The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Sunday River's New 'Chondola' Tops Long List of Upgrades

November 26, 2008 - NEWRY -- I don't have to sugarcoat things, because I have sweet news for Maine skiers and riders: new lifts, trails and serious snow-making upgrades have me excited about this ski season.

Surely you have heard the chatter, perhaps even the helicopter overhead, as Sunday River's state-of-the-art "Chondola" was flown into place. This hybrid eight-passenger gondola interspersed with six-passenger chairs (sharing the same high-speed cable) will change the flow from South Ridge base to the top of North Peak.

Whether you choose to ride the Chondola's open-air six-seater or get in a separate line and remove your boards for the confines of a gondola cabin that holds eight, you will be lifted 1,150 feet in a swift, seven-minute ride (6.96 minutes, if you want to get specific) to the North Peak summit.

"As we near completion on construction of the Chondola, it's an exciting reminder that we have moved from the planning phase into reality," said Dana Bullen, general manager for Sunday River. "With the Chondola, guests can ride one lift to North Peak instead of two – cutting overall travel time down by more than half."

The Chondola is expected to open during the Christmas holiday week at Sunday River. As a bonus, it brings twilight skiing until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, plus holidays.

With the Chondola's price tag of $7 million and capital investment totaling $14 million this season, Sunday River has the biggest headline in New England skiing this winter.

Boyne Resorts, which bought Sunday River and Sugarloaf last year, has also upgraded snow making at both Maine resorts with an eye to being first to open at Sunday River (mission accomplished on Oct. 30 this season) and last to close at Sugarloaf.

I frankly love this seasonal assault; it's brilliant to bookend these once resort rivals so that Maine might claim the longest ski season in New England, from October to May.

At Sugarloaf, snow making gets a 20 percent boost, with 75 new snow guns plus a new snow-making pipe to the summit. Sugarloaf's terrain parks have been shuffled around and made over.

Haywire hosts a new advanced Terrain Park, while Whiffletree has a new "Skybound" beginner park since the Turbo Tubing has been moved near the Base Lodge.

The Yard has been transformed into a snowboarder and skier-cross course called "Sidewinder" designed by Seth Wescott with live-timing so you can race the 'Loaf's Olympic gold medalist. Tree skiers will find three newly marked glade trails.

Sugarloafers will also notice general "tidying up" as the mountain received new signs and lift shacks (not to be confused with a new lift), and the beach area in front of the base lodge has a new look.

While Sugarloaf received $5 million compared with Sunday River's $14 million, including a new lift, it's fun to have these dollars and improvements coming to Maine slopes.

Boyne is not alone in bringing bucks to Maine. Saddleback gets a new quad chair to its 4,120-foot summit, removing the rickety old T-bar that kept all but advanced skiers and snowboarders from reaching the top. Three new expert trails – Frost Bite, Black Beauty and Artula – have been added to Saddleback's mountaintop terrain, and the scenic 3.1-mile America trail has been improved for novices to enjoy Saddleback's peak scenery for the first time. (Beginners, be sure to exit right at the top for the easiest route down.)

Saddleback's new CEO is Warren Cook. You may recall that he was president and co-owner of Sugarloaf for more than a decade, so expect good changes here – while $40 lift tickets remain.

Saddleback is scheduled to open Dec. 13, along with Shawnee Peak and Mount Abram, which is under new ownership this season. This past summer, Matt Hancock, a former principal at Hancock Lumber, and Rob Lally, a real estate developer, purchased Mount Abram for $950,000 (from owners since 2000 Josh and Susan Burns).

Changes at Mount Abram include a new GM and mountain manager; plans are to expand the ski school and the lodges at the Greenwood ski area.

Shawnee Peak unveils a "Great Room," a window-lined atrium in the lodge with superb slope viewing and solar heat.

Shawnee's Lil' Pine Beginner area is 20 percent larger with a new carpet lift, and new novice glades have been cut. Improved snow-making efficiency is also on tap as new snow guns replace Shawnee's older technology to decrease energy consumption by 50 percent and improve snow quality.

EVENTS
Sunday River is open. Sugarloaf opens Friday and offers $25 lift tickets Saturday and Sunday when you donate three cans of food for Tin Mountain Round Up. I hope to see you out on the slopes.

HEATHER BURKE, Portland Press Herald, November 20, 2008


Lakes:
Regions:


Print this story

Email this story

return to Lake News