With the recent news that Silver Mountain Resort owner JELD-WEN is seeking to sell its only ski resort property (along with a host of other sites), reasonable questions are being asked: does this mean that we might finally see some skiing expansion at Silver? Without question, the focus must now turn back to the mountain after years of new condominiums, a new indoor waterpark, and the nine-hole, unfinished Galena Ridge golf course. I hope to outline a few ideas that, while bold, might make Silver Mountain more competitive as a destination resort.
1. Master Plan: Create a roadmap for lift expansion. Time and time again, the greatest downfall of the resort is its outdated, inefficient lift system. Frequent closures, maintenance problems, and evacuations have in the past put the resort's safety record in question. Lift replacements would form the most important aspect of the plan.
a. replace Chair 4... and rename it. The slowest lift on the mountain, Chair 4 is also the oldest. Throw in a Doppelmayr CTEC high-speed quad, and you've got one of the inland Northwest's better terrain pods. And while paying homage to your resort's roots is a pretty sick thing to do, let's face it; "Jackass" just doesn't cut it when your resort is attempting to be more family friendly.
b. lift-served access to Wardner Peak. The resort's finest expert terrain is located in a hike-to area. And not a very difficult hike, either. Let's bring in a t-bar and start offering access to the less-adventurous.
c. replace Chair 2. Arguably the most important lift on the mountain, Chair 2 accesses the terrain park and much of the resort's available intermediate terrain. Let's replace it with a Doppelmayr CTEC high-speed quad and extend it down the mountain about 500 linear feet. This will allow for a more important amenity...
d. add a secondary access point. While the idea was thrown around in the early 2000s, it never came to fruition. In order for Silver Mountain Resort to be viable as a destination alternative, it must add a secondary access point in the Alhambra Basin. This will allow for increased ski days, dramatically increased vertical drop, increased acreage, and the possibility of a second base area village. I would recommend a Doppelmayr CTEC high-speed six-pack due to the heavier chairs (allowing for operation in higher winds) and overall higher capacity that will be necessary on days when the Gondola is closed.
e. revamp the first access point. The new haul rope is a good first step. Now I want to see completely new Doppelmayr CTEC cabins and at least $2 million in refurbishing work. Let's get the gondola up to standard for the next ten to fifteen years.
2. Master Plan: On-Mountain Services. Silver is currently lacking in quality on-mountain food and beverage services and other amenities. Create a plan to manage future growth.
a. remodel/replace the Mountain Haus. It's a Silver Mountain fixture. But it's become old, outdated, and simply too small. Add a two- or three-story lodge housing skier services, food and beverage services, ski patrol, and the mountain learning center. Create a more efficient lunch experience with a wider variety of options and flavors.
b. add a mid-mountain lodge. Somewhere in the Chair 4 basin would be ideal--for example, at the base of the above-proposed Wardner Express high-speed quad.
3. Master Plan: Operations. Silver Mountain Resort needs to be open seven days per week. In addition, keep Silver Saturdays in place as they bring in a wide regional clientele.
4. Master Plan: Re-grading. The resort should explore removal of cat-tracks and old logging roads in order to create a more consistent fall line. This will keep the skier entertained instead of constantly skating on flat surfaces.
5. Marketing. So you have a resort, but you don't market it at all? No wonder you're being sold. Market, market, market! At least try to compete. Release a provocative advertisement slamming one of the other local resorts. Or focus on the genuine nature of Silver's vibe. Something. Anything.
a. Name Change? Hate to say it, but "Silver Mountain" is perhaps the most generic and oft-used moniker in the ski industry. Perhaps change it to something more local and unique. "Kellogg Peak Mountain Resort" sounds enticing.
More to come soon...
Sunday, November 7, 2010
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