Base lodge renovations?

[random_ski_guy]

First of all, great to be talking about the mtn again rather than collecting ZZZZZs.

Three part thought and yes, I admit upfront this is a bit of a tall order.

Part 1: To provide a little relief on the mtn, it would be good to get a trail coming off Castlerock and arriving at either the top, middle or bottom of Lynx. This would provide a little relief on the Gatehouse chair bottleneck from skiers moving from Lincoln to Lynx or Mt Ellen.

Part 2: There is a nice large piece of land to work with atop the Gatehouse chair and it serves well as the cross roads between Mt Ellen, Lynx and Lincoln. Perhaps it makes since to construct a mid mtn lodge at this location with nice views looking south and east.

Part 3: Someday I'll get around to posting a doodle of this, but I would like to see a new beginner run cut from the top of the Gatehouse Chair running near parallel with Sleeper and eventually merging with Sleeper at the bottom. I have not walked the terrain, but when I scout it from the mtn and on maps it seems like it would be a much better run for beginners than Pushover. I believe a rather wide cruiser with tree isles for the first 1/2 could be tucked into this location. A little regarding might be needed at the bottom for the run out...not sure if that is worthwhile though. Anyway. as a father of a young family, I think Lincoln could really use another beginner trail. I mean really use it.

Okay, back to reality, its all about the numbers, numbers we cannot see...but its probably the case that the most viable scenario is to keep the VH lodge and renovate. Either that or demo the VH and add to the Gatehouse. Adding to the Gatehouse would likely require some creative ideas...for which I'll elaborate on another time.

[Ride Delaware ?]

I think a full service mid mountain lodge would be an excellent addition, but it would require some major $ to get the utility lines up there.

The North Peak Lodge at Sunday River is full service, and I can't imagine what the base lodge would look like during peak times without it. There are stacks of skis and snowboards all day. It also offers different food options than the base to differentiate. If all those people had to pack into the South Ridge and Barker lodges, it would be absolute mayhem.

[HowieT2]

I think there are utility lines both to the top of gatehouse and heavens gate base areas. Either would work for mid mtn lodge.

I know everyone's nostalgic about the valley house but I think if there was an easy way to use it for eating/drinking space, they would have done it already. Hawk probably knows about this better than I do, but it seems to me to be a disjointed old building that is not as spacious as it appears. The kitchen area must be limited in some way because they haven't fully utilized it since the gatehouse opened, despite the crowding.
And I still dream of new valley house lift that boards from the base.

As for the warren house, haven't heard a peep about what they are planning for there. A little surprised they didn't cut through to the 22 acre lot this summer.

[HowieT2]

When I was up last week I heard that Sam Ruperts was going up in flames. There was talk that the mountain was going to allow the Fire Dept. use it for training before they level it.

I vote 2 and 4 and replace the VH lift at the same time.

Vinyl siding on the Valley House???? UGGGG!

They should Also put a new lift from the Club Sugarbush/Sugarbush Inn corner all the way up to the shoulder at North Linx so we can connect all of the Sugarbush Properties including the village. Now that is a plan.

I think if anything financially they do one or the other but not both.

[Benski]

I think the first thing that should do is make the food in the valley house cafeteria offer different food than what is served in the gate house.

[southvillager]

Well, I took a quick look inside the Valley House today. It looks like they replaced the carpeting, and put in some additional tables. The large lower room is now furnished with wooden tables and bench seats. Maybe it was also painted, I am not sure. The little bar just above the Mushroom has bar stools lined up, but I don't know if they were in there before, or if they plan to run that bar this year. It looks like they did some carpentry repairs here and there also.

[WWF-VT]

Mt Ellen road is paved !!

[ThinkSno]

Much simpler solution to the GH crowds:

Improve snowmaking on the Out to Lunch Trail, and make it easier for folks to ski in/out of the SB Village.

Chez Henri, Pizza Soul, Mutha Stuffers, and Pine Tree Pub are all excellent on-mountain options.

Vinyl siding on the VH???? I think you meant the Wobbly Barn needs it.....

[HowieT2]

Much simpler solution to the GH crowds:

Improve snowmaking on the Out to Lunch Trail, and make it easier for folks to ski in/out of the SB Village.

Chez Henri, Pizza Soul, Mutha Stuffers, and Pine Tree Pub are all excellent on-mountain options.

Vinyl siding on the VH???? I think you meant the Wobbly Barn needs it.....

rice brook may help in that regard.

[slaw]

Any one know what a new lift costs? Thinking VH. Well over 1mm, 1.5mm my guess.

[Mt St Pipier]

Any one know what a new lift costs? Thinking VH. Well over 1mm, 1.5mm my guess.

SugarBowl put in a 1000' vertical fixed grip triple (which I think is what was talked for VH) for $3mm

[slaw]

Any one know what a new lift costs? Thinking VH. Well over 1mm, 1.5mm my guess.

Wow. Big cap ex.

[villager]

Why can't they move the old ski rental/ski school building that was in the sprung structure area (now located down by the snow making compressor building) up to the top of Gatehouse? Seems like that would be a great interim solution. They already have electricity up there and would just need some chem toilets (like at Allyn's) propane tanks, etc...

[ski_resort_observer]

Why can't they move the old ski rental/ski school building that was in the sprung structure area (now located down by the snow making compressor building) up to the top of Gatehouse? Seems like that would be a great interim solution. They already have electricity up there and would just need some chem toilets (like at Allyn's) propane tanks, etc...

lol...the easy answer is it's alot easier said than done. That building has been moved around the base area 4 times since ASC built it in the mid-90's as the sales office for the proposed Grand Summit Hotel. It was below VH lodge. When ASC decided not to build the hotel it was moved to north of GH Lodge, used as the Ticket/season pass office. When the LP developement came along it was moved to the temp area to the right of the big stairs where the Schoolhouse is. After the Farmhouse and the Schoolhouse was built it was moved to it's current location.

How would you propose to move it to the GH flat? Are you proposing food service up there? Just getting food, supplies and liquids uo to Allyns every morning is a hassle.

Compared to last century margins for most ski resorts are very thin. You need some sort of ROI if your going to spend a bunch of money.

In my mind the costs would be very prohibitive to moving that building up there plus the hassle of getting it up there.

[villager]

lol...the easy answer is it's alot easier said than done. That building has been moved around the base area 4 times since ASC built it in the mid-90's as the sales office for the proposed Grand Summit Hotel. It was below VH lodge. When ASC decided not to build the hotel it was moved to north of GH Lodge, used as the Ticket/season pass office. When the LP developement came along it was moved to the temp area to the right of the big stairs where the Schoolhouse is. After the Farmhouse and the Schoolhouse was built it was moved to it's current location.

How would you propose to move it to the GH flat? Are you proposing food service up there? Just getting food, supplies and liquids uo to Allyns every morning is a hassle.

Compared to last century margins for most ski resorts are very thin. You need some sort of ROI if your going to spend a bunch of money.

In my mind the costs would be very prohibitive to moving that building up there plus the hassle of getting it up there.

I was thinking a big helicopter, but I guess that would be pretty expensive. Any ROI would have to be from concessions so it might be too long of a payback (or $20 chili!!).