Anybody read the December issue of Powder mag yet? A couple articles address real estate development and expansion of ski resorts, the negatives, positives, and if ski areas can be saved (is it possible to keep MRGs around forever). I mean MRG did make Powder's list of mountains that have "big vert and big character". Any thoughts? I have a few, mostly negative....so i'll hold them for a later time.

Since MRG is owned by it's skiers I think it's unique ownership will ensure that it will around for a longtime. I do believe, however, that several of the small ski hills in the northeast will go out of business in the coming years. Over the years hundred's of small ski hills have bit the dust I see no reason for that not to continue.

The good news is that rate of "lost" local ski hills seems to have slowed quite abit in recent years. If ya have a keen interest in this subject and you haven't already, checkout the NELSAP(New England lost ski area project) web site, www.nelsap.org. Interesting stuff! New York and New Jersey were added a couple of years ago. If you have any info about a local hill in your area, Jeremy would love to hear from you.

MRG is a unique place, filling a unique niche. MRG is the only MRG, and as that they have their market, and they dominate it.
That said, I think as long as the co-op is financialy sensible, and they keep the right ballence between old school and new school, MRG will be arround for a long time.


Feeder hills are Feeder hills, there will always be a need for them, but I think there are to many, and many that are pointless even for a begining skier, as at resorts like SB there is a good a beginer could be moving up to some of the serious greens, even a blue in his or her first day.

Mike_451 wrote:

Feeder hills are Feeder hills, there will always be a need for them, but I think there are to many, and many that are pointless even for a begining skier, as at resorts like SB there is a good a beginer could be moving up to some of the serious greens, even a blue in his or her first day.

...dot the Syracuse area landscape. Absolutely packed with suburban families on weekends, local ski racing, weeknight school trips (hey, ski AND makeout on a school night....life doesn't get any better than that for a teenager). Once in a while the family takes it's school break trip to VT or out west.

Banging out laps on the 600 vert local areas.....almost can't do it anymore (except when a lake effect storm rolls in on a weekday....not many insatiable powderhounds in these parts.).

Quote:

Feeder hills are Feeder hills, there will always be a need for them, but I think there are to many, and many that are pointless even for a begining skier, as at resorts like SB there is a good a beginer could be moving up to some of the serious greens, even a blue in his or her first day.

As a Syracuse area native, I have to agree that feeder hills are the best! Where else can you drop your kids off or have them take the bus from school and get more skiing in than they can get at a major resort (without skipping school or being in an academy situation) As kids, we had race training every Tuesday and Thursday night (right John Atkinson?) and could free ski on Wednesday and Friday nights, then train all day on Saturday(when 'training' meant exploring in the woods, jumping t-bar and ropetow lines, in addition to the gate running) and race on Sunday. While small, many feeder hills have steep sections which can challenge even an expert skier. There will never be 'too many feeder hills'...think of how many there used to be! A lift ticket at a feeder hill is very affordable and offers families and individuals a chance to ski without breaking the bank. If you're sliding, you're having a good day, no matter how short or long the hill.

gotamagal wrote:

As a Syracuse area native

...you get to live full time in the MRV while I'm still a Syracuse inmate (other than the 75 days a year my head's gonna be on a pillow in the valley) ? Not fair, Gotama !