Whaleback - Lift Repair

Chuckstah

They have raised over $180,000 per the latest update, and are on track for summit access next season. Season passes are on sale, cheap.

newpylong

If they are going to be successful long term, the double will require replacing (amongst other things).
They need to do away with the vagueness, and look and see how BigRock managed their Dopp Quad install...

But they definitely need to spell out the actual needs/$ People like to know what their money is paying for.

The best thing that could happen to Whaleback long term is if a group with access to capital regained ownership with a realistic plan at growth through modernization (that involved engaging actual industry professionals), operating efficiencies, and putting out a decent product.

Chuckstah

The Whale has succeeded their fundraising goal of 250k, with lift repairs beginning by July, per a recent social media post. I hope to get there for a day next season.

justkeepmovingne

A few years ago when the board was trying to figure out how to do major maintenance on the double they had Poma come and come up with some cockamamie plan to install T-Bars instead. It required 3 to get to the top. One up the Spout area, another 90 degrees off from that, and another 90 degrees to the left to summit. It could be done with two but it would bisect the entire east side of the ski area. We (previous management) told them how ridiculous this was not only from this perspective but the fact that they would be too steep for anyone but experts to ride them and it would require substantially more snow to cover the tracks on an already terrible snowmaking system. Thankfully they shelved it largely, but still put the Lower Spout tow in that has yet to run.

If they are going to be successful long term, the double will require replacing (amongst other things).

I drove by the parking lot the other day and noticed it looked like there was a big ol trench being dug on Lower Spout. Assuming that has something to do with the surface lift that still isn't shown on the trail map?

newpylong

Unless there are new ones, it's the same scars that have been there for a couple years now. They are attempting to deal with drainage in house instead of paying someone to do it right.

MrMagic

Just read no chair this season as the "damage is more than expected" they will open T bar plus magic carpet and this "new" surface lift not even sure what it is handle tow? Plus more park features ect ect. All fine but they must be aggressive with snowmaking no .missing Xmas no missing mlk.
I love the community ski area more than most but the community keeps bailing them out season after season. When was the last time WB made it through a season with some sort of catastrophic issues? I've had some good days there but easily will search the car towards Quechee' Dartmouth and Storrs.

lotsoskiing

Unless there are new ones, it's the same scars that have been there for a couple years now. They are attempting to deal with drainage in house instead of paying someone to do it right.

Drove by 2 days ago. Definitely looks like a lift. Straight up looker's left, several feet deep and 10-15' wide at least

newpylong

Yep, they are removing more earth to get that lift finished (going on it's third year now) in earnest now that their gearbox is being held ransom.

There are only so many unforced errors that the community can support. $250K from the public and now no lift. The board needs to be replaced and they need to find the funds to hire experienced management.

The last time they actually had a 90 day full season without major issues was the year the board decided they were going to stop paying for experienced management (2018).

obienick

I'll note that the mechanics working on the double are the same that built the long-delayed with incorrect parts Black at Magic.

MrMagic

What kind of lift is this new surfacelift? I didnt see anything on the train map

newpylong

They can't pay for the gearbox repairs and the lift also needs a haul rope (which we knew about for years).

The surface lift is some unicorn that Sun Kid sold them. It will be on Lower Spout.

This ownership group is not able to successfully operate the ski area nor raise adequate capital. Something will have to give soon and I suspect it will.

obienick

Reading from Cannon’s website, they list the costs of all their projects. How can the gearbox service on Eagle Cliff ($85k) PLUS the new haul rope on Zoomer ($135k) total LESS than the gearbox service on the Poma Double at Whaleback. Something doesn’t add up.

DrJeff

I kind of read some of that is the "service" that Whaleback's gearbox needs is apparently much more than standard service a gearbox needs. Probably along the lines of the more that one delays regular capital expenditures for routine maintence type things, the more costly it almost always ends up when "routine maintenance" becomes a "repair"

justkeepmovingne

Curious how much Tenney's Hornet gearbox rebuild cost. They pretty much had to rebuild the entire thing, which might be closer to what Whaleback had to do as well as being this calendar year for cost relevancy.

LiftGuy

Reading from Cannon’s website, they list the costs of all their projects. How can the gearbox service on Eagle Cliff ($85k) PLUS the new haul rope on Zoomer ($135k) total LESS than the gearbox service on the Poma Double at Whaleback. Something doesn’t add up.

Gearbox service can be as routine as remove, disassemble, replace all bearings, NDT, reassemble, reinstall ($85K) or complex including all of the above and then have to reverse engineer and manufacture any number of gears/gear sets ($250K).
Don’t use these figures as a quotation. 😉

ski_it

New manager 10.3.2025.. https://www.saminfo.com/faces-and-places/khara-benoit-appointed-gm-at-whaleback-mountain

justkeepmovingne

New manager 10.3.2025.. https://www.saminfo.com/faces-and-places/khara-benoit-appointed-gm-at-whaleback-mountain

I'm not gonna lie - she seems highly underqualified to manage Whaleback. Tell me otherwise if I'm crazy.

newpylong

Correct, but their backs are in the corner. They have taken pass money and have no double and no money to finish the ridiculous Spout surface lift or fix the double.

MrMagic

What's the deal with this "new surface lift" on Spout ? I thought they had it finished. They seemed to hint at that when they announced the double was down for this season?

lotsoskiing

What's the deal with this "new surface lift" on Spout ? I thought they had it finished. They seemed to hint at that when they announced the double was down for this season?

Last I went by it was a big ditch up the skier's right side. Guessing it's a long carpet

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