Mt. Southington Lift Replacement?

DrJeff

NewEnglandSkier13;c-60678 wrote[

My guess is that since they are one of the smaller number of ski areas that don't put their season passes online at the end of the previous season (Just looked on their website and their passes for next season go on sale on August 1st) there really isn't much marketing benefit I am guessing to announcing a new lift in say March or April vs closer to when the season will begin and passes are on sale.

Add in that with now the 3 lifts that they have replaced over the last number of years, they have been just that, replacement lifts with maybe adding a seat to the chair, it's not like they're adding new terrain (Pretty sure that would involve them having to buy out some fairly good sized houses that abut their property) and it's not like you are seeing any REVOLUTIONARY changes to the well run mountain, just evolutionary changes to a mountain that has it's core clientele of after school programs, adult and youth race leagues, and kids seasonal programs. And they have the added benefit of having existing customers who know they can trust their IMPRESSIVE ability to make and groom snow, as well as having regular (3 - 5 times a year on average it seems) where the local Hartford area TV stations film segments there

NewEnglandSkier13

DrJeff;c-60680 wrote
NewEnglandSkier13;c-60678 wrote[
My guess is that since they are one of the smaller number of ski areas that don't put their season passes online at the end of the previous season (Just looked on their website and their passes for next season go on sale on August 1st) there really isn't much marketing benefit I am guessing to announcing a new lift in say March or April vs closer to when the season will begin and passes are on sale.

Add in that with now the 3 lifts that they have replaced over the last number of years, they have been just that, replacement lifts with maybe adding a seat to the chair, it's not like they're adding new terrain (Pretty sure that would involve them having to buy out some fairly good sized houses that abut their property) and it's not like you are seeing any REVOLUTIONARY changes to the well run mountain, just evolutionary changes to a mountain that has it's core clientele of after school programs, adult and youth race leagues, and kids seasonal programs. And they have the added benefit of having existing customers who know they can trust their IMPRESSIVE ability to make and groom snow, as well as having regular (3 - 5 times a year on average it seems) where the local Hartford area TV stations film segments there

That does all make sense to me. I would just think that there's still value in making a post about the new lift showing how their continuingly investing in the mountain's infrastructure. It seems like every other mountain likes nothing more than promoting new lifts and other improvements. Sugarloaf even put effort into promoting the new T-bar that the public isn't even allowed to ride.

DrJeff

NewEnglandSkier13;c-60681 wrote
DrJeff;c-60680 wrote
NewEnglandSkier13;c-60678 wrote[
My guess is that since they are one of the smaller number of ski areas that don't put their season passes online at the end of the previous season (Just looked on their website and their passes for next season go on sale on August 1st) there really isn't much marketing benefit I am guessing to announcing a new lift in say March or April vs closer to when the season will begin and passes are on sale.

Add in that with now the 3 lifts that they have replaced over the last number of years, they have been just that, replacement lifts with maybe adding a seat to the chair, it's not like they're adding new terrain (Pretty sure that would involve them having to buy out some fairly good sized houses that abut their property) and it's not like you are seeing any REVOLUTIONARY changes to the well run mountain, just evolutionary changes to a mountain that has it's core clientele of after school programs, adult and youth race leagues, and kids seasonal programs. And they have the added benefit of having existing customers who know they can trust their IMPRESSIVE ability to make and groom snow, as well as having regular (3 - 5 times a year on average it seems) where the local Hartford area TV stations film segments there
That does all make sense to me. I would just think that there's still value in making a post about the new lift showing how their continuingly investing in the mountain's infrastructure. It seems like every other mountain likes nothing more than promoting new lifts and other improvements. Sugarloaf even put effort into promoting the new T-bar that the public isn't even allowed to ride.

Mount Southington in their non ski season social media promotional work the last number of years has been all about promoting their kids Summer day camps, the adult volleyball leagues (kind of a mini version of their succesful adult beer league ski racing programs), their regular Friday or Saturday night comedy shows they host in one of their base lodges that over looks the mountain, and also promoting that same lodge for use as a wedding reception location and/or a banquet facility.

Occasionally they throw a Winter themed post at you in the Summer, but they tend to, from what I have observed, keep their media marketing to a much more seasonal specific nature to help them drive yera round revenue

IBRAKEFORTBARS

Peter

Quite a few ski areas building lifts this summer haven't said anything about them publicly. Mt. Southington, Marmot Basin, Alpine Valley MI, China Peak. It's pretty common for whatever reason.

NewEnglandSkier13

IBRAKEFORTBARS;c-60683 wrote
NewEnglandSkier13;c-60678 wroteThat does all make sense to me. I would just think that there's still value in making a post about the new lift showing how their continuingly investing in the mountain's infrastructure. It seems like every other mountain likes nothing more than promoting new lifts and other improvements. Sugarloaf even put effort into promoting the new T-bar that the public isn't even allowed to ride.
There's something chokingly heartbreaking about an off-limits t-bar. :D

IBRAKE

Especially when they keep showing it off on social media

conrad

The old Hall chair is going to Lost Valley, Maine
https://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=1028

NewEnglandSkier13

conrad;c-60686 wroteThe old Hall chair is going to Lost Valley, Maine
https://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=1028

I don't get it. They already have the Borvig triple from Sunday River. Maybe they'll now sell the triple so they can continue to have an all Hall fleet of lifts?

joshua_segal

IBRAKEFORTBARS;c-60683 wrote ...

There's something chokingly heartbreaking about an off-limits t-bar. :D

IBRAKE

I feel that way about the Upper-Snowden Poma at Killington since it was moved to Ramshead.

TomWhite

Here's a couple paragraphs from NESI. I've skied LV twice. I'm impressed with what they do with their modest mountain/hill.
---------------
According to an industry source, the Northstar Double has been sold to Lost Valley, Maine. Formerly served by a T-Bar, the eastern side of Lost Valley has long been rumored as a future location for a chairlift installation. The former Spruce Triple from Sunday River has also been staged at the Auburn ski area. Lost Valley is currently served by two Hall double chairlifts.

With the installation of the new triple, each of Mt. Southington's four chairlifts will have Partek components. The Thunderbolt Triple was installed by Partek in 2009, while the Avalanche Double was replaced in phases, finishing with new chairs, towers, and top terminal in 2021. Meanwhile, the 1978 Stardust Triple, originally manufactured by Partek ancestor Borvig, now has Partek chairs.

obienick

Perhaps the former Southington lift is a parts source? While they are solid lifts, parts have to be getting hard to come by since Hall design lifts have been out of production since VonRoll was bought by Doppelmayr in 1996.

Perhaps the triple is to replace Chair 1 and this is to replace the T-Bar?

Perhaps an expansion?

conrad

I was thinking parts too. The Liftblog article says it may be reinstalled in 2024-25, but maybe that is what Mt. Southington said, not Lost Valley. Nothing showing yet in the Liftblog 2024 new lifts page.

DrJeff

And on their social media page this morning when I checked, it pops up that they've already demo'd their old ski school building, and poured the foundation for a new ski school building for this coming season. Add in the new beginer area lift being installed and they're spending some $$ to get more people into the sport for sure!

woodcore

Towers are up!

abubob

Whoa! New lodge too?

obienick

If they have the space, which it looks like they do, why go for a new FG triple rather than a FG quad with longer spacing, especially on a teaching lift?

More people on a chair means longer interval between chairs this improving novice loafing efficiency. More people on chairs means a ski school class can get up in fewer chairs.

DrJeff

abubob;c-61410 wroteWhoa! New lodge too?

That new building is for a combo of rental shop and ski school facilities assocaited with the beginner area behind the building. Their 2 existining lodges they have are both in good shape. Southington is running like a well oiled machine these days and has their brand and market figured out and caters to them very well

NewEnglandSkier13

obienick;c-61411 wroteIf they have the space, which it looks like they do, why go for a new FG triple rather than a FG quad with longer spacing, especially on a teaching lift?

More people on a chair means longer interval between chairs this improving novice loafing efficiency. More people on chairs means a ski school class can get up in fewer chairs.

A quad chair is much more difficult for an instructor and smaller students to load because one student will not be next to the student. Quad chairs are also heavier than triple chairs and can cause more injuries in the load and unload areas.

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