Quote:
Originally Posted by Descant
Small areas have not survived with out merging (Mittersill, Mt Rowe). Take a look on the web for "Lost NH Ski areas. Scores are closed.
|
Most of the lost ski areas in New Hampshire were small rope tow operations, which became obsolete with most skiers expecting snowmaking, grooming, and chairlifts. A few non-profit surface areas exist, thanks in part to donors, public funding, and volunteers, such as Storr's Hill (Lebanon), Kancamagus (Lincoln), Veterans Memorial (Franklin), Abenaki (Wolfeboro), Red Hill (Moultonborough), Prospect (Lancaster), Eustis (Littleton), and Arrowhead (Claremont).
Gunstock is unique, in that it is the only remaining ski area in Belknap County, and it can use the county's finances to keep it afloat in tough times.
Growth is not always a winning proposition in the ski industry, particularly if the ski area takes on significant debt and prices itself out of its core market.
In fact, the "build and they will come" mantra has led to many bankruptcies and closures in the ski industry. Over the years, examples of expansion-and-bankruptcy in the region include Tenney, Crotched, Temple, Ragged, and King Ridge. Other areas in the state have remained popular and viable without dramatically expanding their footprint, such as McIntyre, Pats Peak, and King Pine.