if they have any outside work left they couldn’t ask for a better week of weather to do it.

As far as snowmaking, as I’ve said repeatedly- while more pumping capacity is needed - the real issue has been the late start, the last 2 years due to pond issues. This year a double sucker punch - July flood, then a November State hold up during one of the best pre-Christmas snowmaking windows.

They need the breaks to go their way, starting immediately.

 

[drjeff]

Well if they have any outside work left they couldn’t ask for a better week of weather to do it.

As far as snowmaking, as I’ve said repeatedly- while more pumping capacity is needed - the real issue has been the late start, the last 2 years due to pond issues. This year a double sucker punch - July flood, then a November State hold up during one of the best pre-Christmas snowmaking windows.

They need the breaks to go their way, starting immediately.

I think in the bigger scheme of things, they need to develop a realistic plan of operations that doesn't seemingly require a few "breaks" every season to go their way to get them predictably operating a few weeks before Christmas and off of the summit by Christmas week as long as Mother Nature is remotely cooperative. They obviously can't control if Mother Nature doesn't feel like giving them snowmaking temps in the Early season, they CAN control for having their equipment systems in operating conditions and tested and ready for a target date of say Thanksgiving to fire up for the season.

Enthusiastic promotion of their plans is one thing, but when seemingly failure to deliver on those plans, and often for reasons that don't involve historical rain fall/flooding events, the excuses don't build confidence with their existing, and potenital future customer base.

Let's be honest, the popularity of skiing and riding now is quite great, and if Magic, which certianly has taken multiple steps to try and show the public that iit's not just a mountain full of steeps and reliant on natural snow, but a mountain that familes and skiers/riders of lower abilities can go to and enjoy as well. the potential for growth, which they certainly I don't think would shy away from, is very good

 

[danimals]

They should aim to open around Thanksgiving like every other mountain in the area

I agree. Every ski area that gets the temps needs to have at least something open nowadays. Coworker of mine said “magic was closed when I went to okemo, I just figured they were closed for good” when I mentioned going to magic. he stayed nearby and saw no snow on the trails.

 

[Newpylong]

Well if they have any outside work left they couldn’t ask for a better week of weather to do it.

As far as snowmaking, as I’ve said repeatedly- while more pumping capacity is needed - the real issue has been the late start, the last 2 years due to pond issues. This year a double sucker punch - July flood, then a November State hold up during one of the best pre-Christmas snowmaking windows.

They need the breaks to go their way, starting immediately.

The late start and perfect storm certainly screwed them, but the additional pumping capacity is what hedges against these type of issues. Even when it's cold they struggle to get routes open. It took them how long to just get Wand to Hocus Pocus open recently (and it's still fairly thin)? etc...

Even my old stomping grounds (Whaleback) has recognized that mother nature is not going to give them any breaks and are doubling pumping capacity so that when it is cold, they can lay down more. You don't get revenue if you aren't open, regardless of reason.

Once Black is done, the first thing I would do (if it were my pockets) is rip out that smaller pump, replace it with a bigger one, and combine the two uplines into a common manifold.

 

[Newpylong]

I agree. Every ski area that gets the temps needs to have at least something open nowadays. Coworker of mine said “magic was closed when I went to okemo, I just figured they were closed for good” when I mentioned going to magic. he stayed nearby and saw no snow on the trails.

I don't think Thanksgiving is realistic nor fits within their operating model. Even with improved snowmaking, I think the first weekend in December is more appropriate, even if just the Green chair.

 

[slatham]

I don't think Thanksgiving is realistic nor fits within their operating model. Even with improved snowmaking, I think the first weekend in December is more appropriate, even if just the Green chair.

Agreed, first week of Dec should be target. However, when possible they should go for thanksgiving off of green - when you get a good cold spell in late November in a year where thanksgiving is late. It’s absolutely possible with current system given half is 400 loop and half is 300. I’d say maybe 40-50% of thanksgivings. Certainly 1 in 3.