I'm not worried. I'd rather they keep on with the thoughtful in-depth study on the repairs they are undertaking. Do it right the first time, not half-assed, so you don't have to go back and fix it AGAIN any time soon.
I'm sure another item, that they don't talk about quite as publicly, is that they are probably waiting to see how that lawsuit they are involved in turns out. That may A LOT more to do with it than any of us realize.
They've covered a ton of work in the past couple years. It doesn't happen overnight, but I'm willing to bet a round at the bar, that we'll all have the opportunity to ski there this winter, as long a Mother Nature decides to co-ooperate this winter.
I'm with you on this. I follow the Tenney Mt developments very closely. The infrastructure work: whether the lodge, the lifts, the snowmaking, or even the lower parking lot all have found to take considerable time and expense. I'm certain Mike at Tenney has a solid business plan in place for the mountain taking into account ways to be profitable beyond a winter product.
Old air hogs mounted by old management up in trees. A lot of ski areas tinkered with making their own tower guns (to improve production and efficiency) in the 80s. They found them when they cleared the trails. If you look carefully, you can see the tree growing around the horizontal support indicating it's been there a long time.
Thanks, I had no idea. I'd be concerned about the liability of one coming undone, or, the tree falling.
They are being smart, IMO. They seem poised to open if conditions are right, and they are building a buzz through social media. Need help from Mother Nature, as do we all...
An example of a similar situation is one of my favorite little areas, Oak Mt. in NY. Previous owner went big: quad chair, snowmaking (both necessary, IMO) night skiing (not), tubing (big money maker), big, if ugly (think Crotched prefab) base lodge. Ran 7 days a week, many nights...lost money hand over foot. Left town. The town ran the place at a loss then got sick of it. The O'Brien family came in and with a cell phone company (towers at summit) footing much of the initial hit, started running it on a shoestring. Immediately scheduled many off-season events so there was always a buzz about what was happening at Oak. Yes, they were small, but they were on the local calendar. They moved to F/S/S and holiday only operation, night skiing once a week (if at all), and the tubing paid the freight. Added snowmobile hill climbs (sell lots of Bud Light), mt biking in summer and the big cash cow is weddings- booked solid and brings in not only off-season traffic but obviously keeps bottom line afloat. Locals are happy, as they re the second largest winter employer in the county (next to the gov'ment- county and state).
Keep things in manageable scale and be ready to roll out good product when conditions allow.
They were open not too many years ago with the triple and double and snowmaking and it was a ghost town when I visited on a perfect mid-winter day.. Like under a dozen visitors before a school group showed up. I don't see how they are going to succeed until they have a major improvement over that. Running just the triple is not viable imo, I wouldn't go there for a free ticket with just that pod, and I was one of the very few who actually would go to the place rather than just talk about it online.
Note that most everyone online dumps on Tenney's neighbor Waterville for having an antiquated lift system and lacking steep terrain. They have ok snowmaking, 2 hsq's, and a reasonable expert pod with far more sustained pitch than anything on Tenney. Since Tenney last operated, their other neighbors at Loon have added a new pod and joined the elite of NE snowmaking. Ragged replaced an aging chair with an HSQ and has generally upped their game and is pricing very aggressively. Cannon added a pod and spent significantly on snowmaking too.
Note that most everyone online dumps on Tenney's neighbor Waterville for having an antiquated lift system and lacking steep terrain. They have ok snowmaking, 2 hsq's, and a reasonable expert pod with far more sustained pitch than anything on Tenney. Since Tenney last operated, their other neighbors at Loon have added a new pod and joined the elite of NE snowmaking. Ragged replaced an aging chair with an HSQ and has generally upped their game and is pricing very aggressively. Cannon added a pod and spent significantly on snowmaking too.
...Which opens the market for a lower priced large ski area like Tenney!
Note that most everyone online dumps on Tenney's neighbor Waterville for having an antiquated lift system and lacking steep terrain. They have ok snowmaking, 2 hsq's, and a reasonable expert pod with far more sustained pitch than anything on Tenney. Since Tenney last operated, their other neighbors at Loon have added a new pod and joined the elite of NE snowmaking. Ragged replaced an aging chair with an HSQ and has generally upped their game and is pricing very aggressively. Cannon added a pod and spent significantly on snowmaking too.
...Which opens the market for a lower priced large ski area like Tenney!
I genuinely hope so. I would much rather be wrong and have Tenney back than be right.
...Which opens the market for a lower priced large ski area like Tenney!
Agree 100% I prefer the Boltons, Burkes, Magics, etc. even Saddleback out in the tundra...lower cost, easier parking, less crowds, on and on for me. But how many of us are there? Seems so many people prefer the crowds, the activity, excitement, etc, and while those mountains do fine, the ones we prefer are often struggling
...Which opens the market for a lower priced large ski area like Tenney!
Agree 100% I prefer the Boltons, Burkes, Magics, etc. even Saddleback out in the tundra...lower cost, easier parking, less crowds, on and on for me. But how many of us are there? Seems so many people prefer the crowds, the activity, excitement, etc, and while those mountains do fine, the ones we prefer are often struggling
Unfortunatly they are in some cases, but other places such as Abram are doing very well.
Tenney now engulfed in second lawsuit with former COO. THE SEASON IS BASICALLY OVER WITH ONLY THE FEB VACATION WEEK LEFT. TENNEY WILL NOT OPEN THIS SEASON. ICY, CRUSTY CONDITIONS UNSAFE FOR SKIING/RIDING. TOO LITTLE SNOMAKING FIREPOWER. TOO BAD. LOTS OF TALK NO ACTION
Lol! It's January 15th, but yet the season is basically over Lol! Whatever!
FYI, lots of peeps hiking/skinning Tenny. If you ask "officially" of course they are going to say it's not allowed. They've also not denied anyone access...
I think the point is that the money-making season is over, which is true. the vast majority of a ski area's winter income is generated between opening day and the end of Prez. Week. They bleed money after that.
Why would Tenney hire additional staff to open when revenue is cash negative the rest of the season. Tubing and the few skiers that live locally would not pay to keep the lights on. 2016-2017 ski season is over for Tenney. Watervile Valley, Loon, Bretton Woods and of course the new and improved Cannon make Tenney a third thumb!
Because at this point they are not thinking like a maximizing profits type operation. At this point it would just be for pr. Maybe make sure their cash registers and card readers work.
Saddleback is closed, Burke Mtn, is in Federal Receivership and will be (hopefully) sold, Magic Mtn. is only open 3 days a week and is on life support. Speaks volumes about the viability of small, under funded ski areas as they compete against their 4 season resort neighbors.
Saddleback is closed, Burke Mtn, is in Federal Receivership and will be (hopefully) sold, Magic Mtn. is only open 3 days a week and is on life support. Speaks volumes about the viability of small, under funded ski areas as they compete against their 4 season resort neighbors.
Remember that Jay Peak is in the same position as Burke and I'd hardly call Burke small. Magic is doing much better this year under new ownership. I'm not saying there aren't smaller areas that are struggling, but there are others which are doing just fine. Look at Mt. Abram, they're hardly struggling.
January is history, warm rain has exposed rocks, stumps and grass on Tenney Mountain closed for the season trails. Put your dreams on hold for another year and keep up with their lawsuit on Facebook, since there is no web site.
IIRC Mike the Tenney guy loaned money to an employee hired to be the COO (Fitzgerald) in which a "$375k of heavy equipment" (I wonder if it's the PB groomer they have) was collateral. Mike claims guy defrauded them and never paid nor provided the services he was hired for and seized the equipment. Judge ruled Mike to return the equipment (after which videos on FB showed them working repairing a BR350) or pay $375k. Nothing will happen in court until late April.
Word to the wise: never loan money. There's a reason Fitzgerald never went to a bank.
Sketchy? You bet. I forgot to mention the COO guy was indicted in October on 5 felonies related to him shuffling $750,000 out of a joint account with his terminally ill father.
Ex-COO/Fitzgerald is from Center Harbor. Center Harbor is on the shore of Squam Lake. The poster with the handle Squam is very anti-Tenney. Squam are you him?
No. No. Realistic Tenney. Remove your rose covered googles and be mindful of small ski area economic history.. Ascutney, Magic, Balsams, Saddleback, Mt. Tom, Burke... Closed or near death unless rescued by large profitable resort operation . Mike's bank account is getting lower each month and a $67,457 property tax bill is overdue. You will be skiing Cannon M-F free soon.
Comments
Agree 100% I prefer the Boltons, Burkes, Magics, etc. even Saddleback out in the tundra...lower cost, easier parking, less crowds, on and on for me. But how many of us are there? Seems so many people prefer the crowds, the activity, excitement, etc, and while those mountains do fine, the ones we prefer are often struggling
Yep, in the Torngat Mountains.
FYI, lots of peeps hiking/skinning Tenny. If you ask "officially" of course they are going to say it's not allowed. They've also not denied anyone access...
You forgot Ragged and Gunstock too.
Burke... Closed or near death unless rescued by large profitable resort operation . Mike's bank account is getting lower each month and a $67,457 property tax bill is overdue. You will be skiing Cannon M-F free soon.