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[TALK SKIING & BOARDING IN THE SIX
STATES FORUM]
Ski & Snowboard
Preview 2007/08
11.14.07
New And Improved
This winter, a bunch of New England mountain resorts are
boasting new trails, terrain parks, lifts, snowguns, and, in several
cases, new owners. Here’s the skinny on what’s fresh on the slopes. (For
a complete listing of New England ski resorts, check out our page of
snowsports links.)
MAINE
NEW HAMPSHIRE
VERMONT
MASSACHUSETTS
CONNECTICUT
.jpg)
Photos: (Above) A
skier catches air at New Hampshire's Mount Sunapee. (Below) A rider
grabs a rail at a Mount Sunapee terrain park. (Mount Sunapee Photos)
MAINE
SADDLEBACK MOUNTAIN,
Rangeley – Projected Open December 15 – The big news for the
folks at Saddleback this year is the state gave them the thumbs-up to
get going on their 10-year plan to develop the ski area into a
four-season resort village with nine new lifts and associated trails.
Expect a lot of improvements in the next few years.
Maine Event: It’s good to be from Maine, especially when you ski
Saddleback. The state’s residents get to ski for just $25 on Maine Days
(Dec. 16, Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 2 and April 6).
SHAWNEE PEAK, Bridgton –
Projected to open in mid-December – This year, in an effort to
provide more snow in the early season and deeper snow for late in the
season, Shawnee Peak made a major investment in the highest-efficiency
snowmaking pump delivery system available. The new fully-automated
system will minimized power consumption, while increasing water pumping
capacity by 40 percent during optimal snowmaking weather. In addition to
the pump, Shawnee Peak is purchasing new tower guns, increasing its
total gun count by at least 15 percent. Most new guns will be located on
intermediate and beginner terrain. They’ve also widened the popular
beginner trail “Happiness Is” by 100 feet.
Birthday Bash: Shawnee Peak is celebrating its 70th consecutive
year in operation, and to mark the occasion they’ll hold a 70th
Anniversary Gala on February 2.
SUGARLOAF USA, Carrabassett
Valley – Now open – Sugarloaf was one of the Northeast resorts
acquired by Boyne USA in the offseason, and the resort’s new owners went
right to work, dropping $4 million to improve snowmaking capacity,
enhance grooming, get a new public transit system and expand and
renovate the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center. The resort's new guns are expected
to increase its snowmaking capacity by 20 percent. Also, beginning
skiers and riders will appreciate the addition of a magic carpet lift on
the east side of The Birches trail.
Dressed In White: Sugarloaf’s annual winter carnival
— White
White World Week —
will be held January 21-25. It includes zany events, theme parties and
just plain fun on and off the slopes.
SUNDAY RIVER, Bethel –
Now open – Purchased by Boyne USA in the offseason (along with
Sugarloaf and Loon), its new owners are spending $4.8 million to upgrade
the resort. Among the improvements are additional fan and low energy
snowmaking equipment, installation of a new magic carpet lift, extensive
refurbishments at both Grand Resort Hotels and the Snow Cap Inn and Ski
Dorm, plus new resort ticketing systems that will speed guest check in
and access to slopes. They have also considered adding night-skiing, but
that may prove to be a tough sell to hesitant Bethel politicians. Time
will tell.
Street
Sessions: For the Union Street Session Qualifier
at SR on December 22, 16 of the East’s freakiest riders battle it out
head to head under the lights at South Ridge for a spot in the New York
City bonanza against the top names in snowboarding. Eight spots are
invite-only. Eight others are up for grabs in the daytime pre-jam. How
good are you?
[TALK SKIING & BOARDING IN THE SIX
STATES FORUM]
NEW HAMPSHIRE
ATTITASH, Bartlett
– Projected open mid-November – Recently purchased by Peak
Resorts, Attitash is another New England resort undergoing big
improvements. The resort spent $2.5 million on snowmaking upgrades, a
lift extension on the Abenaki lift, two new grooming machines and
improvements to the Adventure Center Base Lodge. Also, Attitash plans to
have park elements on opening day as well as new features offering a
wider range of difficulty and excitement to their parks.
On-Snow Golf:
If you are part Bode Miller, part Tiger Woods, check out Attitash’s
on-snow golf tournament in March. And don’t worry if you suck, because
participants where costumes.
BRETTON WOODS MOUNTAIN RESORT,
Bretton Woods – Now open – New this season is the Wild West
Terrain Park, a freestyler’s dream. Located in the Wild West glade, the
Wild West Terrain Park will consist of all natural features, including
log rails, tree bridges, ledge jumps and more.
Cool Deal:
The resort’s adventure packages let you customize one gnarly trip. Pick
from a list of activities and amenities, including alpine skiing, ice
climbing, dog sledding, and capping it off with a bottle of wine and a
massage.
LOON MOUNTAIN, Lincoln
– Projected open is November 21 – Another of Boyne USA’s
offseason acquisitions, Loon opens New England’s newest terrain, South
Peak, in December. A generation in the making, South Peak opens with a
new high-speed express quad, three trails, a base facility and a
connector lift. The new terrain represents only 35 percent of the total
planned terrain on Loon Mountain that will open in subsequent years.
From the summit of South Peak, look west to Mt. Moosilauke, look north
to Cannon Cliffs, Mt. Lafayette and Franconia Notch, look down to the
town of Lincoln, where one feels like he or she may just ski right onto
Main Street. The three options down South Peak include two groomed runs
with snowmaking—Crusier and Boom Run, or the gladed trail, Undercut.
Head to skier's right for Boom Run. The wide expanse of the summit
narrows at the ledges as Boom Run turns into a classic New England ski
trail with twists, turns and intermediate steeps before the run out back
to the base. Head to skier's left for Cruiser. First cut in 1996, many
locals have been poaching fresh powder on this trail over the years. The
terrain is wide open, and this trail will have the best afternoon light.
It’s A Girl Thing: Droppin' In
Women's Weekend Snowboard Camp kicks off January 12.
.jpg) MOUNT
SUNAPEE, Newbury – Projected open late November, early
December - Mount Sunapee’s increasingly popular Freeride Zone will
boast a new $20,000 sound system this winter thanks to title sponsor
SoBe. This highlights a host of new features for snowboarders and
freeriders for the upcoming season. The SoBe Freeride Zone offers almost
a mile of pipes, jumps, spines, rails, boxes and hits. The new sound
system will stretch from top-to-bottom on Pipeline trail servicing the
entire park. A wireless microphone will make events and impromptu
sessions more fun and exciting. Snowmaking pipe was added to the
Eastside trail in the popular Sunbowl area. Eastside trail is rated more
difficult and covers almost 2.5 acres of terrain. With snowmaking,
another terrain park will be created on Eastside, which will complement
the SoBe Freeride Zone. The addition of 18 energy efficient snow guns
from Snow Economics will increase snowmaking production when making snow
in temperatures above 25 degrees. And Mount Sunapee will also introduce
a tubing park on South Peak this winter. The tubing park will operate on
weekends and holidays.
Champ Camp: On February 23 and 24, Olympic gold medalist and
two-time X-Games gold medalist Ross Powers brings his posse of pros and
a roster of the nation’s top instructors to Mount Sunapee for a two-day
camp that will propel young riders to that next level.
WATERVILLE VALLEY RESORT,
Waterville Valley – Plans to open November 17 - The resort set
about improving snowmaking and grooming projects in the offseason.
Waterville added twenty snowmaking tower guns and a new winch cat to
help groom the resort’s Sunnyside trails like the double black diamond
True Grit. Also, freeskiers and snowboarders get a revamped Street Hubba
in Exhibition Park featuring new stairs and all new rails and boxes.
We Jammin’: Check out the Transworld Trans Am Snowboard
Competition on January 5, a fun jam format on a specially-designed
slopestyle course.
VERMONT
KILLINGTON RESORT,
Killington - Projected open November 16 - Killington Resort
enters the 2007-08 ski and snowboard season with more than $5.3 million
in resort improvements and new programs to enhance the overall guest
experience. In addition, Killington is implementing new environmental
initiatives in an effort to reduce the resort’s overall carbon
footprint. Leading the list of improvements include upgrades to the
world’s most extensive snowmaking system; remodeled Long Trail Pub at
the Snowshed Lodge; a fresh look for select lifts and lodges with new
paint, furnishings and carpet; $2 million in owner upgrades to the
Killington Grand Resort Hotel and Spa; new kid’s Ski and Snowboard
School programs; new Burton Learn to Ride program and two new lift
access products, the Killington Countdown Card and the Killington/Pico
Express Card.
Dead
Presidents: On February 24, skiers and
snowboarders at Killington will compete in the Dead Presidents Rail Jam,
a competitor-judged rail jam that has to have one of the best names of
any event in New England.
MOUNT SNOW, West Dover –
Now open – Another of Peak Resorts New England offseason
acquisitions, the resort upgraded its snowmaking for this season by
investing roughly $3.5 million in fan guns technology.
Defy Gravity:
Kicking off February 29, Mount Snow's annual huge freestyle event, The
Anti-Gravity Grail, now encompasses three days.
OKEMO MOUNTAIN RESORT,
Ludlow – Projected open November 17 – This season, Okemo worked on
creating more terrain variety on alpine trails. In addition to allowing
a few of Okemo’s more difficult trails to take on more natural
characteristics by grooming less often, some trails will receive extra
grooming attention to create gradual swales with subtle fluctuations
that will make the snow surface more interesting. On the Lower Tomahawk
trail, a “FamilyCross” park will offer intermediate skiers and riders a
chance to enjoy a playful assortment of big bank turns, rollers and snow
mounds as they wind their way down the trail.
Let’s See What
You Learned This Summer: Okemo holds its annual
What I Learned This Summer Rail Jam on November 24. A chance to showcase
the tricks and style you learned in the offseason.
SMUGGLER’S NOTCH RESORT,
Smuggler’s Notch – Projected open November 23 - Smugglers' is
presenting skiers and riders with more glades this winter, bringing the
resort's total gladed area to more than 45 acres and 22 percent of the
total skiable and patrolled area. Some of the new gladed terrain will be
on skier's right off of the venerable Doc Dempsey's trail on Madonna
Mountain, a challenging mountain with classic New England terrain.
Beer Me:
Smugg’s will hold not one but two beer festivals this winter. Try the
finest local and regional brews at Brewfest Part One on December 8 or
Part Two on April 5.
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT, Stowe -
Projected open November 17 - The addition of a new inter-mountain
transfer lift, new trails, a new beginner area, new high-speed
detachable quads, new fully-automated snowmaking, new mountainside
residences, a new luxury hotel and a new Audubon Signature Sanctuary
mountain golf course has reinforced Stowe Mountain Resort’s position as
the East’s premier skiing, snowboarding and golf resort.
Turkey Bowling: Do you really need to know anything more? Stowe’s
34th annual Winter Carnival January 18 to 22 will feature a Vegas night,
ice-carving, square-dancing, broom hockey, and, yes, turkey bowling.
MASSACHUSETTS
BERKSHIRE EAST,
Charlemont – Projected open early December – Berkshire East
expanded their snowmaking, with more snowguns, pipeline and firepower.
They’ve also added a new tubing park and a nursery for the runts.
Beast At The
East: If you want one hairy run, check out
Berkshire East’s extreme trail The Beast, an extremely narrow and steep
trail that is one of the more difficult runs in all of New England.
BLUE HILLS SKI AREA,
Milton – Projected open December 15 – After last year’s warm
winter in which it struggled to stay open, Blue Hills enters this winter
with new management, new equipment, and a can-do attitude. The new team
has upgraded the double-chair lift, is acquiring a new 300-foot Magic
Carpet for the beginner’s area, new snowguns and groomer, and is
creating a new area for young kids to ski.
Yes We Can: The new management team at the Blue Hills is used to
working for its snow; they have also managed a ski area to the south, in
New Jersey. And they’re confident they can handle the weather challenges
of the Blue Hills by being aggressive in their snowmaking when the temps
take a dip.
JIMINY PEAK,
Hancock - Projected open November 17 - Jiminy’s terrain parks
have been re-vamped for the 07/08 season. Coyote Ridge has been moved to
Grand Slam where the spot of the old medium terrain park will be
lengthened for the new park. The park will continue to be called Coyote
Ridge in its new spot on Grand Slam. Returning guests will see a
familiar name on the former Coyote Ridge terrain park which will return
to being the Ace of Spades trail. Alex’s Park, located at the base of
the Grand Slam trail, has become the most popular park at Jiminy because
of its location. This year Alex’s Park is a large terrain park and now
has a Carpet lift. The small terrain park is now be on the 180 trail.
Mean Green Machine: This winter much of Jiminy’s energy will be
supplied by the new Zephyr wind turbine. The turbine is a 1.5 MW GE sle
turbine and is located on the west shoulder of the mountain, next to the
summit reservoir. The turbine will power Jiminy’s snowmaking system as
well as certain lifts, the core of the Country Inn, the Mountain Coaster
and more.
CONNECTICUT
WOODBURY SKI
AREA, Woodbury – Now open – Woodbury has improved
amenities, including a brand new redesigned snowboard and tubing park.
They also have numerous slides rails and two new Magic Carpet lifts.
[TALK SKIING & BOARDING IN THE SIX
STATES FORUM] |
