Author: Peter Landsman

Wildfires Impact Ski Areas Across the West

Peter Landsman10 Comments

As snow falls across the Rockies, resorts closer to the Pacific continue to deal with drought conditions and wildland fires. Most immediately threatened is California’s China Peak from the 153,000 acre Creek Fire. “We are aware that the fire has reached our mountain and a strike team is working hard to manage the flames and protect structures on the base area,” said a statement from the resort last night. “Employee housing has been damaged, but we have no other information at this time.” China Peak operates a total of six fixed grip chairlifts.

Eight different National Forests in California shut down to the public effective 5:00 pm on Labor Day due to extreme fire danger. Mammoth Mountain and Snow Summit are among those temporarily suspending mountain operations in partnership with the Forest Service.

In Oregon, a fire ignited within the Mt. Hood Meadows boundary on Monday. Meadows fired up the Stadium Express for firefighters, who were able to contain the blaze to a few acres without damage to lifts or facilities.

The Mt. Hood National Forest is now closed to the public. Timberline Lodge has suspended outdoor operations until further notice (skiing on Palmer Glacier ended August 30th this year.)

In Washington, Crystal Mountain remains largely inaccessible due to fire-related road closures.

On the good news front, the Medio Fire near New Mexico’s Ski Santa Fe is 90 percent contained and the Bridger Foothills Fire threatening Montana’s Bridger Bowl has been slowed by wet weather.

Please keep firefighters and resort employees working to protect ski areas in your thoughts during this challenging time.

News Roundup: Perfect

Peter Landsman13 Comments

News Roundup: Endless Winter

Peter Landsman9 Comments

News Roundup: 2020 and Beyond

Peter Landsman12 Comments

Nordic Valley to Debut Six Passenger Lift

Peter Landsman29 Comments

The once sleepy ski area in Eden, Utah will grow dramatically this winter with the addition of a high speed lift and new terrain. Leitner-Poma of America will supply the yet-to-be-named six place chair, which will move 2,500 skiers per hour and service approximately 50 acres of terrain the first season.  When completed, the expansion will more than triple skiable terrain with 300 new acres. “The pioneers who started Nordic Valley dreamed of sharing this amazing terrain,” said Brandon Fessler, Nordic Valley general manager. “Our team has worked hard to realize that dream, and we cannot wait to share it with our guests, our friends and our neighbors this winter.” The lift will rise 1,400 vertical feet in just 4.2 minutes with a slope length of 4,213 feet. It will become the first six passenger lift built by Leitner-Poma in Utah.

Fast-growing Mountain Capital Partners took over operations of Nordic Valley in 2018. This expansion project will be located entirely on private property, though more lifts could eventually be added on Forest Service land at higher elevation.

MCP is also partnering with Leitner-Poma to add a base-to-summit Telemix at Arizona Snowbowl this summer.  The two projects combine to form the largest lift investment in North American skiing for the 2020/21 season.  While some resort groups have paused expansion capital due to the pandemic, Mountain Capital Partners and select others continue to forge ahead.

Nordic Valley expects to open the new six passenger lift early this winter, increasing its vertical drop by 65 percent.

Two New Detachables Coming to Holiday Valley Resort

Peter Landsman11 Comments

Western New York’s Holiday Valley will build high speed lifts each of the next two years on the heels of $2.9 million worth of investments in 2020.  Next summer, a realigned high speed quad will replace the Yodeler fixed grip quad and the mountain’s first six place chairlift will follow in 2022.  The second project will replace the Mardi Gras Xpress, a key out-of-base workhorse constructed in 1996.

Holiday Valley is privately owned by a small group of shareholders.  “We have a long range plan and are able to continue moving forward on resort projects,” noted General Manager Dennis Eshbaugh in a statement.  “We are thinking positive about the future and we hope that by continuing to invest in this community, it will help stimulate the economy and instill confidence in others to follow suit.”

No manufacturer was announced for the new lifts.  Holiday Valley currently operates a high capacity fleet of eleven quads from the Doppelmayr and CTEC families.