Wildcat on the block: Wildcat Sold to Peaks Resorts

[thetrailboss]

In light of the large snowmaking firepower in place at Attitash, it's distinct two-mountain layout, and the large contingent of vacationing families in the North Conway area, I could see Peaks pulling a "Carinthia" with all or most of Bear Peak and turning it into a massive terrain park. That would keep the boarders and other assorted park rats happy while leaving the majority of Attitash, including its best cruising terrain for the skiers, with Wildcat being the additional relief valve for a more challenging and organic skiing/riding experience.

It's been a while since I skied Attitash, but IIRC the Bear Peak side had more of the Sunday River-esque cruiser terrain and the Attitash side had steeper, old school trails. I would not call much of Attitash or Bear Peak "flat" either. The only area that is pretty "flat" is the beginner area on looker's right of the Attitash side.

 

[threecy]

Peak = Baby ASC?

One thing to note is that Peak technically doesn't own a lot of the ski area assets, whereas American Skiing Company did.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

I think Bear Peak is probably a little too steep for the North Conway park rats. Carinthia is flatter'n a pancake. I think you'd have a better play pen over on the old side of the resort where it is flatter.

I should have added that caveat that the terrain may be too steep for that, but that would be the ideal solution if you could make it work.

 

[Geoff]

I should have added that caveat that the terrain may be too steep for that, but that would be the ideal solution if you could make it work.

Bear Peak has the feel of chunks of low-expert Sunday River or maybe Wildfire at Killington/Bear Mountain. I've only ever skied there midweek in bumped up spring conditions as a stop-over on my way to Maine back in the ASC days. It might ski easier when groomed to death midwinter.

 

[EPB]

Bear Peak has the feel of chunks of low-expert Sunday River or maybe Wildfire at Killington/Bear Mountain. I've only ever skied there midweek in bumped up spring conditions as a stop-over on my way to Maine back in the ASC days. It might ski easier when groomed to death midwinter.

The summit of Bear Peak effectively has four full top to bottom runs. One double black diamond that follows the lift named Avenger. It seems like a half hearted attempt to create a new installment of White Heat or Outer Limits on Bear Peak though it isn't quite as steep or quite as long as WH or OL. Illusion is a groomed black diamond cruiser that is FIS certified for SL, GS and Super G. It's also probably too steep for a terrain park (at least the top third or half). Wandering skis is a blue square run ~1.75 miles long over 1450 vert. It would be a pretty good candidate for a terrain park if it weren't the only intermediate access point to the Grand Summit Hotel. The fourth run is called Morning Star which is highly trafficked as it is the only way to get back to Attitash from the summit. The terrain park was located int he beginner pod (Kachina Triple area) in the late 90's, but it has since been moved over to Attitash. There is a mini terrain park in an old handle tow area at Bear Peak, but that's it.

Rumor had it that Spillway (running parallel to the current terrain park on Thad's Choice) would feature a terrain park when Peak took over. That has yet to happen. Spillway is the race trail that I grew up racing and training on; the Attitash Race Team has managed to secure the rights to it early mornings through last season. Potentially that would change. I've thought for a while that Attitash would be best served putting a park on Spillway and replacing its twin borvig doubles with a high speed quad to move at about 800 fpm like the South Ridge Express at Sunday River. Easy loading, quick lap times and high capacity would make that area a premiere learning area and terrain park setup in the Valley and perhaps the east if implemented correctly.

 

[Smellytele]

HMMMM??? Wildcat deals are no longer available on Liftopia!!!!

 

[billski]

HMMMM??? Wildcat deals are no longer available on Liftopia!!!!

I wouldn't read into it. The deals came and went the last two years. Most of my Wildcat purchases were on deals posted only a few days prior.

 

[frozencorn]

Done deal. As a Wildcat lover, not sure how I feel about this.
Peak Resorts Acquires New Hampshire Ski Area Wildcat Mountain
Two Of Mount Washington Valley’s Largest Ski Resorts Will Offer Combination Ticket & Season Pass Products

Wildwood, MO – Peak Resorts announced today that it has entered in to a purchase agreement with Pat Franchi to acquire all Wildcat Mountain Ski Area assets and attractions in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. Parties involved expect to finalize the purchase pending approval by the U.S. Forest Service. Adding to its portfolio of resorts located in six U.S. states, including Attitash and Crotched Mountain in New Hampshire and Mount Snow in Vermont, Wildcat Mountain becomes the 12th ski resort currently owned and operated by Peak Resorts.

“Wildcat Mountain is a legendary ski resort known to many in the industry and it has a lot of history,” said Peak Resorts CEO Tim Boyd. “I am pleased to add Wildcat Mountain to Peak Resorts because it offers a unique, year-round experience in a one-of-a-kind location and there are opportunities for growth and improvement over the long-term that we can consider and are familiar with delivering at all of our resorts.”

In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps started clearing the Wildcat trail, one of the first ski racing trails built in the United States.* Twenty-five years later, on January 25th 1958, Wildcat Mountain opened for lift-serviced skiing with The Wildcat Gondola and a single T-bar surface lift. Wildcat's trademark for many years, the Wildcat Gondola was the first lift of this type in the U.S. to be built. Pat Franchi and his family purchased Wildcat Mountain from original developers in 1986 and made significant capital investments to day lodge facilities, snowmaking, summer attractions, and lifts. In 1997, Pat replaced the original gondola with the Wildcat Express: a high-speed detachable quad chairlift that accesses the greater than 4,000’ summit in just over 6 minutes providing visitors over 2,100 vertical feet of skiing and riding in the winter and is converted in the summer and fall with 4-person enclosed gondola cabins to be the state’s highest scenic gondola. The legacy of Pat Franchi’s stewardship will be that he made improvements to and enabled the ski area to continue operating for more than two decades and support to many charitable foundations including the continued annual Yahoo weekends hosting children and their families from Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Attitash opened as a single mountain resort originally for the 1964-65 ski season and was known then as the “red carpet ski area” because of its reservation requirements and attention to guest service. In the mid-1990s, Attitash dramatically increased the available skiing & riding acreage by developing the Bear Peak area that included the installation of a high-speed summit quad chairlift as well as adding open glades, wider intermediate terrain, some of the state’s most sought after alpine race trails including Illusion, and the slopeside Attitash Grand Summit Hotel. Acquired by Peak Resorts in 2007 and having invested over $5,000,000 in capital improvements and resort enhancements including state-of-the-art snowmaking and New England’s longest mountain coaster, Attitash Mountain Resort continues to offer a high-end experience both on and off the slopes.

The two resorts are already considering the marketing opportunities and potential value offered in ticket and season pass products valid at both resorts for the approaching 2010/2011 season. “Being two of New Hampshire’s larger resorts and located in relative close proximity to one another, there is much to be gained in ticket and season pass products that are valid at both Attitash Mountain Resort and Wildcat Mountain,” said Peak Resorts Vice-President Kent Graham. “Visitors to our valley and locals alike will now be able to gain greater value and access to the best of each resort’s defining attributes and distinctive qualities.” Graham also stated that Peak Resorts will be replacing old snow gun technology at Wildcat Mountain with more productive and energy efficient snowmaking equipment as well as upgrading and expanding the snow grooming fleet this season.

###

Peak Resorts is a leader and innovator in the ski industry committed to building an enhanced resort experience. It currently owns and operates several U.S. ski resorts including: Attitash (NH), Boston Mills (OH), Brandywine (OH), Crotched Mountain (NH), Hidden Valley (MO), Jack Frost (PA), Big Boulder (PA), Mad River Mountain (OH), Mount Snow (VT), Paoli Peaks (IN), and Snow Creek (MO). Peak Resorts is defined by the passion, determination, and commitment of each of its resorts to family recreation, improvements in technology, and service. For further information, please visit www.peakresorts.com.

Wildcat Mountain, located 100% within the White Mountain National Forest in Pinkham Notch, is home to New Hampshire’s most powerful quad summit chair lift and is renowned for its high summit elevation over 4,000 feet; greater than 2,100 vertical feet of skiing & riding; longest novice trail in the state at just under 3 miles; & proximity to Mt. Washington that contributes to 200 inches of snow and a long winter/spring season annually.* Wildcat Mountain has consistently been rated #1 Scenery and Top Ten in the East for Terrain, Challenge, Value, and Overall Satisfaction by readers of SKI Magazine. For further information, please visit www.skiwildcat.com or call 1-888- SKI WILD.

Attitash Mountain Resort, located in the Mount Washington Valley and considered New Hampshire’s premier year-round vacation area, has been ranked amongst the East’s top ten ski resorts for snow, grooming, weather, dining, après ski, off-hill activities and family programs by readers of SKI Magazine. Offering two distinct mountains, Attitash and Bear Peak, and one of New England’s most advanced snow making systems, Attitash is known for its signature terrain parks, ski school & children’s programs, open-glade terrain, après entertainment, family value, the new mountain coaster attraction, and quality slopeside accommodations featuring the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel. For further information, please visit www.attitash.com or call 1-800- 223 SNOW.

Mirus Resort Capital, an investment banking firm located in Burlington, Massachusetts, advised the seller in this transaction. Mirus Resort Capital focuses on mid-market mergers, acquisitions, and debt & equity placement in resort, recreation, & hospitality industries. For further information, please visit www.mirusresortcapital.com.

 

[billski]

Starting to feel like Les Otten's monolith.

No wonder nobody has answered my calls or mail for two months....

Where did you find this?

 

[Smellytele]

double edged sword...

"upgrading and expanding the snow grooming fleet this season."

 

[thetrailboss]

Great news and not surprising is that (1) there will be a joint marketing effort, and (2) improvements will focus on snowmaking.

 

[threecy]

Done deal.

Just to be clear, it's not technically a done deal yet - rather, I believe it's just a P&S. Triple Peaks also had a P&S in place with American Skiing Company for Steamboat.

That said, all indications show that the deal will happen.

 

[frozencorn]

Right, but for intents and purposes.....done deal.

Starting to feel like Les Otten's monolith.

No wonder nobody has answered my calls or mail for two months....

Where did you find this?

Press release e-mailed to me.

 

[billski]

http://skiwildcat.blogspot.com/

http://www.skiwildcat.com/news.html

 

[midd]

Love it as an Attitash pass holder (well, not this season with the temporary relocation to DC)

 

[snowmonster]

If it's on Boston.com, it's probably true.

http://www.boston.com/travel/blog/2010/10/peak_resorts_pu.html?p1=Upbox_links

 

[mikestaple]

Makes sense. Peak is trying to figure out what to do with the hotel at Attitash (all season, all the time - mountain roller coaster, water slides etc). So if they can offer both mountains on a ski and stay pack, that would enhance that property in the winter. In the off ski season, they can package Wildcat's lift to the top.

Now if Peak would do something about the lifts at Attitash -instead of stuffing all their improvements into Mt. Snow........ Will be interesting to see in the next few years what $ is invested in the combo Attitash Wildcat complex they now have.

Didn't Cranmore just get sold - wonder if that prompted them to grab a second ski mountain in that area.

 

[threecy]

Didn't Cranmore just get sold

Earlier this year to the owners of Jiminy Peak (MA)

 

[john1200c]

Just saw on Attitash website that the season passes will be good at Wildcat too. Thats awesome.

 

[Puck it]

NH could entered the late season skiing as a real competitor this year. I hope. I love skiing Wildcat in May.