New Bretton Woods Gondola for 2019

Jonni

While part of me is surprised, there’s another part of me that isn’t. I’m not sure that it’s really what the mountain needs, but it will definitely be a flashy lift to take pictures of!https://liftblog.com/2017/12/14/bretton-woods-plans-new-hampshires-first-8-passenger-gondola/

joshua_segal

I think BW has the largest collection of the shortest HSQs at any ski area.  They barely need an HSQ, much less a gondola!

newman

15 million on a lift for mainly summer and fall business? Is all that money for the lodge cost also, or just the lift? Would be cool for a wedding party and sunset dinners. They used to use the quad to the other lodge for restaurant purposes. A truck was also used for the people who were scared of the chair ride. It was called the TopOQuad restaurant. I’ve never been to BW. So I ask, will this lift make the skiing better or does it look like its addition won’t make much difference?

Snowmaster

Goes a little higher up than the Bethlahem chair, but not to the Rosebrook summit. Too short for a gondola, they should have spent this money on expanding past the Tbar with a detachable quad.

NELSAP

That new restaurant will have one of the best views in New England. A base to summit (well near summit) does beat the current two lift rides that are required now.A bubble chair may have sufficed otherwise.

rickbolger

From a skiing-only point of view, this is ludicrous.  

From a four-season business point of view, it makes perfect sense, albeit at enormous cost.  Biggest winter benefit is they can run night rides up & down for overpriced meals.  I’ll bet that part of it becomes a big money maker if they do it right – super premium everything, .   Big bucks at Vail.  Also better for bicycle stuff, and especially weddings as mentioned.  

newman

Stowe added the lights on the gondi (one run and a teaching area) just because they were running it for the Cliff House restaurant to be open for dinners Fri and Sat nights in high season. As far as I know now, both the night skiing and night restaurant (via gondi) are no longer a thing. It will make it better for the 40 mountain bikers a day, that’s for sure.

NELSAP

Night skiing in Stowe ended in 2008.

ski_it

Although every time I’m there I think to myself that it’d be so nice to have a lift that goes all the way to the top…

rickbolger

They’ve got to do it right to create a  “dining experience”  

If they do one of the concrete-and-steel mountain top lodges we know and love at Killington, Jay, Cannon, etc., it ain’t gonna work.

Here’s the one at Vail – currently $115 per person for the gondy up, snowcat ride, dinner.

JMaul

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“rickbolger”>They’ve got to do it right to create a  “dining experience”

If they do one of the concrete-and-steel mountain top lodges we know and love at Killington, Jay, Cannon, etc., it ain’t gonna work.

Here’s the one at Vail – currently $115 per person for the gondy up, snowcat ride, dinner.

</blockquote>

For half that, you can take the Smuggs’ Sterling Double up to “Top of the Notch” and enjoy a 3 course meal in a rustic setting then snowshoe down. BYOB and no gondy required.

I agree with most that this is to broaden year-round activities.

rickbolger

For half that, you can take the Smuggs’ Sterling Double up to “Top of the Notch” and enjoy a 3 course meal in a rustic setting then snowshoe down. BYOB and no gondy required.

</blockquote>

Yeah, no.  This is a different target audience….

obienick

Wasn’t it 2 trails that were lit at Stowe? I thought it was Gondolier and Perry Merril.

Would this replace the Bethlehem Quad and the Fabyan Triple or be in addition to them? 36 cabins and 1200 fpm would be 1440 pph, less than the triple or the quad. If the former, they’re going to have to do something to increase beginner opportunities as Upper Swoop is far too steep for beginners to access Ben/Big Ben/Bigger Ben, Breton’s Wood, and Sawyer’s Swoop. If the latter, would this put too many skiers up on the ridge? I’ve never been to BW on a weekend so I can’t comment how crowded it gets with both the Rosebrook Quad and the Fabyan Triple running.

Chuckstah

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“obienick” style="">Wasn’t it 2 trails that were lit at Stowe? I thought it was Gondolier and Perry Merril.

I believe Stowe just had one run for the night skiing.  I would night ski there 2 or 3 times a year, later season when the first hour or two was daylight allowing turns in the woods and river beds, and other non lighted areas,  for short money on Friday nights on the way up.  As for the BW gondola it is in addition to the current lifts.  It certainly won’t hurt business and will hopefully force improvements at the competition.  Rumor from last spring is Loon will be announcing a new replacement gondola soon.  Maybe this will force their hand and make the rumor reality?

</blockquote>

ski_it

I haven’t been there that many times haute season but I would venture the green ridge runs don’t get too crowded as the other skiers take more direct routes. Off Rosebrook, Panorama, although blue is pretty easy after the first 50 yards. But yeah they may have to do some smoothing & widening. I seen Fabayan running once but like I said I’m not there that often

Peter

Anyone heard if the gondola is really happening this summer?  Was it even approved?

bubblecuffer

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“Peter”>Anyone heard if the gondola is really happening this summer?  Was it even approved?</blockquote>

I was there last Tuesday skiing with some local folk and nobody knew if it was on or not.  My opinion is that it will happen.

tlougee

Gondolas suck.  What a waste.  I agree with Snowmaster.  They should expand up Mt. Stickney like they planned to do years ago.

Sully

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“tlougee”>Gondolas suck.  What a waste.  I agree with Snowmaster.  They should expand up Mt. Stickney like they planned to do years ago.</blockquote>

It’s not for us skiers. It’s for the off-season and specifically weddings. The benefits to the skiing here are just extra.

TomWhite

Bretton Woods Gondola, Lodge Project Cleared For Takeoff

·         Robert Blechl

·         Apr 6, 2018 Updated Apr 7, 2018

BETHLEHEM — A new gondola and mountaintop restaurant - a multi-million investment by the Bretton Woods Ski Area - is advancing after recently receiving a special exception by town zoners and its developers meeting with contractors.

Under the current project schedule, ground is expected to be broken by summer for the gondola, Craig Clemmer, marketing director for the Omni Mt. Washington Resort, which owns the ski area, said Wednesday.

“I think all of the things are moving in the right direction from our standpoint and we’re looking at starting some time in the early summer months and having it completed by year’s end, if not a little bit sooner,” he said.

On that schedule, what would be the state’s first eight-passenger gondola would be up and running for the 2018-2019 ski season.

The new mountaintop restaurant and lodge, which would host weddings and events and replace the existing Latitude 44 restaurant, is expected to be completed later, around the summer of 2019.

On March 6, the Bethlehem Zoning Board of Adjustment voted 5-0 to approve a special exception for the development, which would also be in Bethlehem and Twin Mountain.

The exception is for abutters to the project and will reduce the 30-foot rear setback to 15 feet, Jon Warzocha, of Horizons Engineering, said during the March ZBA hearing.

The new location of the lodge building will be at the site of the existing ski patrol station along the property line of the U.S. Forest Service, he said. The patrol station will be removed.

The two-story, wood-frame and heavy timber commercial lodge and restaurant, totaling about 11,000 square feet, will include space for functions, a food service kitchen, dining areas, a bar, and supporting spaces.

Planning board alternate member and former planning board chairman Don Lavoie called it a “dream project” for Bethlehem.

Presenting a conceptual to the Bethlehem Planning Board in December, Chris Ellms, director of ski operations for Bretton Woods Ski Area, said financing is still being worked out, but he estimated the total cost of the gondola and lodge building at about $15 million.

Clemmer said the development team has been having meetings and telephone conferences on a weekly basis and will be meeting with contractors during the next week.

“We are still in the planning and permitting phase and the execution phase will come right up as soon as we get rid of the snow,” he said.

The work could begin in earnest by the end of June or early July, he said.

Planned for the gondola are nearly 40 cabins, each capable of carrying eight passengers, including those dining or attending events.

The lift itself would stretch from the base lodge area to above the current Latitude 44 and to the top of the current Fabyan’s Express Triple ski lift.

In addition to getting skiers up the hill faster, the new gondola is also aimed at drawing visitors during off-seasons to create what Ellms told planners is for a four-season operation.

The project also needs state permits.