Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain Files for New 6 Pack Bubble Chairlift
Act 250 proposal calls for construction beginning in spring for 2015-16 opening.
Sunday, March 15, 2015, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Southern Vermont's Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain submitted an Act 250 application on March 11, 2015 for permission to install a new high speed detachable six person bubble chairlift. The lift would replace the 30 year old Barnstormer triple chairlift in time for the 2015-16 season at an estimated cost of $7.3 million.
The Hermitage Club received unanimous approval for the lift at the August Wilmington Development Review Board meeting.
According to documents filed with the state, the lift would be a 700 HP Doppelmayr model. The new lift would follow the same line as the Barnstormer, but would require a waiver on high elevation bird habitat construction restrictions.
Since being sold to private developers by the former parent company of Mt. Snow, numerous plans for the main lift have been suggested, including a top to bottom installation, a gondola, and a chondola (six person chairlift - six person gondola combination). In 2012, the 27 year old Barnstormer triple chairlift base terminal was relocated to make way for a new main lodge.
If the state permit can be obtained, construction could start in May of 2015 for a November 2015 opening. The lift is expected to have 88 six person bubble chairs, a dramatically faster line speed (cutting ride time from 15 to 6 minutes), and a chair storage barn at the bottom.
The proposed chairlift at the once troubled Haystack ski area comes after years of significant investments, including two new quad chairlifts, new snowguns, and a new 80,000 square foot base lodge.
