Waterville Vally sold?

[bigbob]

Heard today it has a buyer or may of already been sold. Manager will be a former manager, Any body else hear anything? Threecy?

 

[threecy]

Any body else hear anything? Threecy?

I guess you caught that subtle hint in that Mittersill thread last month

 

[riverc0il]

I guess you caught that subtle hint in that Mittersill thread last month

Eh. Change in ownership happens often enough around the New England region, a headline but nothing that will steal the Mittersill thunder. Unless this comes packaged with a terrain expansion? That would be top headline material.

 

[Johnskiismore]

Yes, pretty sure the closing was today. That's all I think I know

 

[cannonist]

I wasn't going to say anything, but I was up at the mountain this weekend and there is some good work being done. The main express quad had seen an upper terminal update as well as a paint job, there also may have been some new seats, but it's hard to tell. I noticed some glade renovation in the psyched glades and some new glade cutting off ruthies run. Also the sunnyside and quadrille were freshly painted. Not to make assumptions, but looks like some good is at work here.

 

[deadheadskier]

I guess you caught that subtle hint in that Mittersill thread last month

I caught that........

sat and thought for a second what big potential news there might be in NH skiing. WV sale topped my list knowing their struggles and minimal investment in what? a decade.

not sure what is developable, but WV only occupies half a huge ridgeline of some potentially excellent skiable terrain.

It's got the typical NH curse of very low natural snow to overcome. I still think it's a great area and beautiful valley with vast potential if the stars line up for it.

 

[Vortex]

Who bought it?

 

[threecy]

Eh. Change in ownership happens often enough around the New England region, a headline but nothing that will steal the Mittersill thunder.

I think it'll be newsworthy. I imagine something will get published at some point.

 

[threecy]

not sure what is developable, but WV only occupies half a huge ridgeline of some potentially excellent skiable terrain.

I haven't been able to dig up any first hand source information, but my understanding is they have the ability to expand the ski area toward the Tecumseh Bowl, as well as Green Mountain. I'll probably put something together in the next few days for those potential projects. There's already a Google Earth rendering showing roughly where those areas would be: http://www.newenglandskihistory.com/skiareaexpansions/NewHampshire/watervillevalley.php

 

[Smellytele]

They need to do something there. I shudder every time someone says lets go to Waterville. Lodge is horrible, parking sucks, top of the mountain is useless and it takes as long to get to Cannon because how far it is off the highway.

 

[billski]

They need to do something there. I shudder every time someone says lets go to Waterville. Lodge is horrible, parking sucks, top of the mountain is useless and it takes as long to get to Cannon because how far it is off the highway.

I think people go for convenience and it's priced a little less. I stopped going because I didn't find much of a challenge, woods access is minimal, the trails are uninteresting and broad and.....parking....

 

[Vortex]

When my kids were younger we loved Waterville at night. We skied Loon most days and went into the village at night saw the fireworks, got food, hit the candy store. We took the sleigh rides. Its a great place for a family vaction The town has a nice rec center with activities for the kids even if they are not town reisdents.
Everything ends at one lodge. I hope the change is good for he mtn. I liked going there early season when there were only a few trails at Loon and Waterville open. Broke it up a bit. Nice progession Park set up.

 

[thetrailboss]

WV is what it is. It has a spot in NE ski history because of the World Cup and Tom Corcoran's work in promoting racing. It also is in a really nice setting and is a true 'resort' in that it is a village in the middle of the wilderness. I have hiked it and there is some steep terrain which is nice, but I have heard the same gripes from folks (e.g. boring terrain, etc). A resort can't be everything to everyone. I also wonder who the new owner is?

 

[billski]

A resort can't be everything to everyone.

I agree with you trailboss. For every 10 skiers and boarders there are 10 opinions and preferences.
I was just expressing my personal preference.

 

[bigbob]

Yea, I caught your suttle hint Threecy, but did not know what it was a week ago. I may find out more about ownership today from my source.

 

[deadheadskier]

For the bump skier Waterville isn't a bad place. Sunnyside pod is a real nice set up. I recall a few nice days over there as a kid.

 

[ceo]

I went to Waterville once or twice a number of years ago, and was amused that the base lodge appeared to be exactly the same as it was when I was a little kid in the nursery (which was even in the same place).

 

[Angus]

For the bump skier Waterville isn't a bad place. Sunnyside pod is a real nice set up. I recall a few nice days over there as a kid.

my best friends parents had a place up there and so 25-30 years ago skied there a # of times. I went back maybe three years ago with my son in the late season. everything but the sunnyside lift trails were skied off and very hard pack/ice - it had rained or we'd had a heavy thaw and then freeze, I can't remember which. As a kid, True Grit which run under the lift had scared me but it wasn't really that steep there weren't any bumps and Bobby's Run was steep at the top with good bumps but flattened out pretty quickly. we skied that lift all day once the sun softened the snow. I remember thinking, they definitely did not make enough snow to insure those two trails would be open for the duration of their season. I like to get up there an XC ski - heard that's very good.

 

[cannonist]

I'm confused as of what the expansion possibilities are. How could they expand onto mt. techumseh? Thats natural forest if I am not mistaken.

 

[billski]

I'm confused as of what the expansion possibilities are. How could they expand onto mt. techumseh? Thats natural forest if I am not mistaken.

A link to it is already in the message string.