Big Tupper?

lotsoskiing

Any update? I just drove through to see an exhibit of paintings by the late ADK boat builder, Peter Hornbeck in Tupper Lake and tried to go see BT. The gate was locked so I chose not to go in. Anyone know what the ski area status is? The Adirondack Club storefront in town is pretty locked up and you can see a random assembly of junk but no activity. Also a couple of the old gothic/cathedral Hall chairs here and there in town but not for sale.

ciscokid

At least good to hear the cathedral Halls are being used.
Oh yea, at first i thought it was Rich the golfer, would like to play that course there.

ADKskier

Last I heard there was a pitch the town board put together to have ORDA take over operations but I don't think that went anywhere either.

z1000307470

Anybody can start a petition about anything.

There was/is no legal or realistic reason for NYS to add Big Tupper to ORDA. How could NYS take over BT and then not take over other private ski areas? Taking over BT would have needed a NYS Constitution amendment plus $10mill minimum to rebuild. Time has passed BT by. It has not operated as a ski area since 1999.

lotsoskiing

z1000307470;c-49818 wroteAnybody can start a petition about anything.

There was/is no legal or realistic reason for NYS to add Big Tupper to ORDA. How could NYS take over BT and then not take over other private ski areas? Taking over BT would have needed a NYS Constitution amendment plus $10mill minimum to rebuild. Time has passed BT by. It has not operated as a ski area since 1999.

I am afraid you are right, but then again ORDA pumps $10mill into new lifts at WF and Gore...could restart a job-creating resort in Tupper, which is sort of in the "olympic region".

Just hate to see areas disappear.

Come on, Hickory!!!!

z1000307470

lotsoskiing;c-49819 wrote
z1000307470;c-49818 wroteAnybody can start a petition about anything.

There was/is no legal or realistic reason for NYS to add Big Tupper to ORDA. How could NYS take over BT and then not take over other private ski areas? Taking over BT would have needed a NYS Constitution amendment plus $10mill minimum to rebuild. Time has passed BT by. It has not operated as a ski area since 1999.
I am afraid you are right, but then again ORDA pumps $10mill into new lifts at WF and Gore...could restart a job-creating resort in Tupper, which is sort of in the "olympic region".

Just hate to see areas disappear.

Come on, Hickory!!!!

As we have discussed - BT is too far from population centers and it just does not have any compelling terrain.

If there was a legal mechanism for NYS to run a private ski area (there isn't), Hickory would have way more ability to be cash flow positive than BT due its location and terrain. Even Tuxedo Ridge would be a smarter play than BT due to location.

lotsoskiing

z1000307470;c-49820 wrote
lotsoskiing;c-49819 wrote
z1000307470;c-49818 wroteAnybody can start a petition about anything.

There was/is no legal or realistic reason for NYS to add Big Tupper to ORDA. How could NYS take over BT and then not take over other private ski areas? Taking over BT would have needed a NYS Constitution amendment plus $10mill minimum to rebuild. Time has passed BT by. It has not operated as a ski area since 1999.
I am afraid you are right, but then again ORDA pumps $10mill into new lifts at WF and Gore...could restart a job-creating resort in Tupper, which is sort of in the "olympic region".

Just hate to see areas disappear.

Come on, Hickory!!!!
As we have discussed - BT is too far from population centers and it just does not have any compelling terrain.

If there was a legal mechanism for NYS to run a private ski area (there isn't), Hickory would have way more ability to be cash flow positive than BT due its location and terrain. Even Tuxedo Ridge would be a smarter play than BT due to location.

TR, aka Sterling Forest....spent many, many nights skiing there as a young buck...another one bites (bought) the dust...

ADKskier

z1000307470;c-49818 wroteAnybody can start a petition about anything.

There was/is no legal or realistic reason for NYS to add Big Tupper to ORDA. How could NYS take over BT and then not take over other private ski areas? Taking over BT would have needed a NYS Constitution amendment plus $10mill minimum to rebuild. Time has passed BT by. It has not operated as a ski area since 1999.

I skied there in 98. I found the terrain interesting for a 14-year-old skier. There are rumors swirling with the new mayoral race in Tupper Lake, that the town has eyed purchasing the ski resort property. I'm sure that would also come to a vote among the village. It certainly would be interesting, but again. I believe this is all political hyperbole. I don't believe there is a real shot at bringing back Big Tupper either. I believe The only town-owned slopes in the Adirondacks are McCauley, Oak, Pisgah, and Indian lake ski hill. All of which operate on small budgets. Regardless, Big Tupper is a decent mountain. Its only fault is that it's in the middle of Nowhere. Let's be honest Terrain is a non-issue at any mountain. I scoffed at the statement, Your pet rock will never work!!! Families don't come to ski blacks all day and bang trees. They want a family atmosphere. Every successful mountain in the East has invested heavily in family Activities. Lodges, restaurants, apres, family learning slopes, daycare, resort amenities, etc....for FAMILY... If you're in the right spot people are going to be there whether you have a 500 foot vertical with wregqerg terrain or 5k foot vertical with the gnarliest stuff in the west. The real reason we have all touched on is because of its location.

Why drive to Big Tupper from Ft Drum/Watertown when you have Dry Hill? A four hundred foot molehill packed with thousands of skiers every weekend? Why drive from Malone when you have Titus...(Which by the way has the flattest terrain I've ever poled on). Whiteface doesn't need to be explained (Lake Placid). Or does it? The Only reason I ended up at Big Tupper way back in 1998 was that every lift at Whiteface was on hold because of wind and extremely low temperatures at the summit. That's how we... our family drove by Big Tupper to Whiteface and drove all the way back to ski at Big Tupper that day. My family and I enjoyed it so much that we made a vow to go there instead of Whiteface. It was closer to camp, cheaper, and had that small mountain, big mountain feel. Sadly the next year it was shuttered. Our Camp is in Long Lake that too in the middle of no man's land. Welcome to the Adirondacks. We still do a golf tournament there every year.

So while we can all argue the validity of past present or future of ski resorts, ski hills, ski areas...It's never cool to just shovel dirt on one. One of the greatest gifts we all have is our memories. Family, Personal, Memories with Dad catching some turns that mom doesn't know about, etc... Memories are why these sites exist and these mountains are remembered any why people hope someday some rich guy will pull the trigger. RIP.

lotsoskiing

ADKskier;c-49824 wrote
z1000307470;c-49818 wroteAnybody can start a petition about anything.

There was/is no legal or realistic reason for NYS to add Big Tupper to ORDA. How could NYS take over BT and then not take over other private ski areas? Taking over BT would have needed a NYS Constitution amendment plus $10mill minimum to rebuild. Time has passed BT by. It has not operated as a ski area since 1999.
I skied there in 98. I found the terrain interesting for a 14-year-old skier. There are rumors swirling with the new mayoral race in Tupper Lake, that the town has eyed purchasing the ski resort property. I'm sure that would also come to a vote among the village. It certainly would be interesting, but again. I believe this is all political hyperbole. I don't believe there is a real shot at bringing back Big Tupper either. I believe The only town-owned slopes in the Adirondacks are McCauley, Oak, Pisgah, and Indian lake ski hill. All of which operate on small budgets. Regardless, Big Tupper is a decent mountain. Its only fault is that it's in the middle of Nowhere. Let's be honest Terrain is a non-issue at any mountain. I scoffed at the statement, Your pet rock will never work!!! Families don't come to ski blacks all day and bang trees. They want a family atmosphere. Every successful mountain in the East has invested heavily in family Activities. Lodges, restaurants, apres, family learning slopes, daycare, resort amenities, etc....for FAMILY... If you're in the right spot people are going to be there whether you have a 500 foot vertical with wrehqerg terrain or 5k foot vertical with the gnarliest stuff in the west. The real reason we have all touched on is because of its location.

Why drive to Big Tupper from Ft Drum/Watertown when you have Dry Hill? A four hundred foot molehill packed with thousands of skiers every weekend? Why drive from Malone when you have Titus...(Which by the way has the flattest terrain I've ever poled on). Whiteface doesn't need to be explained (Lake Placid). Or does it? The Only reason I ended up at Big Tupper way back in 1998 was that every lift at Whiteface was on hold because of wind and extremely low temperatures at the summit. That's how we... our family drove by Big Tupper to Whiteface and drove all the way back to ski at Big Tupper that day. My family and I enjoyed it so much that we made a vow to go there instead of Whiteface. It was closer to camp, cheaper, and had that small mountain, big mountain feel. Sadly the next year it was shuttered. Our Camp is in Long Lake that too in the middle of no man's land. Welcome to the Adirondacks. We still do a golf tournament there every year.

So while we can all argue the validity of past present or future of ski resorts, ski hills, ski areas...It's never cool to just shovel dirt on one. One of the greatest gifts we all have is our memories. Family, Personal, Memories with Dad catching some turns that mom doesn't know about, etc... Memories are why these sites exist and these mountains are remembered any why people hope someday some rich guy will pull the trigger. RIP.

Well said. Still sad; I have heard the reason the gate is locked is the place was badly vandalized recently.

One Note: Oak is no longer town-owned. It was for a few years then was sold to the O'Brien family who is doing a fantastic job running it. Unlike Tupper, though, it was not gutted of its snowmaking infrastructure before the sale. New magic carpet arrived 2 days ago to replace the old t-bar, which went to Farr's Hill, VT where a rich guy is pulling the trigger...hmmmm.

ADKskier

Farr's Hill is such a cool little place, glad to see a T-bar coming in. Now that's a Town/family vibe place! Do they still do the old snowmobile races there?

On a second note, It's a shame that the Non-Profit that got Big Tupper up and running there a few years back couldn't keep it going.

lotsoskiing

ADKskier;c-49832 wroteFarr's Hill is such a cool little place, glad to see a T-bar coming in. Now that's a Town/family vibe place! Do they still do the old snowmobile races there?

On a second note, It's a shame that the Non-Profit that got Big Tupper up and running there a few years back couldn't keep it going.

Don't know about races, but they hosted a WinterFest the past few years that may have included snowmobiles.

z1000307470

ADKskier;c-49824 wrote
z1000307470;c-49818 wroteAnybody can start a petition about anything.

There was/is no legal or realistic reason for NYS to add Big Tupper to ORDA. How could NYS take over BT and then not take over other private ski areas? Taking over BT would have needed a NYS Constitution amendment plus $10mill minimum to rebuild. Time has passed BT by. It has not operated as a ski area since 1999.
I skied there in 98. I found the terrain interesting for a 14-year-old skier. There are rumors swirling with the new mayoral race in Tupper Lake, that the town has eyed purchasing the ski resort property. I'm sure that would also come to a vote among the village. It certainly would be interesting, but again. I believe this is all political hyperbole. I don't believe there is a real shot at bringing back Big Tupper either. I believe The only town-owned slopes in the Adirondacks are McCauley, Oak, Pisgah, and Indian lake ski hill. All of which operate on small budgets. Regardless, Big Tupper is a decent mountain. Its only fault is that it's in the middle of Nowhere. Let's be honest Terrain is a non-issue at any mountain. I scoffed at the statement, Your pet rock will never work!!! Families don't come to ski blacks all day and bang trees. They want a family atmosphere. Every successful mountain in the East has invested heavily in family Activities. Lodges, restaurants, apres, family learning slopes, daycare, resort amenities, etc....for FAMILY... If you're in the right spot people are going to be there whether you have a 500 foot vertical with werghwerg terrain or 5k foot vertical with the gnarliest stuff in the west. The real reason we have all touched on is because of its location.

Why drive to Big Tupper from Ft Drum/Watertown when you have Dry Hill? A four hundred foot molehill packed with thousands of skiers every weekend? Why drive from Malone when you have Titus...(Which by the way has the flattest terrain I've ever poled on). Whiteface doesn't need to be explained (Lake Placid). Or does it? The Only reason I ended up at Big Tupper way back in 1998 was that every lift at Whiteface was on hold because of wind and extremely low temperatures at the summit. That's how we... our family drove by Big Tupper to Whiteface and drove all the way back to ski at Big Tupper that day. My family and I enjoyed it so much that we made a vow to go there instead of Whiteface. It was closer to camp, cheaper, and had that small mountain, big mountain feel. Sadly the next year it was shuttered. Our Camp is in Long Lake that too in the middle of no man's land. Welcome to the Adirondacks. We still do a golf tournament there every year.

So while we can all argue the validity of past present or future of ski resorts, ski hills, ski areas...It's never cool to just shovel dirt on one. One of the greatest gifts we all have is our memories. Family, Personal, Memories with Dad catching some turns that mom doesn't know about, etc... Memories are why these sites exist and these mountains are remembered any why people hope someday some rich guy will pull the trigger. RIP.

Terrain is not a "non-issue". People will generally drive for terrain. BT main face is about 700 vertical feet - the upper mtn lift was a joke - yes I have skied it. If BT was 1500 vertical ft it would not have gone bankrupt multiple times. It was a locals area and when the population of Tupper Lake declined so did the skier visits.

Notice how Saddleback keeps coming back from the dead? It has great terrain.

I hate that BT is closed. I skied there as a child and later as an adult. However, people are not going to drive there for a locals area when there are much bigger and better areas the same distance.

ADKskier

Terrain is not a "non-issue". People will generally drive for terrain. BT main face is about 700 vertical feet - the upper mtn lift was a joke - yes I have skied it. If BT was 1500 vertical ft it would not have gone bankrupt multiple times. It was a locals area and when the population of Tupper Lake declined so did the skier visits.

Notice how Saddleback keeps coming back from the dead? It has great terrain.

I hate that BT is closed. I skied there as a child and later as an adult. However, people are not going to drive there for a locals area when there are much bigger and better areas the same distance.

I guess we can debate about Terrain for sure. Generally, I see families who choose a ski resort for its location rather than its terrain, Titus being the prime example here in this region. That place is flatter than what Id imagine flat earthers think about Earth. I guess I have to get my Dad brain back into gear. I use to drive miles for good terrain. Tupper Lake is in no man's land that's for sure. If you ask me Big Tupper was developed on the wrong side of the mountain.