I figured we could combine the threads into one. I know Snowshoe is planning $3 Million worth of improvements, focusing on Snowmaking. Beyond that, it seems to have been pretty quiet from the other resorts in the area (Snowtime, Nutting, etc...)
I'm curious about what improvements the new owners of Blue Knob can get going this summer, if anything. Can't find any news online.
At least BK doesn't have to worry about a lawsuit filed by a man who broke a leg after going across a rut in a groomer in 2014. A second judge agreed that skiing is "inherently dangerous" as covered by PA law and the skier had no grounds to continue legal proceedings. Another Federal judge ruled similarly in a lawsuit against Liberty based on an accident in January 2015.
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/04/skiing_is_inherently_dangerous.html - April 2018 decision related to Blue Knob
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/03/inherently_dangerous_skier_who.html - March 2018 decision related to Liberty
These days, all owners and General Managers are thinking about improvements that cover all 4 seasons. Massanutten and Camelback GMs were involved in the recent NSAA convention in early May to provide insight based on their recent experience. I skied at Jiminy Peak this season and what they have done in the last decade or two clearly reminded me of the changes I've seen at Mnut in the last 5-6 years. The Fairbank family has been responsible for Jiminy since 1969. Massanutten formally announced plans for a ski hill in 1971. Fair to say that both would probably not still be in the ski business without revenue from other activities besides sliding on snow covered slopes.
NSAA Session, Friday, May 4, 2018
Expanding the Mountain Playground: Providing More Opportunities for Your Guests
Moderated by Ray Lauenstein, Aquatic Development Group
Ken Ellis, Co-Owner, Camelback Resort, PA
Tyler Fairbank, CEO, The Fairbank Group, LLC
Kenny Hess, General Manager, Massanutten Resort, VA
Mike Russo, Risk/Safety/Legal Sr. Manager, Copper Mountain Resort, CO
Ski resort guests are increasingly more demanding and looking for a wide variety of options in activities and amusements to keep them entertained. No longer satisfied with skiing only, the modern visitor (or their friends and family) want to ice skate, ride a zip line or mountain coaster, hang out in a water park, or ride a fat tire bike. Exploring the variety of area offerings, this panel of area personnel will share their experiences, lessons learned, and the importance of finding the right offerings for your resort.
msprings wrote:
I figured we could combine the threads into one. I know Snowshoe is planning $3 Million worth of improvements, focusing on Snowmaking.
The $3M is for facility related improvements and is in addition to the $4M for snowmaking.
Laurel Mountain volunteers will have our second Spring trail clearing day this Saturday. We are brushing back Dream Highway and clearing rocks turned over during the lift construction. We will schedule a few more days in late fall to finish the job and do a quick pick up in Doc's Forest, the glade we cleared last season. Our scope of work will depend on the available labor. If you wish to be kept informed, join our Facebook Group: Support Laurel Mountain State Park Ski Area
msprings wrote:
I figured we could combine the threads into one. I know Snowshoe is planning $3 Million worth of improvements, focusing on Snowmaking. Beyond that, it seems to have been pretty quiet from the other resorts in the area (Snowtime, Nutting, etc...)
Based on latest info Snowshoe spending $7M on improvements, includes $4M on automating/improving snowmaking!
You may want to check Blue Knob's Facebook page and see what they're posting there. I don't know if they're going to say much now, but over the season, they were very interactive with the public in answering questions and posting resort news.
I don't know how new this is, but Liberty said they're putting a new mainline snowmaking pipe on Dipsy Doodle to increase snowmaking capacity and put a triple chair on the terrain park.
https://www.libertymountainresort.com/liberty-mountain-resort/more/whats-new-liberty
The Colonel wrote:
msprings wrote:
I figured we could combine the threads into one. I know Snowshoe is planning $3 Million worth of improvements, focusing on Snowmaking. Beyond that, it seems to have been pretty quiet from the other resorts in the area (Snowtime, Nutting, etc...)
Based on latest info Snowshoe spending $7M on improvements, includes $4M on automating/improving snowmaking!
And lets not forget the most important new micro-brewery being built! Foundation is in and steel framing is going up.
Bonzski wrote:
And lets not forget the most important new micro-brewery being built! Foundation is in and steel framing is going up.
Where is it?
Will be interesting to see if the draft house closes once the brewery opens.
Bonzski wrote:
Will be interesting to see if the draft house closes once the brewery opens.
I hope not. Having the draft house near the top of Ballhooter lift is a real plus.
padjaski68 wrote:
Whitetail is replacing the old fan guns on Limelight with 16 new TechnoAlpin guns. New equipment for rentals. New groomers for K-side terrain. A new plaza at the tubing center. The new guns on Limelight were definitely needed. Bravo!
Money being spent on capital improvements seems to be around $1.5 million.
https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/tri_state/pennsylvania/whitetail-resort-plans-for-capital-projects-ahead-of-winter/article_e4a775f0-43bc-5ea4-a085-764686de2f30.html
https://www.skipa.com/plan-a-trip/media-center-press-room/ski-area-press-releases/783-whitetail-resort-prepares-for-the-2017-18-season
" . . . upgrading and replacing the majority of the rental inventory. Over the summer, around 3200
pairs of Elan skis, 3260 pairs of Dalbello boots, 500 pairs of poles, 400 helmets, and 500 pairs of Flow
snowboard boots will make their way to the rental facility.
The Snow Dancer trail will see a significant improvement to its snowmaking coverage this coming
season. During the last couple of months, our expert crew replaced the entire water line system on the
trail, resulting in a higher flow capacity and better reliability for the snow making system that covers this
trail. . . ."
superguy wrote:
Wasn't all that done for this past season? Whitetail just confirmed on Facebook that there were no new trails for next year, but hinted about future runs. Also showed that they're doing cleanup and maintenance on existing trails. Liberty confirmed in Facebook that construction of the new water lines on Dipsy Doodle has begun. Triple will not be installed for the upcoming season but plans to be installed summer 2019.
Last summer they replaced the water lines on snow dancer. Limelight currently has the oldest snowmaking of the blue trails and has been the last to open and first to close for the last few years. This will be a nice improvement!
rbrtlav wrote:
superguy wrote:
Wasn't all that done for this past season? Whitetail just confirmed on Facebook that there were no new trails for next year, but hinted about future runs. Also showed that they're doing cleanup and maintenance on existing trails. Liberty confirmed in Facebook that construction of the new water lines on Dipsy Doodle has begun. Triple will not be installed for the upcoming season but plans to be installed summer 2019.Last summer they replaced the water lines on snow dancer. Limelight currently has the oldest snowmaking of the blue trails and has been the last to open and first to close for the last few years. This will be a nice improvement!
Looks like that's getting fixed. Whitetail just put out this press release on its Facebook page.
Update: Press release posted at PSAA's website.
"PRESS RELEASE: CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS UNDERWAY AT WHITETAIL RESORT
MERCERSBURG, PA ”“ With a fantastic 100 day Winter season just completed, Whitetail Resort is already busy implementing capital improvements in preparation for the 2018-2019 Winter Season. Over the next few months, more than 1.6 million dollars will go into upgrades that will enhance the guests’ over-all experience while at the resort. The list of capital projects includes: upgraded fan guns on Limelight trail, an upgraded inventory of new Burton Snowboards, a new Snowtubing plaza area and building, a Prinoth Winchcat Groomer, as well as other various guest enhancements such as upgraded parking lot lighting and enhanced digital signage.
The Limelight trail will see a significant improvement to its snowmaking coverage this coming season. During the upcoming months, crews will be replacing 16 of this trail’s fan guns with brand new high output TechnoA0lpin fan guns, resulting in an increased coverage and better reliability for the snow making system that covers this trail.
In continuing our quest for providing the best possible on-snow experience for our guests, Whitetail Resort is upgrading and replacing over 200 of our rental snowboards with new Burton boards. These new boards will complement the significant rental ski inventory upgrade from last year and allow us to continue to provide the best possible rental equipment for our guests this upcoming season.
Always a guest favorite activity, Whitetail Adventure Tubing will also be experiencing a major upgrade for this coming season. This summer, our mountain operations crew will be busy completely re-working and building a new courtyard for the snow tubing area. This courtyard will feature a covered pavilion and fireplace with seating for observation of the snow tubing hill.
Another highlight is the permanent addition of a new Prinoth Winchcat Groomer to our fleet of tools to keep our snow in tip top condition for our guests. This new winchcat will allow for increased grooming capabilities on our steeper terrain like our Bold Decision, Drop In, and Exhibition trails.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to our guests, we’re proud to be able to continue our resort upgrades, that will in turn, better each “on snow” experience.” said Whitetail Resort President and General Manager, Don MacAskill. Whitetail Resort is busy with summer activities including operations at Whitetail Golf Resort, and Summer Adventure Camps. Whitetail also offers full service venues for Special Events such as banquets, weddings, and other large gatherings. For more information on Whitetail Resort offerings, please visit www.skiwhitetail.com"
A while back someone posted an article about the State giving Nutting $1m matching money for improvements to all three resorts. Anyone know if anything ever came of that?
gizmosnow wrote:
A while back someone posted an article about the State giving Nutting $1m matching money for improvements to all three resorts. Anyone know if anything ever came of that?
I'm thinking this is the one you're thinking of:
http://www.dcski.com/forum/91649
Doesn't look like improvements for the actual skiing but rather multipurpose events centers.
superguy wrote:
gizmosnow wrote:
A while back someone posted an article about the State giving Nutting $1m matching money for improvements to all three resorts. Anyone know if anything ever came of that?
I'm thinking this is the one you're thinking of:
http://www.dcski.com/forum/91649
Doesn't look like improvements for the actual skiing but rather multipurpose events centers.
The way I think about it, any improvements that help a ski resort bring in more revenue that can be used at some point for other upgrades is good news. More money coming in during the non-snow months makes it more likely snowsports will continue for the foreseeable future.
marzNC wrote:
superguy wrote:
gizmosnow wrote:
A while back someone posted an article about the State giving Nutting $1m matching money for improvements to all three resorts. Anyone know if anything ever came of that?
I'm thinking this is the one you're thinking of:
http://www.dcski.com/forum/91649
Doesn't look like improvements for the actual skiing but rather multipurpose events centers.
The way I think about it, any improvements that help a ski resort bring in more revenue that can be used at some point for other upgrades is good news. More money coming in during the non-snow months makes it more likely snowsports will continue for the foreseeable future.
True. Call me a bit jaded on 7S, at least, as that place has been packed for years and is a gold mine. Something like that at a smaller resort would make a bigger difference. It'll benefit HV more as that place could use some love, but that type of investment seems like it would have been better at LM.
Then again, Nutting could afford all that without the grant ... Think of what a place like Blue Knob could do with it.
Nothing happening at HV. Supposedly the grant was for a food or dining venue. As usual they are extremely secretive about any plans they have and it takes them a while to get going. Usually they start doing things in Late fall which never made any sense to me.
snowsmith wrote:
Nothing happening at HV. Supposedly the grant was for a food or dining venue. As usual they are extremely secretive about any plans they have and it takes them a while to get going. Usually they start doing things in Late fall which never made any sense to me.
Funny, I did a search on "hidden valley ski" to see what was on tap for the summer . . . and ended up at a website for Hidden Valley Resort in Missori. Didn't notice until I read "St. Louis" in the description for an event in June. They already have Dec. 15, 2018 on their calendar as opening day. Owned by Peak Resorts that has two ski areas in Missori, three ski areas in Ohio, Paoli Peaks in IN, Jack Frost/Big Boulder in PA as well as several in the northeast. The most recent addition was Hunter, which is in the midst of expanding terrain.
had a young guy show up to get the season pass his dad bought him at HV pa, pass was for HV NJ.
took a while to figure that one out.
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