NewEnglandSkier13
Impressive before and after photos:
ciscokid
Wow that’s great
Good sign lift will go in up top
newpylong
Let's hope they can raise the money. Only so much one can get excited for it for earn your turns or the cat.
obienick
If 16 chairs off the old double are sold by mid-month they can afford to do a fourth trail from the top (Moose River)
NewEnglandSkier13
There has been a huge amount of work done this summer, and the trail clearing is now complete! They're now raising money for the purchase of a mower so they can continue to maintain the reclaimed trails.
newpylong
It's not really worth owning one in house. Even Vail shares them between mountains. The only piece of equipment that capable of efficiently mowing is an Aebi and they are bigggg money. As a non-profit we used to pay Northeast Slope Mowing around $5K and they would do us when they were in the area before or after they did Ragged. I'm sure something similar could be worked out for them and they can put their donations towards much more important projects.
obienick
Well with what you say about Vail, that is the upside to being a large conglomerate — efficiency with capital.
For Big Squaw, there is no Ragged equivalent for them to pool equipment off of. They have no guaranteed $5-10k per year to pay a contractor as they rely heavily on donations and volunteers.
And what more important investment could they make other than keeping their house in order? (Mowing annually)
Their goal is the have the entire upper mountain cleared and replace the double. They’ve had a fund for reopening the upper mountain for many years. How stupid it’d be to clear the upper mountain, build a lift, and be unable to maintain their trails.
This purchase is a wise decision. It will allow them more freedom than relying on the Sufarloaf mower once Loaf is done.
newpylong
Oh well, not my $ either way. It was just my recommendation.
obienick
So where would you put $60k?
They have a base lodge that’s been renovated over several years (IIRC including a new roof). They’re expanding parking. They have a chairlift with a new drive installed this summer. They have snowmaking with second hand equipment from Smuggs. They have a (second hand) beginner carpet. And they’ve had a few volunteer days to clean out and board up/protect the upper lodge and hotel. I can’t think of anything super pressing from what I’ve seen on social media.
newpylong
Don't know enough about the place to say.
My comment was generic in that all small (and usually under capitalized) non-profits always have needs and if I could economically farm the work out I would instead of dropping that amount of coin.
NewEnglandSkier13
They're using Northeast Slope Mowing to do their regular off season mowing this coming October:
newpylong
After our discussion here I paraphrased my thoughts in a message to them. Glad to hear a deal was worked out even if just this season, they were very fair to us.
NewEnglandSkier13
3,200' of new comm. line for the triple has arrived:
NewEnglandSkier13
Comm. line being installed today:
obienick
So far improvements put in to the mountain this summer total $260,000. They are looking for $29,000 to put a new roof on top of the pool as it’s about to be lost to eternity. It sounds like their goal is to open the upper lodge in the near future for additional parking and seating space. Not sure what their plans for the pool entail let alone the hotel.
NewEnglandSkier13
obienick;c-61639 wroteSo far improvements put in to the mountain this summer total $260,000. They are looking for $29,000 to put a new roof on top of the pool as it’s about to be lost to eternity. It sounds like their goal is to open the upper lodge in the near future for additional parking and seating space. Not sure what their plans for the pool entail let alone the hotel.
Donation link to help with the roofing project:
https://2023-sponsorship-opportunities.square.site/product/adopt-of-bundle-of-shingles-/349?fbclid=IwAR0eCp7cTVIifwqRjbNh1OJI8_pUI0ysutGvGMU8vbiDVnUFYlHvqgaX734
newpylong
Does that place really run out of either? Seems like a ghost town in the pictures I've seen.
I thought the upper lodge was unsalvageable at this point? Or is that the hotel?
Does the trail off the triple down to the upper lodge have snowmaking? Then from the upper lodge to the beginner area?
NewEnglandSkier13
newpylong;c-61651 wroteDoes that place really run out of either? Seems like a ghost town in the pictures I've seen.
I thought the upper lodge was unsalvageable at this point? Or is that the hotel?
I've never seen them run out of parking or seating, but it's a step towards reopening the upper mountain. At this point, I don't think any of it it truly unsalvageable, except maybe the north corner of the hotel. What they have been working on this spring and summer is the wing of the hotel that used to have the pool
newpylong
Yeah I just found on their Facebook page a little more detail. The only areas they want to keep are the Pool building and "Lumberjack Lounge". The balance of the lodge and hotel need to be torn down.
Such a cool area I really hope in the future they can find funding for that summit lift.
NewEnglandSkier13
The glass in the windows and doors of the part of the upper lodge they are restoring has been replaced!
