Green Peak Trail Clearing Nearing Completion at Waterville Valley
The new terrain is expected to debut this winter.
Sunday, September 18, 2016, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Work has continued at a feverish pace at Waterville Valley, as the ski area pushes forward with a tight timeline to complete its first large scale terrain expansion in nearly half a century.
Trail clearing commenced after the state issued an Alteration of Terrain permit on August 25, with a formal announcement of the project taking place on August 31.
While most of the trees have been felled, trails will still need to be excavated. At present, only Green Peak novice trail 51 has been smoothed.
Meanwhile, demolition of the Competition Center continues in preparation for the Green Peak lift installation. Once removed, the building site will be the location of the base terminal for the relocated World Cup Triple. No visible work has been done on the triple chairlift since towers were painted in place earlier this month. The chairs and haul rope were removed earlier in the summer. The towers, terminals, and communications line remain standing. While survey stakes are marked on the proposed lift line, no form or concrete work has taken place.
First approved by the United States Forest Service in 2013, the $2 million Green Peak 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.
While the trails and lift are being advertised as opening this winter, it is not known if snowmaking will be installed in time for the ski season. According to the Alteration of Terrain permit, no additional snowmaking water withdrawal will be allowed with the current expansion project.
Green Peak Phase 1 proposal map
The Waterville Valley base area (September 17, 2016)
The lower Green Peak trails (September 17, 2016)
The upper Green Peak trails (September 17, 2016)
The top of Green Peak intermediate trail 57 (September 17, 2016)
The bottom of Green Peak intermediate trail 57 (September 17, 2016)
Green Peak novice trail 4 (September 17, 2016)
The bottom of Green Peak novice trail 4 (September 17, 2016)
The top of the Green Peak lift line (September 17, 2016)
The middle Green Peak lift line (September 17, 2016)
The lower Green Peak lift line (September 17, 2016)
The Green Peak lift line (September 17, 2016)
The top of Green Peak expert trail 55 (September 17, 2016)
The bottom of Green Peak expert trail 55 (September 17, 2016)
The top of Green Peak intermediate/expert trail 54 (September 17, 2016)
The bottom of Green Peak intermediate/expert trail 54 (September 17, 2016)
The top of Green Peak novice trail 51 (September 17, 2016)
Green Peak novice trail 51 (September 17, 2016)
The bottom of Green Peak novice trail 51 (September 17, 2016)
South Street (left) and Green Peak novice trail 53 (September 17, 2016)
Green Peak intermediate trail 52 (September 17, 2016)
The bottom of Green Peak intermediate trail 52, top of Green Peak novice trail 4, and widened Lower Stillness (September 17, 2016)
