Greek Peak Conditions

Greeks drive in movie theater opened yesterday. My understanding is it's a huge hit. Nice work GP 👍

Any announcement on mountain improvements?

The only improvements to speak of include the 50 snow guns they purchased from Killington. The installation of Windham‘s used chair to replace chair three will not be occurring this summer.

How badly do they need that chair?

They need to replace Chair 3 badly.

Why do they need to replace badly?
I can see for lessons to a degree but don’t think it’s a bad thing it runs  slow for that reason. Isn’t it one of their most reliable lifts?
Why mess it up. Now if they ran chair 2 to the base it would relive traffic on 1a. But that drops you in kind of a bad place. I just think they could find better use for it, maybe open new terrain someplace.

As an instructor I know chair 3 intimately. It's got several problems. It's chairs are small so adult beginners find it harder to load.  Its a bit slow.. It breaks down too often, although it's been easily fixed. It's very noisy. It's brakes scream. Lines form on crowded evenings and weekends. But it's biggest problem is that its only got two speeds: dead stopped and full speed. We can't slow it down to make it easier to load beginners, small kids and disabled skiers without completely stopping the lift. This means it's constantly stopping which annoys and reduces time on the slope during lessons. I have had one hour evening school lessons where we've only done 2 runs because we spent so much time hanging on the lift. Its so bad that I have had beginner skiers tell me they are scared of the thing and want to stay on the carpet lifts.

So it's gotta go. Sooner rather than later. If you ask anyone who teaches they'd tell you the same.

Rj1972 wrote

The only improvements to speak of include the 50 snow guns they purchased from Killington.

Awesome. I'll take it. The more POW the better 👍

campgottagopee wrote

Rj1972 wrote

The only improvements to speak of include the 50 snow guns they purchased from Killington.

Awesome. I'll take it. The more POW the better 👍

Absolutely! The more guns, the merrier.

I’m a little disappointed that the Windham chair is not going in, as it would definitely help beginners with social distancing, depending upon what requirements are placed upon ski areas next season. All of the permits are in place and the engineering study is done.

Rj1972 wrote

I’m a little disappointed that the Windham chair is not going in, as it would definitely help beginners with social distancing, depending upon what requirements are placed upon ski areas next season. All of the permits are in place and the engineering study is done.

I understand the hesitation. We don't even know if we'll be able to ski or not, right?

A little disappointed? More like highly disappointed here. That thing has been rusting out on Alpha for two winters. Another year of rusting is going to do it no good, not to mention that skiers ask why there is a junkyard over there. It looks like crap. It takes up space. And chair 3 will now be 50, yes 50, years old this year. It's an archaic junky chair that would have been replaced if we really cared about about growing the sport with new boarders and skiers. Even previously bankrupt places in south central Pa have multi speed beginner chairs installed 20 and 30 years ago. A friend of mine who enjoyed his stay last January commented on how dated Greek looks these days in comparison. He was a long time Greek skier who moved south and hadn't skied here in 20 years but is retiring soon. He's got deep pockets and would be the kind of customer who'd buy a condo and seasons passes. But he noticed the slow, dated lifts, the dissembled pile of metal next to Alpha, the potholed parking lot, missing lights, and abandoned A frame lodge. He asked me if the place was financially viable.

What would you say to this guy?

I'd say that he's correct. The years of neglect certainly show. I'd remind him to look at the other hills in CNY and make his choice from there. If he likes hills in PA or the Cats better then that's where he should ski. I'll stick with the best terrain in CNY and applaud whatever yearly improvements we get as it's been a while since we've had them.

That's what I'd say.

What did you say?

Basically that Greek has better terrain  and new owners are making improvements as they can afford them, after years of capital neglect.

He was surprised that new owners didn't replace management with new blood after bankruptcy.

He wasn't impressed too much with the bulk of the private homes and condos across the street..... more old and dated buildings of average, at best, construction quality. His opinion is that the place needs millions in hill investments to compete for long run. He's from DC and compares Greek not to Lab and Song, but Bristol, Whiteface, Gore, Camelback, Liberty, Whitetail, Timberline WV and Snowshoe WV. They are all about the same drive time for him. He also compares CNY economically to all the places he's lived, and thinks it's stuck in a long term slide in both population and income, which to him means that Greek has to attract more skiers from DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, NJ & NYC, Richmond VA, because the local population and incomes are not increasing much.

We talked quite a bit about Greek. He loved the terrain and empty slopes, but the empty slopes and lift situation worries him when he talks about buying a home here. I can see his point of view...

Completely agree that there's much that needs to be done at our beloved. I still would remind your friend that it took 50 years to run the place into the ground. It will take some time to get her back, but, we are moving in that direction.

I don't know why anyone would hit GP if Gore / WF are the same distance away. You can't compare northern NY hills to us. Can't be done.

Camp is correct in that nothing competes with Greek Peak in the region (or south through the Pocono's) in terms of the variety of terrain it has. The uncrowded slopes and lack of lift lines keep us at the place, albeit we seem to be spending more and more time elsewhere.

John Meir has now owned Greek Peak for about seven years, and while the improvements made the first year stood out compared with other years, he continues to incrementally invest in the resort. I am a little concerned that they purchased a used lift from Windham, and it's going to sit in Parkathon for yet another year rusting when they truly could have used it, but it is what it is. As Camp indicated, we don't even know what this ski season will even look like.

Since we are now printing money and giving it away maybe GP can get millions every year like WF & Gore.

Wouldn't that be sweet.

Greek Peak did apply, and received stimulus funds, so that should help somewhat.

He skis Greek over others also  because of drive time and he visits friends and family around here.

He thinks current owners investment has stalled and incremental improvements are not sufficient.  Again lifts and dumpy appearance  concern him. And small suv swallowing potholes in parking lot. Which I find silly.

Dougski wrote

He thinks current owners investment has stalled and incremental improvements are not sufficient.  Again lifts and dumpy appearance  concern him. And small suv swallowing potholes in parking lot. Which I find silly.

I can't say that I disagree.

Rj1972 wrote

Dougski wrote

He thinks current owners investment has stalled and incremental improvements are not sufficient.  Again lifts and dumpy appearance  concern him. And small suv swallowing potholes in parking lot. Which I find silly.

I can't say that I disagree.

I don't think anyone would disagree until the money comes from their pocket. Coming from zero improvements, as a local, I'll gladly take all the improvements they put out there. I'm not going anywhere soon. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.