RANGELEY – After five long years, Saddleback Mountain is preparing to welcome guests back to its beloved slopes this winter. The scheduled opening date is Dec. 15.
While there is still plenty of work to be done, it has been a busy and productive summer. After years without use, nearly everything on the mountain needed work.
“Our operational team has been more than a little busy since February,” Director of Marketing Doc Tulin said.
To prepare for the upcoming season, they expanded the grooming fleet with the addition of a new snowcat and had all other cats, including the one for terrain features, tuned up and readied to get back out on the trails.
After clearing five years of undergrowth from the slopes, the team also built a new road to the top terminal building and lift tower, installed a new high-speed quad, and began renovations on the base lodge.
The renovations will more than double the lodge’s capacity, allowing for expanded retail and dining options, including a new pizza station and an expanded bar area. The new layout is designed to capitalize on spectacular views of the mountain and its surrounding landscape.
One of the unforeseen benefits of this work being done now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, is that it also helps position the mountain for a safe season this winter. The interior is being planned out with social distancing and traffic flow in mind, and the building has been outfitted with a new, state-of-the-art HVAC system.
Tulin expects adjustments to be made to food and beverage service and programming as the season gets underway, but the team remains focused on creating a positive experience for new and returning guests.
Even though the mountain’s closure in 2015 left a deep hole in the local community, both socially and economically, there has been an overwhelming positive response to the re-opening announcement.
“In a word, it’s been fantastic,” Tulin said. “This community has a very bright future as a year-round tourist destination, with so many four-season offerings. There is a spectacular lake right in town, world class fishing, snowmobiling and now, they have their mountain back.”
Still, the work continues. In order to be ready in time for the first winter flurries, they must complete the lodge renovations and lift installation, recruit staff, and ramp up ticket sales.
Season passes are already available on the Saddleback Mountain website but they are offering a ‘Pass Buyer’s COVID-19 Assurance Guarantee‘ in case there is a delay or disruption to the season. Either way, Tulin said, they’re ready.
“The experience here will be about great snow, a super fast lift, increased snowmaking and superb guest service, regardless of what adjustments have to be made,” he said.
