Whaleback appears...

[thetrailboss]

Update: just went to another site and saw mention of this article in the Rutland Herald. It's really happening...new building over there somewhere...I have not seen it. Whaleback is like 12 miles from where I live...will definately have to scout it out for AZ.

 

[thetrailboss]

Trailboss just got back from doing some recon work at Whaleback.

Ms. Trailboss is babysitting and needed me to drop something off to her over in Lebanon, so I took the opportunity to scoot on over to Whaleback to see what was going on.

This was my first time visiting there--other times I have flown by on I-89, which is basically in their front yard. They have no parking lot to speak of, at least from what I could see. There were some adjacent commercial lots and their snowmaking/grooming shop, so maybe folks park there, I don't know. Otherwise, it looks like folks parked along the access road, which is flat and wide open.

It was dusk and the yard lights were just coming on. Facilities looked good. The ski rental shop is a separate building from the main lodge. There was a ladder in place going to the S roof of the lodge. It appeared as if they had been painting or repairing the steel roofing. They had been removing trees and undergrowth on the W side of the lodge. Slopes were mowed and there was a pile of rip-rap in front of the lodge. There is a small stream/ditch that separates the lodge area from the slopes, so it's possible that they were going to fill in that ditch (there is a bridge or two for machinery and people to get over to the slopes). The one chairlift looked good--but it was pretty dark. All cleared and all chairs are now hung. Service cart/cage was on the line. Smelled like lube oil/hydraulic oil, so something had been done. Steep liftline One of the Magic Carpets was in place. I did not see the Dybvig's new steel building for the skatepark/training center, but it is possible that it was in the adjacent industrial development and beyond sight of the road.

Looked good all in all....I'd ski there :beer:

 

[thetrailboss]

Latest update compliments of NELSAP's chatroom:

This is from the owners - I should have posted it last week:

Can you believe it? Have you heard? The Whale is Back!

Just like we told you, it’s happening, Whaleback Mountain is set to open in early December of this year. Owners, Evan Dybvig, Frank Sparrow, Dylan Goodspeed, and Richard Dybvig can be seen on the mountain clearing trails, testing lifts, and scoping the terrain to develop their innovative action sports mecca.

Loads of work has been done at the mountain but we need your help to realize our dream of a December 15th opening. The Whaleback staff would like to invite you all to lend a hand in the efforts to energize our endeavor. We have organized a groundbreaking/work weekend celebration for Columbus Day Weekend! Activities begin Saturday @ 8:00 AM and finish up Sunday at sundown. We will be providing lunch, refreshments and various tools/equipment…and of course enthusiasm.

Please send an RSVP to whaleback@myexcel.com if you will be able to attend. If you could provide a list of how many people you will be bringing and when, your specific skills, and tools that you can provide we would greatly appreciate it. Most work is general labor trail clearing, scraping, and painting. If you have carpentry skills or another special skill, please note it in the RSVP and we will set you up with a task. We look forward to seeing you this weekend.

Gear up for an epic season at Whaleback and we’ll keep you posted on all the hot news.

Regards,
The staff at Whaleback
www.whalebackmountain.com

Wish we had all known :-?

Will make a connection...

 

[thetrailboss]

OK, here is some info from the October 16, 2005 Full-Page ad in the Valley News:

The mountain is listed as a "Whaleback Mountain/Zero Gravity Partnership" that will feature:

• 
  * Day and Night Skiing
  * Group and team programs.
  * Night racing leagues.
  * Lessons, rentals, learning area.
  * Expanded snowmaking coverage.
  * Additional surface lifts.
  * Some additional free-ride features.

So nothing really new.

"Our newly renovated facilities will offer everything you've loved about Whaleback plus a new dimension of action sports," the owners write.

It refers one to the old website but there has not been any new info. It also listed their phonenumber as 603-448-1489.

Most importantly, it listed season pass rates:

• 
  $255 Adult
  $220 youth
  $180 child
  College, combo, and corporate rates available.
  
  No blackouts listed.

"It has been our goal for a while now to find the ideal location to combine these endeavors, a place where we could develop indoor and outdoor facilities that would offer family skiing and riding as well as world class pipe, parks, and mogul runs, skatepark, water ramps, BMX, and mountain biking, paintball...in short, a complete year-round action sports center," the owners conclude.

It will be interesting to see :wink:

Any other news on the Whaleback front?

I imagine December opening...[/list]

 

[thetrailboss]

A poster appeared here at VLS from Whaleback...says $99 college passes. Their website is still the same with no info on what is going on...I'd probably go once or twice to try it, but seeing their lack of communication and the lack of info on what is going on is not a good sign IMHO. Probably wait to let them work the bugs out :-?

 

[thetrailboss]

UPDATE:

I went up to see what was going on...just for fun. They were having a Job Fair from 10-3 or so, so I knew that if I showed up in the driveway I would not be alone. On my way in I saw that they were burning some brush...in fact, I passed Mr. Evan Dybvig, freestyle skier turned ski resort operator armed with a chainsaw and a tractor working on cutting brush beside the road. :blink: Much work has been done. Chairlift had the roof hatch open and several blue barrels beside it. They were burning brush at the base. People painting the deck. The snowmaking area had been excavated and snowmaking compressers were in place. They had built a building in the snowmaking area for the equipment. New snowmaking pipe was stacked at the base as well. About 15-20 cars in the lot. Lots of activity...I don't know when they are planning to open, but it will.

 

[snowmaker4191]

december 23 is i think when they said they would open

 

[thetrailboss]

Whoa...that's late if it is the case...very late.

 

[markmaytum]

whaleback

Just drove by there last night. The "Whaleback" sign on top of the lodge now says, "The Whale is Back". The trails were also all freshly mowed. Ooh boy! I can't wait. I miss that place.

 

[mountaindude]

In the past, Whaleback never really opened much earlier than mid to late December that I can remember. :beer:

 

[snowmaker4191]

ya the late opening i think is to just get things in order. They will open faster next season the concord monitor had a few articals i read when i was up north, and the web site is being renovated now to........

 

[thetrailboss]

I figured that the delay was due to the reopening of the place...no small undertaking and I wish them luck. Just wish they'd get their new website up and running with the latest info on the place...

 

[riverc0il]

i wouldn't call this a 'very' late opening date. certainly it is later than their ideal target date which i would guess would be mid-december. so they are likely scheduled to open a week later than ideal. i would guess it's competition is also opening around mid-december as well if you look at similar mountains in that target market of a medium sized area with cheap tickets. though i think the snow park approach puts whaleback in a league of their own and they are going to generate a buzz regardless of opening date. heck, they already are generating a buzz.

 

[snowmaker4191]

i hope they dont start shuting down other mountaions. like pats peak.

 

[EPB]

snowmaker4191, amen

 

[deadheadskier]

Had a long day in the car today - Burlington VT to Portland Maine and then back home - nice solid 8 hours.

Lights were on at 6pm as I drove past Whaleback on the way home. From a distance it appeared that they were blowing snow, but it was simply like an oasis in the desert as the 47 degree temp reading on my dash and pouring down rain was indeed the actual conditions as I rolled on by.

Supposed to get down to 16 degrees tomorrow night though here in the north country :beer:

 

[thetrailboss]

It's official. The new website is live. And a $35 weekend/holiday rate is very affordable IMHO. It undercuts a lot of competition and an even cheaper rate for the teens is very good.

 

[riverc0il]

It's official. The new website is live. And a $35 weekend/holiday rate is very affordable IMHO. It undercuts a lot of competition and an even cheaper rate for the teens is very good.

yea, i noticed that on the NELSAP forum yesterday. definitely a good price.

 

[thetrailboss]

Passed by today on my way to Sunapee. Snowmaking in progress on lower mtn at Whaleback, but don't get too excited...they were doing a training it appeared.

 

[snowmaker4191]

was sunapee making snow? cant wait until they do!!