Interesting piece on a small hill for sale in VT.

http://snowboarding.transworld.net/photos/vermont-ski-resort-sale-just-950000/#I6TGLKVGmgMUxdoh.97

Only 95 miles from Boston.  Not functional since 2000.  That means the lifts can't be certified based on being grandfathered in some way.  An old trail map in the Virtual Tour shows 2 chairlifts on 10 acres, 841 ft vertical, but eventually there were 16 trails.  Interesting that the CT real estate agent has info on a Maple Valley website.  

http://www.maplevalleyski.com/projects

http://www.maplevalleyski.com/about

"SKIING:  Sugar Mountain’s face consists of 16 trails, half-pipe, 2 chairlifts, a T-bar and tube lift.  Trails range from beginner to expert.  The longest trail is 1 ”“ ½ miles with over a 1,000 feet vertical drop.  Trails can be lit up for night skiing, unique to the area. There are 2 Hall chair lifts, the south lift is 4000’ and the north lift is 3,000’.  Although there is no representation to their condition, the foundation of these lifts exists. The T-bar and tube lifts are at a lower section of the mountain near the lodge. The slope behind the lodge, serviced by the T-bar, has been analyzed as perfect for 1 or 2 half pipes.  A new owner could forgo the expense of operating the lifts and just use the low maintenance tube tow and T-bar for tubing and build a simple half pipe for boarders."

Makes me think of Tenney in southern NH, which should re-open for the 2017-18 season.  The property was bought with no expectation of re-opening the ski area.  But circumstances changed and the current owners worked very hard with the full support of the local community to get both lifts certified and did lots of repairs to the snowmaking system and buildings related to the ski area.  Have big plans for the rest of the property for other development.

I dont have time to do the comparison, but if they're asking $950k for this place, how much is Timberline worth?

I grew up in a small town north of Boston in the 1950s.  That was before snowmaking, grooming, and interstate highways, like I-91 and I-93.  It took 6+ hours to get to Stowe and 4+ to get to Cannon or Wildcat.  Loon, attitash, killington, Waterville, Mt. snow didn't exist yet.  Areas like Maple Valley in southern VT and NH did fairly well in that era, if there was natural snow.  Generally there was.  The 50s  were a big decade for New England snow.  Now the climate is warmer, there's less snow and interstates allow fast and easy travel to better skiing further north.  IMHO you'd have to be a fool to buy Maple Valley at any price.  Maybe for some other purpose, but not for skiing.  

I have to agree with Denis: 95 miles from Boston is too far. Watchusett is just 56 miles; Sunapee, 101; and Waterville, 126. Too much good competition for another small hill in that area.

Denis wrote:

I... IMHO you'd have to be a fool to buy Maple Valley at any price.  Maybe for some other purpose, but not for skiing.  

Not even as another White Grass style ski area? If it had the food, character, and characters of WG, it could do well at higher latitude and close to Boston.