- New Hampshire seeks $15 million more on top of $18 million already appropriated for Cannon Mountain tram upgrades.
- Cannon Mountain’s new General Manager says the publicly-owned ski area has a critical need for infrastructure updates beyond the tram.
- America’s next all-new aerial tramway will likely be built in Texas.
- Killington’s large new village development includes a real estate access chairlift.
- Pats Peak looks to replace the Hurricane triple.
- Mont Sutton plans to replace three aging chairlifts with one carpet load quad partially financed by the Province of Quebec.
- Le Relais, Quebec sells to new, local owners.
- Mt. Waterman goes on the market.
- Bogus Basin to auction chairs from two decommissioned lifts.
- Ober Mountain has chairs for sale for $200.
- White Pass proposes replacing Chair 4 with a fixed grip quad.
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replacing 3 lifts for 1 new at Sutton, eh? Well that might work. Probably would be best if it were a HSQ though?
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Seems a bit odd that they’re taking out the beginner chair. Maybe there will be a mid-station?
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I still don’t understand Cannon’s need for a new tram; the line would function well with a modern gondola. The decision/request to replace it seems based on nostalgia & questionable reasoning, like “maybe we can re-use infrastructure” or “trams are better in high winds”. These questions can be answered, and Cannon can get bids for all options. This is taxpayer money we are talking about here – why not go with the most functional & cost-effective option?
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you’re not wrong in that a gondola would be less expensive and more efficient. The pure financial argument would be that that local love and nostalgia, as well as city dweller interest, directly translates to visitors, and especially summer ones. Off season families buying stuff? Ski areas love that.
Resorts have longgg used flashy projects that might be heavily influenced by marketing angles, and it has often worked.
Trams specifically are unique and that is a big part of their popularity. The city of Juneau operates a modern tram exclusively for tourism, and Texas is building one. Alyeska built a tram to access their fancy restaurant and run into the night. The Sandia Peak tram in NM has been spun-off from the ski area and makes the lions share of its profit from sightseers. Cannon is looking to do some of the same. It’s close enough to major metros that a splashy tram would be similarly viable.
It has a higher potential ROI than a Gondola. Definitely takes good management to realize that investment, but the core of the argument vs a gondola is almost always to better capture non-skier traffic. Of which there is a lot in the NE.
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That’s a fair point – I guess I didn’t extrapolate that the overwhelming public interest would indeed be tied to extra revenue.
I’m just coming at this as an avid skier…the tram doesn’t run every day, and when it is, waiting for it can be a drag. I’d take a new fancy gondola every time. I seem to be in the minority here though!
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Yes, the tram runs weekends only during the height (but not all) of ski season, but it runs seven days a week Memorial Day through mid-October… So the priority is it’s summer operation over winter… I’d love for them to run it more during winter. Until Covid, it ran Friday-Monday during the winter.
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If Sutton is replacing those three chairlifts with one, it seems like their footprint is going to shrink on the western edge once again
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As stated in the article by the commissioner of DRED – I can’t bring myself to say Cultural & Natural Resources ;-) – revenue from the tram is crucial to the Parks being able to sustain themselves. As Ryand1407 stated, it’s a different experience and the only other in New England is at Jay Peak. If you want a gondola ride, Loon is just down the road.
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