Save the Whale

[deadheadskier]

There was actually a fair amount of people using that lift on Wednesday when I drove by about 4:30.

But man is it a shame that the Double likely never runs this year and they've made so little snow. I bet Storrs Hill has made more snow and Storrs is FREE

 

[Newpylong]

They are broke. I don't think they have any working compressors anymore. They leased a bunch of Demacs instead of using the working fans we had. They don't have anyone who knows how to make snow, or manage a ski area for that matter. The place is a lost cause, I don't see how operations can be sustained past this season. Nearly all of the snowmaking, lights, and the double needs to be replaced. The buildings needs work. You could drop $2M and not know where it went. A suitable buyer who wants to open their wallet is the only path forward. The place needs to be modernized and more efficient to survive. They need one cook in the kitchen, not a board of directors

 

[urungus]

UNVERIFIED post on r/icecoast …. Not seeing anything on whaleback facebook/website

 

[urungus]

I just called them and it is true, chairlift running tomorrow !!

 

[chuckstah]

I might have to go Sunday and give them some Indy support. Great news.

 

[deadheadskier]

With most of Cannon on wind hold , we decided to come to the Whale today now that the chair is open.

While it's heartwarming to see the lift back running again, it's another disappointing day again here because Whaleback has perhaps the lamest, most conservative ski patrol in New England. Basically there's 4 short options off the top skiers right and then 1 down low as the main lower route is closed for a Masters race. None of the good blues or blacks are open despite tons of snow.

Yes the ungroomed snow is manky and difficult to turn in, but at least a few of these trails should be open. Once enough people go down them, they'd be fine. Maybe open Jonah's and once that gets sufficiently skied in, open Jaw Bone or the face. Little by little, trail by trail, you'd get things opened up.

I'd give them a pass, but this has happened so many visits for me here. They need a culture shift in Ski Patrol. If this place is gonna survive without begging for donations, they need to deliver a product people will want to return to.

Sucks because I love the vibe and terrain here.

 

[deadheadskier]

Did finally end up opening Jonah's, but the whole mountain could be open.

 

[urungus]

With most of Cannon on wind hold , we decided to come to the Whale today now that the chair is open.

While it's heartwarming to see the lift back running again, it's another disappointing day again here because Whaleback has perhaps the lamest, most conservative ski patrol in New England. Basically there's 4 short options off the top skiers right and then 1 down low as the main lower route is closed for a Masters race. None of the good blues or blacks are open despite tons of snow.

Yes the ungroomed snow is manky and difficult to turn in, but at least a few of these trails should be open. Once enough people go down them, they'd be fine. Maybe open Jonah's and once that gets sufficiently skied in, open Jaw Bone or the face. Little by little, trail by trail, you'd get things opened up.

I'd give them a pass, but this has happened so many visits for me here. They need a culture shift in Ski Patrol. If this place is gonna survive without begging for donations, they need to deliver a product people will want to return to.

Sucks because I love the vibe and terrain here.

Hope you stuck around .. rope dropped on Belly Up and Jawbone around 12:30

 

[bigbob]

62K views · 629 reactions | FIRST CHAIR!!!!! | Whaleback Mountain

FIRST CHAIR!!!!!

www.facebook.com

 

[Newpylong]

Won't last long unfortunately, no snow was made off the top, or on the T-Bar for the most part.

 

[doublediamond]

Now they need a new haul rope for the double and are begging for more money.

Competence would've recognized the need for one soon and fundraised for it with the gearbox as one main revitalization project.

 

[deadheadskier]

Do they have a fund going for the eventual replacement? I wonder how much longer they can keep hanging on with the double?

 

[urungus]

A previous donor posted the following on r/icecoast two days ago, said they received email

Whaleback needs to raise $350,000 before next winter and $175,000 of that by next month.

“The repairs required to reopen the chairlift were significant and completely depleted our cash reserves. At the same time, we have Herculean tasks to complete in the Here & Now. We must get through the low-revenue summer months, complete annual maintenance on our lifts and snowmaking systems, and begin planning for an important next step: replacing the chairlift cable. These are not optional investments. Without them, Whaleback cannot remain open.”

https://whaleback.networkforgood.co...MjI1MjY=&utm_campaign=dms_email_blast_4601407

 

[AdironRider]

Now they need a new haul rope for the double and are begging for more money.

Competence would've recognized the need for one soon and fundraised for it with the gearbox as one main revitalization project.

Or it would have such an unrealistic ask for one year of fundraising and they would have been guaranteed NELSAP.

I'm not going to argue they are the best operators in the world, far from it, but this is the road a non-profit charity ski area is going to be on. It is always going to be hand to mouth.

 

[Newpylong]

The haul rope has been a known issue for the better part of a decade. Instead of beginning the discussion (and fundraising) to replace the double they wasted everyone's time by bringing various vendors onsite brainstorming on how to replace it with 2-3 T-Bars knowing full well that would mean the end of the facility for anything but race development. Most recently they spent precious funding and time putting in yet ANOTHER surface lift over 3 years instead of requiring the donor who forced this on them to direct this money towards maintaining existing lifts or replacing the double. Now they are going to have to pay for a $100K haul rope for a lift that is already end of life.

It does not have to be this way at all. Look at how successful the non-profit operators in Maine (for example) have been. UVSSF is a group of people that not only have zero ski industry experience but have repeatedly refused to hire any paid staff that does. Human capital is just as important as monetary capital. That is a disastrous combination that has yielded what we see today: a terrible on-hill experience, reactive critical infrastructure repairs, no long-term planning, dwindling community support, etc and so on.

The only path forward for this group is to sadly admit they are unable to realistically operate the facility any further and to actively try to find another owner/operator. A potential deal with Indy fell through last fall.

 

[eatskisleep]

I wonder why the deal with Indy fell through… stubborn ownership?