Who Wants a Six Pack Lift????

[catskills]

While it'd be awesome, I personally think giving Plattekill a HSS would put them in Ragged Mountain's position. They don't get the traffic to support the $$$ it costs to run, and don't have the snowmaking to support the traffic if they did. All personal opinion, but I think it'd be too much unless you're giving him a couple million for upgrades and advertising.

I have to agree with everything you said. Just imagine how many laps you could make on a weekend and holidays with a HSS and no lift line. :blink: The fact there is no lift line on a weekend and holidays for an area with a HSS would be awesome advertising for the HSS chair lift corp.

Plattekill is one of the few ski areas on the east coast where introducing a HSS would NOT overcrowd the slopes and would not increase collisions.

 

[aveski2000]

Sugarloaf.

 

[EPB]

Sugarloaf.

I was thinking Sugarloaf too. Base to summit, Timberline with extension below Bullwinkles, or Skidway/Spillway replacement with mid unload at the current Spillway loading station all seem like they would be a big help to me.


By the way, someone's joke about trams made me wonder if any places in the east would seriously consider installing a tram. I can't think of any locations off the top of my head, but I was wondering if anybody had heard anything about it........ Also, would Cannon or Jay replace their trams when they eventually need to be replaced?

 

[x10003q]

Besides, a free high speed six for Plattekill could be the difference between going out of business or not going out of business.

The current ownership bought the place for about $350,000 in 1993. They are smart about expansion and seem to never overstep their budgets. I doubt they have financial problems.

Where would you put a hs6 on Plattekill? They own land down the access road. Maybe they could pick up another 200 vertical feet and come up to the top of the double chair? It would still be a short chair like the double.There probably is no need for a hs lift at Plattekill.

 

[AdironRider]

I was thinking Sugarloaf too. Base to summit, Timberline with extension below Bullwinkles, or Skidway/Spillway replacement with mid unload at the current Spillway loading station all seem like they would be a big help to me.


By the way, someone's joke about trams made me wonder if any places in the east would seriously consider installing a tram. I can't think of any locations off the top of my head, but I was wondering if anybody had heard anything about it........ Also, would Cannon or Jay replace their trams when they eventually need to be replaced?

Just dont see it happening for a new tram somewhere. Trams are neat and all, but not really necessary in the East. Theyre for places like Jackson or the Alps where you need to cover long distance and massive vertical over terrain that cannot support a normal lift. I guess you could run a chair up DJ's at Cannon, but probably not, and Cannons tram is a multi season attraction.

Its really insane how many people will throw down 20 bucks to ride a tram. They do hundreds of rides a day here in Jackson, and you can hardly see the grand from the top.

That being said, I bet Cannon replaces the tram when its time (trams last a looooong time, much longer than regular lifts if you ask me) and Jay as well, but a new tram somewhere in the east, fuhgetaboutit.

 

[riverc0il]

Cannon's tram was just replaced about 20-25ish years ago. The first one ran for what, over 50 years? Figure with newer tech that we probably won't see a new tram in most of our lifetimes even if Cannon were to eventually replace its tram. Who knows what the mountain recreation landscape would look like 60 years from now? Jay would be up first. They have new cars and recently a new haul rope but I don't think the drive has changed since it was installed (correct me if I am wrong on that one). Based on the current landscape, I think Jay would replace if they had to do so. They would loose a lot of terrain unless they wanted to surface lift it up Northway or Vermonter. Riding the Tram at Jay sucks balls unless there is no line (rare) but it sure as heck brings in the tourists... especially being connected to the new Hotel.

But down the road when it comes time to replace either? Who knows what the business landscape will look like by then. Cannon probably does good business in the summer and they can run that with minimal expenses. I am sure Jay would loose some traffic without their tram, as limited as its usefulness it--the tram is great for marketing.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think Boyne should throw all financial logic and caution to the wind and put a funitel straight to the top of Sugarloaf. I'd imagine it would cost 20+ million, but apparently they are very high capacity and can run in winds up to 80 with ease. Would be a heluva marketing tool for them being a big, bad, mountain. Also would resolve their wind issues for the most part.

 

[thetrailboss]

I think Boyne should throw all financial logic and caution to the wind and put a funitel straight to the top of Sugarloaf. I'd imagine it would cost 20+ million, but apparently they are very high capacity and can run in winds up to 80 with ease. Would be a heluva marketing tool for them being a big, bad, mountain. Also would resolve their wind issues for the most part.

Funitels are cool. The one at Squaw is sick....

 

[deadheadskier]

If you think about it, it really isn't that bad an investment. I don't think it's too far fetched to think a signature lift for not only that mountain, but pretty much the East would probably generate an extra 50K skier visits a season. At say $70 a ticket, that's 3.5 mil extra per season in ticket revenue alone. Even at 30 mil, that's less than 10 years to cover the costs. Now, I recently read that Sugarloaf is only valued at 25 mil, and there's a ton you could do with 30 mil, but it still would be pretty damn cool.

 

[drjeff]

If you think about it, it really isn't that bad an investment. I don't think it's too far fetched to think a signature lift for not only that mountain, but pretty much the East would probably generate an extra 50K skier visits a season. At say $70 a ticket, that's 3.5 mil extra per season in ticket revenue alone. Even at 30 mil, that's less than 10 years to cover the costs. Now, I recently read that Sugarloaf is only valued at 25 mil, and there's a ton you could do with 30 mil, but it still would be pretty damn cool.

I think that year 1 that they'd see the boost in sales at the ticket window to justify the expense - the question is then would they be able to maintain that boost in years 2 through ? To make it economically feasible, especially since it would be a "niche" lift that would only run a few months a year (mainly ski season with maybe a few isolated non ski season weekends for leaf viewing/special events) or would once again the loafs geographic isolation be too much of a factor? Last thing you'd want to do is to sink so much $$ into a lift that you're then essentially eliminating/severely restricting the amount of $$ for regular, routine infastructure upgrades to snowmaking and grooming, let alone lift other lift upgrades potentially for a decade or longer :EEK:

 

[deadheadskier]

I hear ya Doc, but I think the Jackson Hole model answers that question. Many people go there specifically because of the allure of that lift and it being a bad ass mountain. I think because of how 'hulking' of a mountain Sugarloaf is, the concept works there. Only other place in the east that has the same sorta 'oh chit' factor when looking at it or standing on top of it in the East is Whiteface. Mind you I've only been at the base during the summer season and I was in awe.

I don't think you'd get the same affect at a Mount Snow or even a Killington or Stowe for that matter. It would just furher Sugarloaf's ability to market itself as the biggest, baddest mountain in the east. It would also help long term bookings as people would be less concerned that their winter vacation would get cut short on wind holds.

Risky gamble, but I think Sugarloaf needs to do something bold to break out of their perpetual 350K a year skier visit total. Maybe the proposed huge ass glade on Burnt will help with that. That said a glade doesn't have the same mass appeal as a rock star lift.

 

[WWF-VT]

So let's say that I was a major lift manufacturer and was really desperate and decided to give away a free high speed six pack lift to a single resort in the Northeast. This is only the install and not maintenance. I'd be looking for a resort that needs a new lift of this type and I'd want some publicity. I'd be interested in going to a resort that may not be on the radar, so the obvious big dogs who could afford my products may not be top on my list. So who would get it and why? Make your best case.

Why not give two to Stratton. Then they can advertise having a six pack of six packs.