A GONDY AT BELLEAYRE??

Zyk

So there is an updated map on their website. From the looks of it the gondola is mostly to get out of the base area or am I missing something?  Can’t imagine lapping it unless it is much much much faster than the tomahawk.

rickbolger

wow, now I get it.  Didn’t realize lower lodge, and didn’t realize trail going over road.  Looks cool!  Thought the whole thing was up top, and the bridge was to eliminate crossing trails.  This is neat!  Looking forward to trying it out.

Agreed, not something I’m likely to lap, probably use once or twice per visit.

mapnut

Come to think of it, the gondola will be an improved way to get to the top of Tomahawk from the Overlook Lodge. Instead of taking the 7 chair, then skiing a bunch of crossovers, and then riding the Tomahawk, it will be quicker to ski down through the novice area and ride the gondola to the same summit.

JMaul

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“mapnut”>Come to think of it, the gondola will be an improved way to get to the top of Tomahawk from the Overlook Lodge. Instead of taking the 7 chair, then skiing a bunch of crossovers, and then riding the Tomahawk, it will be quicker to ski down through the novice area and ride the gondola to the same summit.</blockquote>

This makes sense. 

IBRAKEFORTBARS

Wonder if acquisition of the former Highmount is something in the works for Belleayre. Those appear to be great trails.

I kinda doubt they’d be able to salvage that old Mueller double or the t-bar there, thought!

JMaul

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“IBRAKEFORTBARS”>Wonder if acquisition of the former Highmount is something in the works for Belleayre. Those appear to be great trails.

I kinda doubt they’d be able to salvage that old Mueller double or the t-bar there, thought! </blockquote>

Certainly has been proposed. Not sure exactly where it stands though.

NJSki

That Belleayre West lift, and it’s two trails, are the only thing that excites me about this plan. I wonder if that would work better if they could extend a trail to the Gondola base.

mapnut

I just did some scaling off Acme Mapper, and that lift shown at Highmount would be 2,500 feet long with a vertical of 840, a good steep ratio. The proposed lift between the Tomahawk and Highmount would be about 4,300 feet long with possibly 1,000 vertical feet. Typical of Belleayre, with a steep upper third and a long flat lower.

ski_it

I guess not everyone is(was) happy about the expansion into Highmount. In old news: When I visited Highmount in the fall of 2014 there were large signs across the street to Save the Mountain. The website of the same name .net is now a Home decoration/furniture site, which apparently the owner of is a neighbor. There’s links to this from the 2015 post below.Right before permits were issued in 2015 the Catskill Heritage Alliance  sued over the expansion.http://www.watershedpost.com/2015/dec-issues-permits-belleayre-resort-and-belleayre-mountain-ski-center-So I guess all these suits or threats of suits went nowhere?

z1000307470

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“ski_it”>I guess not everyone is(was) happy about the expansion into Highmount. In old news: When I visited Highmount in the fall of 2014 there were large signs across the street to Save the Mountain. The website of the same name .net is now a Home decoration/furniture site, which apparently the owner of is a neighbor. There’s links to this from the 2015 post below.Right before permits were issued in 2015 the Catskill Heritage Alliance  sued over the expansion.http://www.watershedpost.com/2015/dec-issues-permits-belleayre-resort-and-belleayre-mountain-ski-center-So I guess all these suits or threats of suits went nowhere?</blockquote>

I guess if you define a 1999 proposal taking 19 years to finally see something happen as lawsuits going nowhere.

ski_it

Didn’t know that’s what held them up so long.

rickbolger

The comments below all that stuff speaks volumes about the battle

slatham

Well the Gondi makes a whole lot more sense when looking at the master plan and the West lift and Highmount. The implication is they have high confidence that expansion occurs.

4aprice

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“slatham”>Well the Gondi makes a whole lot more sense when looking at the master plan and the West lift and Highmount. The implication is they have high confidence that expansion occurs.</blockquote>

I agree.  Puts one up in the middle of the complex.  I still wonder how long the parking area up by the upper lodge remains.  Without it you could have several ways back down to the base.  The upper lodge could still function as a mid mountain lodge/bar.  Maybe another lot over by the base of the proposed West lift or old Highmount could take care of parking issues.  Its not like they have development outside of the lodge that needs access and parking.  I look forward to revisiting Bell this year on Max as its been a while and I’ve always enjoyed the place..

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

mapnut

There won’t be any parking at Highmount - that whole area is steep, even below the road.

JMaul

x-posted. Thanks to Peter at Liftblog for the write-up.

I checked out the gondola (and the snow) today:

https://liftblog.com/2017/11/10/belleayre-gets-its-gondola/

obienick

Average grade 19.8%

Wow. I never knew how flat the bottom of Belleayre was.

z1000307470

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“obienick”>Average grade 19.8%

Wow. I never knew how flat the bottom of Belleayre was.

</blockquote>

The lower lifts are 3800 feet long ans 480 vertical feet - flat terrain that is excellent for perfecting your poling technique :D

JMaul

Haul rope installed.

JMaul

Cabin #1 ran tests this weekend. They are scheduled to hang all cabins today & tomorrow. 

Kicker is I don’t think they’ve poured the landing pads at both ends yet.

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