Mountains

[Smuttynose]

Developer buys Loon land
By LORNA COLQUHOUN
Union Leader Correspondent

Lincoln ? The developers of an upscale project at the base of Loon Mountain have purchased nearly 300 additional acres for its planned South Peak Resort.

Texas-based Centex Destination Properties, a developer of high-end second homes and resorts around the country, has been gearing up plans for Lincoln, which coincides with expansion at the Loon Mountain ski area.

Earlier this week, Centex closed on the purchase of 290 acres from Loon Mountain Recreation Corp., and officials say it will move the project forward.

The sale price was not disclosed.

"The closing on this land is an important milestone in our development of South Peak Resort at Loon," said Ed Brisson, vice president of northeast development for Centex Destination Properties. "We will execute our planned groundbreaking this fall for the Riverside Terrace area of the resort and can then continue with the balance of our resort plans."

Work is already under way at the development. Earlier this year, 54 housing lots were offered on the market and sales, officials report, went well. The initial Riverside Terrace units, which range from 1,200 to 1,900 square feet with configurations of two to four bedrooms, will overlook the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River and be located next to the J.E. Henry trail, open to foot and bike traffic.

Centex's master plan calls for developing more than 900 housing units of single homes, resort condos, condo hotels and townhouses.

The company had planned to develop up to 1,400 vacation homes at the Killington, Vt. ski area, but earlier this month bowed out of that project to concentrate on Loon.

The housing development coincides with expansion plans of Loon Mountain, which expect to complete the long-awaited South Mountain project next year. It will include a new base lodge on that side of the ski resort, as well as the high-speed Lincoln Express 4-person chair lift. The South Mountain plan was tied up for more in than 15 years before the U.S. Forest Service approved it in 2001.

"We couldn't be more pleased to see the South Peak Resort project move forward with this final land purchase," said Rick Kelley, general manager at Loon Mountain. "With our new South Peak mountain expansion scheduled for the 2007-08 season, we will be providing an enhanced experience for skiers, riders and winter sport enthusiasts.

"With Centex Destination Properties, we will realize our long-held vision of a first-class resort community at Loon Mountain. They have a proven track record to make South Peak Resort a success."

 

[themissinglink]

Investigation continues into how chair fell from N.H. ski lift, causing man to plunge 20 feet, authorities say - The Boston Globe

Representatives from the lift manufacturer and tramway inspectors were on the scene Monday, officials said.

www.bostonglobe.com

New Hampshire authorities continue to investigate after a man fell 20 feet at Attitash Mountain on Sunday when the ski lift chair he was riding on crashed to the ground, according to a Monday statement from the office of state Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey.

 

[Lrfox]

Investigation continues into how chair fell from N.H. ski lift, causing man to plunge 20 feet, authorities say - The Boston Globe

Representatives from the lift manufacturer and tramway inspectors were on the scene Monday, officials said.

www.bostonglobe.com

This was kind of crazy. Attitash was where I learned to ski and remained "my mountain," until I was in college. I remember watching them airlift the poles for this into place when they were cutting Bear Peak and adding the lifts. And as someone with a mild fear of heights, I've always nervously inspected the clips on the detachable lifts, wondering how there aren't more accidents like this one.

 

[themissinglink]

New Hampshire ski resort Ragged Mountain put up for sale after 60 years of operation - The Boston Globe

A listing for the resort, located in Danbury, N.H., was posted by CBRE Golf & Resort Group.

www.bostonglobe.com

 

[themissinglink]

Loon Mountain expansion plans move forward with proposal to add a fourth peak to ski resort - The Boston Globe

The proposal is the latest step in the New Hampshire's ski area's 10-year plan for capital investment.

www.bostonglobe.com

The Loon Mountain ski resort submitted its official proposal this week to develop a fourth mountain peak that would add 280 acres of skiable trails to its property that sits above Lincoln, N.H.
The proposal received a necessary procedural approval from the US Forest Service and still faces more than a year’s worth of environmental assessment permits and design approvals before it can move forward.
The area Loon wants to develop sits on the west side, closer to Interstate 93, of its current three-peak property and is comprised of mostly federal land already zoned for ski usage and some privately owned land.
South Peak Resort, which owns the private portion, is on board with the plan. The project represents a significant addition to Loon’s “Flight Path: 2030” expansion plan. In addition to the trail increase — 145 acres of traditional trails, 135 acres of glades — the plan includes four lifts, a summit lodge overlooking Lincoln town center, and a mid-mountain lodge.
Including 272 acres of skiable terrain called Black Ridge the mountain plans to open in 2027-28, the new skiable acreage would increase Loon’s total to 955 acres, a 137 percent increase. The resort said in a press release that the plan to include the fourth peak stems from the original vision of the resort’s founder, Sherman Adams, the former governor of New Hampshire.

 

[Lrfox]

This is a pretty massive expansion. It's got to be one of the largest additions of lift-serviced, on-piste terrain in New England for decades (Sugarloaf's Bracket Basin is bigger, but no lifts, all backcountry). It's a welcome addition for a resort that has some of the worst crowding issues in the region. Especially on weekends.

 

[Arenacale]

I will admit that when I first saw "Loon Mountain plans to add fourth peak" in my half-awake state this morning, my first thought was, "Wow, building another mountain is going to be expensive!"

 

[BronsonShore]

This would make Loon the only New England mountain to directly abut a village center, like so many mountains in the West do. In Aspen many of the lifts dump you right onto the city streets. New England skiing has always been majorly lacking in this regard.

 

[Lrfox]

This would make Loon the only New England mountain to directly abut a village center, like so many mountains in the West do. In Aspen many of the lifts dump you right onto the city streets. New England skiing has always been majorly lacking in this regard.

Technically, it's already directly abutting the village center. Or at least, no less than it will be if/when the terrain expansion happens. The Escape Route trail dumps out right at the parking lot at the Cooper Memorial Drive bridge into the village. The Timbertown Quad opened in 2023, so there's currently easy access (on foot, even) to the trails right from the village center. This new proposed expansion doesn't really improve that connection much apart from just adding a lot of new terrain that will be accessible from the same spot.

A separate, and slightly older (2024) proposal for a Pulse Gondola connecting the Riverwalk Resort to the Timbertown/Escape Route area will really connect the village in a way that might actually get people heading from hotels/restaurants/bars, etc. to the slopes and back without getting in a car. That would be an extremely unique experience to New England. The closest thing we currently have to us right now is the faux (but great) village at Tremblant.

It's not a fantastic ski area, but Cranmore would be an outstanding candidate for a village-base area lift. North Conway is a great little, walkable center already (Lincoln will need work to improve the pedestrian experience around the gondola), and the lift itself wouldn't be too long (shorter than many existing gondolas and lifts on local mountains). An Okemo to downtown Ludlow connection could be great too. But apart from those (maybe I'm missing some), I don't know how many other places there are in New England that have a village center close enough to the trails to make it happen.

 

[BronsonShore]

Technically, it's already directly abutting the village center. Or at least, no less than it will be if/when the terrain expansion happens. The Escape Route trail dumps out right at the parking lot at the Cooper Memorial Drive bridge into the village. The Timbertown Quad opened in 2023, so there's currently easy access (on foot, even) to the trails right from the village center. This new proposed expansion doesn't really improve that connection much apart from just adding a lot of new terrain that will be accessible from the same spot.

A separate, and slightly older (2024) proposal for a Pulse Gondola connecting the Riverwalk Resort to the Timbertown/Escape Route area will really connect the village in a way that might actually get people heading from hotels/restaurants/bars, etc. to the slopes and back without getting in a car. That would be an extremely unique experience to New England. The closest thing we currently have to us right now is the faux (but great) village at Tremblant.

It's not a fantastic ski area, but Cranmore would be an outstanding candidate for a village-base area lift. North Conway is a great little, walkable center already (Lincoln will need work to improve the pedestrian experience around the gondola), and the lift itself wouldn't be too long (shorter than many existing gondolas and lifts on local mountains). An Okemo to downtown Ludlow connection could be great too. But apart from those (maybe I'm missing some), I don't know how many other places there are in New England that have a village center close enough to the trails to make it happen.

When I said this expansion would bring the mountain directly the village I was thinking more of (a) actual base infrastructure directly adjacent to the bridge as opposed to just a parking lot and (b) the gondola being built, but you're right.

And yes, North Conway is a much better village than Lincoln. The problem with Cranmore is the mountain is pretty small time. Either Cranmore needs to be built up around North Conway, or Lincoln needs to be built up around Loon. If either one of them can pull it off in the near future (I think I've read about a Cranmore expansion, but it sounds more like a dream than a plan) then it could be a boon. I think there is a real thirst in the northeast -- including NYC -- for carfree winter vacation destinations that combine skiing with dining/shopping/culture, but for some reason no mountain in New England has been able to put it all together.

 

[Lrfox]

When I said this expansion would bring the mountain directly the village I was thinking more of (a) actual base infrastructure directly adjacent to the bridge as opposed to just a parking lot and (b) the gondola being built, but you're right.

And yes, North Conway is a much better village than Lincoln. The problem with Cranmore is the mountain is pretty small time. Either Cranmore needs to be built up around North Conway, or Lincoln needs to be built up around Loon. If either one of them can pull it off in the near future (I think I've read about a Cranmore expansion, but it sounds more like a dream than a plan) then it could be a boon. I think there is a real thirst in the northeast -- including NYC -- for carfree winter vacation destinations that combine skiing with dining/shopping/culture, but for some reason no mountain in New England has been able to put it all together.

Fair point. It was hard to tell from that rendering in the Globe what the new base area would look like and if it would be closer to the bridge, but presumably it would be pretty substantial considering the amount of new terrain which would be an upgrade over the status quo.

I completely agree re: Cranmore. They're not a serious ski area, even by New England standards. They have a "dream" to expand to Black Cap, but they're currently investing a lot into improving their base area. The Black Cap expansion would bring them from 1200 vertical feet to between 1800 and 1900, which puts them closer to the big leagues (in the realm of Attitash, Pico) rather than the likes of Berkshire East or Ragged. That's pretty major change.

I do think there's an appetite for being able to park the car at the hotel (or take a bus from Boston/NYC) and not have to touch it again until you're ready to head home. Anyone who has experienced it in Quebec, out west, or in Europe knows how much of a difference maker it can be in terms of the overall experience. Even with the new terrain/base area and the gondola, Lincoln/Loon need to work to improve the pedestrian connectivity. It's still a sea of parking lots and car-centric facilities. North Conway needs less work (really just a lift connection to the base), but Cranmore needs to dramatically improve its terrain in order for it to really thrive.

It's interesting that NE resorts sort of seem to understand how valuable a village can be, but nobody has quite executed it well in New England. Stratton, Sugarloaf, Stowe, etc. have all attempted some village-esque development around the base, but nobody has fully nailed it. Again, Tremblant is the model in the East for success on that front. Loon and Cranmore have the advantage of built-in real villages if only they could capitalize. Seems like Loon is close.

 

[commuter guy]

Another ski area that has floated the idea of a gondola to their faux town center is Waterville Valley. It's tiny but, if built, it would technically allow one to park the car and enjoy a skiing weekend without driving after arrival.