Your local place - anything new for 2008-09

[Jilly]

So anything new happening at your favorite ski area. For example, SkiPress annouced to today that Jay Peak has been sold by MSSI. Thats news. Also Okemeo is finally adding the last phase of an expansion to the runs. Ski Diva can update us on that. Our local bump is finally adding a chairlift. With 160' of vertical I don't think there will be enough time to lower the safety bar.

So what's coming up in your neck of the woods??

 

[Robyn]

Let's see, Arapahoe Basin is adding a tunnel under US Hwy 6 which will be much safer for pedestrians going to and from their cars. Keystone is adding a Gondola that will stop mid town rather than all the way at the bottom of the mountain, making the hike to the lifts much shorter.

 

[RachelV]

With 160' of vertical I don't think there will be enough time to lower the safety bar.

Wow, I almost can't imagine that. I thought Mt Southington was teeny, and that's around 400ft of vertical.

 

[vanhoskier]

We're getting a new quad and the terrain park is being expanded. DH and I saw the work when we went there for dinner last night (they have a lovely restaurant).

My hill is only 550' of vertical, so these are NOT high-speed quads.....they have to go slow in order to space out the skiers on this limited terrain!

The tunnel under Hwy 6 at A Basin is good news.

 

[BackCountryGirl]

Sunday River is getting a "chandola" -- a chair/gondola hybrid-combo thing. They started cutting and surverying while the mountain was still operational in April. Two lifts are coming out. The idea is to move people off of the South Ridge area faster, making it better for beginners. I'll be sorry to miss one of the slow ones -- I used to love sitting on it and surreptitiously watching the progress of lessons below me.

 

[Bravosarah]

"chandola" -- a chair/gondola hybrid-combo thing.

Oh that's what they're called! I've called them bubble chairs, I really like them, they protect you from the elements and are more comfortable than the gondola.

 

[playoutside]

Think what SR is getting is different than the bubble chairs. For every 4 chairs there will be a gondola car. Two lines for loading depending on which you want. The chairs are 6-packs I think. BIG change for that part of SR. IMO - always best to get the heck out of that area on crowded days.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Think what SR is getting is different than the bubble chairs. For every 4 chairs there will be a gondola car. Two lines for loading depending on which you want. The chairs are 6-packs I think. BIG change for that part of SR. IMO - always best to get the heck out of that area on crowded days.

That's in Maine, y'all.
Ummm, the loading and unloading of this thing is going to be......interesting....why do I foresee Warren Miller comedy-style problems with this? A LOT of new skiers will get on this only to arrive @ North Peak w/o the knowledge of where they are or skills to get down. It's going to be an insane bottleneck. "Trading Problems 101." And having TWO lines for TWO different types of conveyances when they can barely manage one??

 

[Marigee]

Whitetail in PA is adding a new trail, a much needed long, windy green. They are also adding a lift to serve the terrain park - this will make the run used to access the park in the past less crowded.

 

[Consuela]

After 7 years of work, Kirkwood Mountain Resort has received approval of its new Mountain Master Development Plan, paving the way for new lifts and the opening of hundreds of acres of terrain previously accessible only by hiking.

So, a lot of changes in the next several years to come. Starting this summer, they are building two new surface lifts in Emigrant Basin shown as A & B in picture below.

 

[Kiragirl]

a "Chandola" that's great. Years ago at Brodie Mt. (western Mass.) they had a double chair with doors that closed around you, but you sat like a normal chair lift. I loved it.

@ Killington they are exchanging the Skye Peak quad for a high-speed quad, which I'm actually not sure if that is a good idea...think more people to crowd the upper area of that peak.

 

[ski diva]

Okemo is opening two new trails at Jackson Gore: White Lightning and Rolling Thunder.

 

[skigrl27]

Yes!! So excited - Aspen/Snowmass is out of control this offseason planning all kinds of new fun stuff for the new season.

- 3 new runs in Deep Temerity at Highlands; they're glading now
- 2 new Snowmass Restaurants
- 1 new Sheer Bliss lift at Snowmass which will help the "2 lift" rule at Snowmass - big time!
- totally renovated Ajax Tavern

I think that's it!

 

[Little Lightning]

New things at Summit County resorts:

https://www.summitdaily.com/article/20080829/NEWS/808299906/1078&parentprofile=1055

 

[itri]

I am SO excited to check out the new Keystone gondola! Man, was the old one painful. I don't care how cold and/or windy it was, we always took the chairlift instead of the gondola, it was THAT slow...

 

[Robyn]

I'm more excited that it's starting closer to the parking lot. I can't tell you how many times I've nearly killed myself walking to the lifts there. That bridge is deadly!

 

[dloveski]

Solitude: The Apex, Powderhorn, and Moonbeam lifts are being replaced with 2 quads, which will move folks up faster and assure that the terrain is skied out faster on pow days. Many tourists complained about the 'slow' and 'scary' Powderhorn two-seater---and tended to stay on the Eagle Express---leaving some nice terrain for those willing to 'brave' the old lift. I guess those days had to end.

Brighton: The Millie shack is gone, replaced by the Millie Chalet. The old shack was old----but funky, but the chalet will have a larger deck and better food service.

Ah, progress, I guess.