Lol! Someone needs to get ahold of Gandolf to kick Grima Wormtongue out of Magic, so it'll come back to life! )
I am sure King Hathaway will summon "Gandolf the Rusty Grommer" to vanquish Grima Wormtongue forever, and Elfin "Do Work" will resurrect all lifts to run for all eternity.....
Just to be clear, I'm not putting down Magic, I ski it annually with Trackbiker and thoroughly enjoy it. It's just those lifts remind me of the machinery you'd find in Isingard or Mordor. I think they used the missing parts from that one photo for the siege at Helm's Deep!
Got this in the email, not sure what the roadblocks are/were but in the case of Magic it's almost surprising there aren't more problems...
---------------------------------------------
Greetings from Londonderry Vermont.
Our 3rd Volunteer Day is scheduled for tomorrow and afterwards there will be Magic’s yearly Ullrfest gathering as sacrifices will be made for a snow-filled winter!
I wanted to communicate with our friends and customers on the status of the ski area purchase by our SKI MAGIC LLC investor group.
As alluded to in the last update two weeks ago, there have been some Due Diligence issues that we have been working through which has delayed the closing on the purchase of Magic by our investor group. A lot has been accomplished since then to resolve the issues before us.
The situation involved some permitting concerns but we have worked closely with the State of Vermont and we have a viable path forward. The important news is that Magic will be open this year and our transaction will be going through with the current ownership. We appreciate the cooperation of the state agencies, local and state elected officials, and current owners in working through these critical issues impacting the future of Magic.
Obviously time is ticking on the new season (snow is even in the forecast!), and we have much work to do for opening by December 17th. We will do the best we can in the limited time we have. There’s lift repair and maintenance as well as snowmaking repair and improvements which have, and will, capture much of our time and capital near-term. While Magic will not be perfect. Magic will be better. And, we have some dedicated future SKI MAGIC employees who have contributed, literally, a lot of time and effort already.
Season passes will go on sale immediately when we close on the transaction which is most likely to occur the week of October 31st. There are some new products designed to make skiing more affordable and accessible, so be sure to check them out. A new work-in-progress website will accompany our launch of these products as well.
In closing, thanks for your patience, and thank you for being a part of Magic’s incredible community and an important part of our future. Back to you soon when the purchase goes through!
What kind of permits do they need to get? New ownership wanting to restore the creek pump and/or fix the snowmaking pond?
Pretty close, has to do with the pond and some remediation that needs to be done. The remediation was generally agreed, but they had to work out an arrangement where the required work could be deferred until the Spring as there is no time to do it pre-freeze. Otherwise no deal, no Magic this winter.The latest Alpine Update shown above indicates that they have agreement and, pending a couple nit items, can now go to closing. This is really good news. From what I have seen in person (volunteer day #2 and a couple of hikes), heard via the grapevine and seen on social media, they have really accomplished a lot with very little time and, technically, without owning the mountain. If there really is a ULLR, then it should be a great season.
SAM Magazine— Londonderry, Vt., Nov. 23, 2016—Having been through its fair share of ownerships and plenty of uncertainty about the future, Vermont’s Magic Mountain has begun a new chapter. Ski Magic LLC, a locally based ownership and operating group, completed its acquisition of the classic New England ski area Tuesday, and plans to make immediate improvements.
“While the late closing of the purchase puts us a bit behind the 8-ball prepping for the new season, we’ve already made significant progress on lift repairs, snowmaking upgrades, and trail and glade clearing,” said Ski Magic president Geoff Hatheway. “Along with our large volunteer corps and soon-to-be employees pitching in, Magic will be open come December 17, better than ever.”
The new owners plan to execute a series of capital improvement projects over the next several years designed to improve the quality, efficiency, and consistency of Magic’s product and operating profile. This includes more than $2 million for snowmaking efficiency and expansion, better lift reliability, a new lower-mountain lift, and a better learn-to-ski environment to help attract young families.
The new operators will work with the state of Vermont on expanding access to water so the area can boost snowmaking coverage to 50 percent of its terrain. New low-energy snow guns have already been ordered for this winter.
“Magic has been one of Vermont’s best kept secrets,” said Hatheway. “But it’s time to let a few more people know about this alternative, some say ‘counter-cultural,’ ski experience, which harkens back to an era when Vermont skiing originally began to take off.”
It's not the Green/Phoenix. That lift is far far too gone for any sensible use. It's the return of the Little Chair.
Actually I believe this is referring to the Green/Phoenix lift. The crew that is repairing Red and Black believes they can get the Phoenix lift running without massive expense. Apparently looks can be deceiving! I also heard there are available spare parts etc. We'll see.
(This story is by Makayla McGeeney, of the Bennington Banner, in which it was first published.)
LONDONDERRY — It’s been an uphill climb, but now it’s all downhill.
With the sale of Magic Mountain Ski Area completed last week, it is scheduled to open Dec. 17 after being unoccupied since March.
A group of 16 investors, friends who grew up skiing together on Magic and around southern Vermont, make up Ski Magic LLC. The group made an offer to Magic Mountain Management in April. The sale was postponed several times but closed Nov. 21, according to a news release.
Ski Magic President Geoff Hatheway is working on repairing the ski lifts, doubling the amount of snowmaking and become a more consistent business. Referring to that last goal, he said inconsistency has made people think the mountain has been closed over the last few years.
“People don’t even know that Magic has made snow in the past. Well, it does,” he said. “It has for many years, but it’s just been very inconsistent because of operating budgets or lack of investment in terms of how many trails you can cover.”
Investing in the pump house, utilizing the latest snow gun technology for greater efficiency and repairing pipes that were laid in the 1980s are top priorities. The chair lifts have been undergoing repair to be up to code. There are two bottom-to-summit lifts — the red one with two-person chairs and the black one with three-person chairs — and two surface lifts for the tubing park.
Hatheway hopes to improve the area for beginner skiers by extending the tow handle. The terrain park will be expanded and a conveyor lift may be added next year.
He said he’s gotten to know the mountain’s operations from the inside over the last few years by serving as the former marketing director.
In Hatheway’s five-year business plan, he said he hopes to build the skier base from 20,000 visitors per year to 36,000 by accommodating 1 percent of southern Vermont’s market — roughly 1.7 million visits in a good year.
“If we’re at that level, the mountain isn’t crowded still, so the ski experience is still what we want it to be,” he said. “Nice open trails, freedom, you’re not worried about running into another skier. But yet, provides the revenue for us to be profitable on a very consistent basis. We’re able to either put more money back into the mountain for further improvements down the road or return money back to the investors. We’re going to run this like a business, but one with a very special character.”
About 50 percent of Magic’s employees will return after being laid off in the spring, and the others are new — consisting of community members or folks from southern Vermont, Hatheway said.
“People know that Magic has an unbelievable terrain area. If we can prove that we can be consistently open earlier, with more snowmaking on more trails, great grooming, combined with the raw terrain and the glades that we have and the steepness that we have, it really creates a special, unique place to visit,” he said.
The purchase agreement included a provision that the previous owners perform repair work during the due diligence phase, which included work on the 5,000-foot-long black triple chair. It had not been operated for the last two years due to insufficient money, Hatheway said.
Magic Mountain, spanning about 700 acres, was founded by Swiss ski instructor Hans Thorner in 1960. It formed the “Golden Triangle” in the 1960s and 1970s along with Stratton and Bromley mountains. Magic was bought by Bromley in the 1980s, later shut down by the real estate market downtown, and then re-emerged circa 1997.
"improve the area for beginner skiers by extending the tow handle"
That's not going to help. There's a reason why so few areas -- quite possibly only Magic and Squaw -- have a handle tow and nearly every area has a segregated beginner pod, the "bunny slope". Beginner skiers simply don't have the stamina to ski 1500 vertical in one run, even with breaks. Kids don't have the mental capacity to sit still for 13+ minutes to the top. And tows aren't the easiest to ride. I think priority #1 -- even before snowmaking -- is bringing back the Little Chair and developing a good learn to ski program. They will piss a good % of the market share away simply because they lack these vital facilities to growth.
"improve the area for beginner skiers by extending the tow handle"
That's not going to help. There's a reason why so few areas -- quite possibly only Magic and Squaw -- have a handle tow and nearly every area has a segregated beginner pod, the "bunny slope". Beginner skiers simply don't have the stamina to ski 1500 vertical in one run, even with breaks. Kids don't have the mental capacity to sit still for 13+ minutes to the top. And tows aren't the easiest to ride. I think priority #1 -- even before snowmaking -- is bringing back the Little Chair and developing a good learn to ski program. They will piss a good % of the market share away simply because they lack these vital facilities to growth.
The handle tow comment is a misquote from what I know. The plan for the beginner area next year is a magic carpet. The tow might then be used for a dedicated terrain park. The other thing being considered is to complete the Green/Phoenix/Mid-mountain lift so beginners don't have to go to the top (added benefit of early season opening and use by ski teams racing on Show Off).
I might have missed something, are these new drives for the pumps they are putting in?
They're VSDs for their existing pumps.
That would be something to see the Green lift finished.
Huge electrical savings when installing VFDs on old pumps. Instead of running flat out, they can modulate based on actual demand of the system. This should free up $$$ for other upgrades.
They are more beneficial to larger areas that frequently resurface. Places like Magic by nature are going to go all out laying base and then pretty much be done unless there is a large recovery event. 250 HP VSDs for a typical 600-1000 GPM pump are in the $15-25K range. I would have spent the money somewhere else but over the long haul they should provide payback, eventually. They have a sound plan they must show decent payback in their models or they wouldn't have done it.
Magic carpets are at about $80K on the used market.
But, now is a good time to try and find them since they have been around for awhile now and are atarting to come up on the used market as areas upgrade.
Thanks to all for their support of the purchase of this iconic throwback ski area gem by SKI MAGIC LLC just two weeks ago.
We have a big week ahead to determine if we can get open by December 17th, as we'd like to do. STEP 1: Snowmaking. New snowmaking machines were installed on the mountain--HKD Impulse 30' towers on all of Talisman steeps and on strategic locations at Trick/Magic Carpet intersection and Medium/Magic Carpet intersection! Then Monday-Thursday we will be installing new and refurbished pump motors in our main Pump House to give Magic more long-term snowmaking horsepower while connecting our new Variable Frequency Drives to improve the efficiency and control of our horsepower/water output. Our lake pump and new motor/VFD will also be installed this week. So significant capital investment in upgrading the snowmaking system should be ready for testing and then production by late week. That will gives about a week if we get cold temps (looking good right now) to get Magic a way down from the top. Hopefully mother-nature gives us an assist there with natural snow as well.
STEP 2: Lifts. Our work-horse Red Chair Lift has been undergoing maintenance for weeks and had its final line check last week prior to state inspection. Because of the diligence of our efforts, we found two assemblies that need to be repaired. Parts were quickly ordered for manufacture over this weekend and will be air-freighted overnight from the west coast Monday arriving here Tuesday. Every day counts with Opening Day on the 17th so no expense is being spared and if all goes well the Red Chair should be ready if snowmaking and weather cooperate. Now, the extra work on Red Chair this week, means that Black Chair work gets pushed back a bit. Still working to have it ready before the end of December.
We will continue to keep you posted, but every one at SKI MAGIC is busting their behinds to get this special ski area open as early as possible without sacrificing our commitment to safety and doing things right--no shortcuts! In addition, much work is being done on the lodge, so you may see some changes when you get here! To read more about the purchase by our SKI MAGIC group, click "Read More".
If it take them a couple extra days, so be it. Sounds like no matter what, they'll be standing about where they want to be by the time Christmas gets here.
Comments
I am sure King Hathaway will summon "Gandolf the Rusty Grommer" to vanquish Grima Wormtongue forever, and Elfin "Do Work" will resurrect all lifts to run for all eternity.....
(Sorry to mix/match AZ names on SJ)
MAGIC OWNERS COMPLETE PURCHASE, SET PLAN
SAM Magazine— Londonderry, Vt., Nov. 23, 2016—Having been through its fair share of ownerships and plenty of uncertainty about the future, Vermont’s Magic Mountain has begun a new chapter. Ski Magic LLC, a
locally based ownership and operating group, completed its acquisition of the classic New England ski area Tuesday, and plans to make immediate improvements.
“While the late closing of the purchase puts us a bit behind the 8-ball prepping for the new season, we’ve already made significant progress on lift repairs, snowmaking upgrades, and trail and glade clearing,” said Ski Magic president Geoff Hatheway. “Along with our large volunteer corps and soon-to-be employees pitching in, Magic will be open come December 17, better than ever.”
The new owners plan to execute a series of capital improvement projects over the next several years designed to improve the quality, efficiency, and consistency of Magic’s product and operating profile. This includes more than $2 million for snowmaking efficiency and expansion, better lift reliability, a new lower-mountain lift, and a better learn-to-ski environment to help attract young families.
The new operators will work with the state of Vermont on expanding access to water so the area can boost snowmaking coverage to 50 percent of its terrain. New low-energy snow guns have already been ordered for this winter.
“Magic has been one of Vermont’s best kept secrets,” said Hatheway. “But it’s time to let a few more people know about this alternative, some say ‘counter-cultural,’ ski experience, which harkens back to an era when Vermont skiing originally began to take off.”
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What's the new lower mountain lift?
Remember the Freedom pass gives you 3 days at Magic
http://www.snowjournal.com/discussion/931/new-magic-mountain-trail-map#latest
WITH SALE
COMPLETE, MAGIC MOUNTAIN COMES BACK TO LIFE
NOV.
28, 2016, 3:22 PM BY BENNINGTON BANNER LEAVE A COMMENT
(This story is by Makayla McGeeney, of the
Bennington Banner, in which it was first published.)
LONDONDERRY — It’s been an
uphill climb, but now it’s all downhill.
With the
sale of Magic Mountain Ski Area completed last week, it is scheduled to open
Dec. 17 after being unoccupied since March.
A group
of 16 investors, friends who grew up skiing together on Magic and around
southern Vermont, make up Ski Magic LLC. The group made an offer to Magic
Mountain Management in April. The sale was postponed several times but closed
Nov. 21, according to a news release.
Ski Magic
President Geoff Hatheway is working on repairing the ski lifts, doubling the
amount of snowmaking and become a more consistent business. Referring to that
last goal, he said inconsistency has made people think the mountain has been
closed over the last few years.
“People
don’t even know that Magic has made snow in the past. Well, it does,” he said.
“It has for many years, but it’s just been very inconsistent because of
operating budgets or lack of investment in terms of how many trails you can
cover.”
Investing
in the pump house, utilizing the latest snow gun technology for greater
efficiency and repairing pipes that were laid in the 1980s are top priorities.
The chair lifts have been undergoing repair to be up to code. There are two
bottom-to-summit lifts — the red one with two-person chairs and the black one
with three-person chairs — and two surface lifts for the tubing park.
Hatheway
hopes to improve the area for beginner skiers by extending the tow handle. The
terrain park will be expanded and a conveyor lift may be added next year.
He said
he’s gotten to know the mountain’s operations from the inside over the last few
years by serving as the former marketing director.
In
Hatheway’s five-year business plan, he said he hopes to build the skier base
from 20,000 visitors per year to 36,000 by accommodating 1 percent of southern
Vermont’s market — roughly 1.7 million visits in a good year.
“If we’re
at that level, the mountain isn’t crowded still, so the ski experience is still
what we want it to be,” he said. “Nice open trails, freedom, you’re not worried
about running into another skier. But yet, provides the revenue for us to be
profitable on a very consistent basis. We’re able to either put more money back
into the mountain for further improvements down the road or return money back
to the investors. We’re going to run this like a business, but one with a very
special character.”
About 50
percent of Magic’s employees will return after being laid off in the spring,
and the others are new — consisting of community members or folks from southern
Vermont, Hatheway said.
“People
know that Magic has an unbelievable terrain area. If we can prove that we can
be consistently open earlier, with more snowmaking on more trails, great
grooming, combined with the raw terrain and the glades that we have and the
steepness that we have, it really creates a special, unique place to visit,” he
said.
The
purchase agreement included a provision that the previous owners perform repair
work during the due diligence phase, which included work on the 5,000-foot-long
black triple chair. It had not been operated for the last two years due to
insufficient money, Hatheway said.
Magic
Mountain, spanning about 700 acres, was founded by Swiss ski instructor Hans
Thorner in 1960. It formed the “Golden Triangle” in the 1960s and 1970s along
with Stratton and Bromley mountains. Magic was bought by Bromley in the 1980s,
later shut down by the real estate market downtown, and then re-emerged circa
1997.
That would be something to see the Green lift finished.
But, now is a good time to try and find them since they have been around for awhile now and are atarting to come up on the used market as areas upgrade.