History Saddleback Maine (ski resort)

1 history

1.1 1990s
1.2 2000s: ownership berry family
1.3 2010s: new ownership
1.4 seasonal closing
1.5 majella ownership

history

former owner john christie, former general manager warren c. cook, , meagan roberts.


the 1990s

through 1990s, ski resort s prior owner, donald breen, engaged in protracted dispute conservation advocates on appalachian trail corridor, runs across ridge @ top of ski resort. breen settled dispute national park service, manages trail, in 2000, , in fall of 2003, breen sold of resort berry family, $7.5 million.

the 2000s: ownership berry family

the berry family built new base lodge, 6 new trails, , new quad chairlift (the resort s first new chairlift in 30 years) in 2004.

in 2007, maine land use regulation commission approved saddleback s 10-year development plan, calls major expansion of lifts, trails, vacation homes, , other facilities.

in summer of 2008, second quad chairlift built replace kennebago t-bar @ top of ski area, along new trails. kennebago quad dopplemayr quad chairlift has replaced kennebago t-bar, , services 15 trails , glades. new chair provides easy , faster access spectacular high-elevation advanced terrain incredible views of lakes , western maine mountains.

in 2009 new yurt built @ base of kennebago quad lift. equipped heat, power, , composting toilets. offers hot , cold beverages, soups, chowders, sandwiches, , snacks.

a 40-acre (160,000 m) glade area, casablanca, cut between muleskinner , black beauty 2009-10 ski season.

in 2010, 2 new pisten bully snow groomers added mountain s fleet of groomers.

during summer of 2010 new glade area cut between jane craig , professor. section unnamed.

since purchase in 2004, terrain has been increased on 44%, snowmaking increased on 85%, grooming fleet has been replaced, , rangeley chair has been upgraded , lengthened can accessible base lodge. new lodge has been built, along 3 new condominium complexes, , mountain saddleback s real estate office known saddleback village.

the 2010s: new ownership

in december 2012, berry s announced saddleback mountain sale. of 400 acres of land, mountain sold $12 million, include ski trails, lifts, base loge , surrounding 121 condominium units. however, family still hopes retain 7,600 undeveloped acres around ski area. later, saddleback entered lease/purchase agreement oquossoc cove marina.

seasonal closing

during summer of 2015, saddleback owner, mark berry, announced in release ski resort not open 2015-2016 season unless outdated , slow rangeley double chairlift (gmd mueller) replaced; costing them $3 million. 4,717 rangeley chairlift not transport enough people mountain should , creates long line @ base.

berry stated ...we’ve been actively seeking necessary financing replace chairlift, time running out.

we have few weeks make work. in order open winter, need order new lift august.

it unknown whether mountain open or not. year progressed 2016, saddleback officials said not opening february school vacation week, keeping patrons concerned , sending future of mountain uncertainty. though not yet declared saddleback, joey morton, local rangeley doubts mountain open @ winter season. furthermore, lack of snow winter , uncertainty of saddleback s opening affects local businesses , town of rangeley.

majella ownership

since berry family not able replace rangeley double chairlift in 2014 , 2015, mountain , lifts have sat idle. on june 28, 2017, announced austrialian majella group had purchased saddleback berry family. bill , irene berry wished new owners luck. majella group has contacted doppelmayr, has begun survey, engineering, , design work. announced rangeley double chairlift replaced new fixed-grip quad chairlift can handle 1,500 riders per hour , cupsuptic t-bar replaced new wind-resistant t-bar can handle 1,200 riders per hour. when new lifts installed , completed, saddleback feature 1 of newest lift systems in of new england. far, majella group has been successful in managing saddleback, unknown if saddleback reopen 2017-18 ski season or following season. however, when new lifts installed , completed, saddleback reopen sometime in near-future.