Waterville Valley Formally Announces Green Peak Expansion
The new trails will be served by a refurbished triple chairlift this winter.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Waterville Valley formally announced plans to open the long awaited Green Peak expansion this winter. Waterville Valley Resort CEO and New Hampshire Gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu scheduled a formal announcement this morning at the ski area.
First approved by the United States Forest Service in 2013, the $2 million project will add 10 trails spanning 45 acres. The World Cup Triple will be relocated and installed on the new peak by SkyTrans. Originally a 1986 Albertsson-Stadeli installation, the lift was rebuilt with a new drive and line equipment by Doppelmayr in 2000. The Green Peak installation is expected to be 4,380 feet long by 1,011 feet vertical.
The World Cup Triple haul rope was removed and spooled about a month ago, while chairs were disassembled in July. A lift survey line was cut on Green Peak in 2015. The new terrain is expected to be mainly novice and intermediate and to be covered with snowmaking.
NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com News first reported the lift disassembly in June and the new trail clearing last week.
Sununu and Waterville Valley came under fire this week after the Union Leader alleged one of his investors had ties to an Islamic charity that had been investigated for providing money to terrorists. The paper claims Yacub Mirza has a 14.1% stake in the resort. Gubernatorial opponent Ted Gatsas quickly attacked Sununu based on the claims published in the paper.
Sununu has stated that his family owns the controlling shares in the resort and has a dozen or more investors with non-controlling interests. Sununu said at a press conference that the "slanderous allegations" against his investor "were discredited seven years ago."
The Gubernatorial candidates square off in a televised debate tonight, ahead of the September 13 primary election. Sununu purchased Waterville Valley in 2010, the same year he won his first New Hampshire Executive Council election.
