[Electric_City]

http://www.njherald.com/20170516/mountain-creek-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-plan-would-allow-debt-restructuring#

I hate to say it, but this place is falling apart. The bankruptcy seems to stem from the Sewer Authority.

That said, no "real" trails have been built since dickhead left.
No maintenance has been done besides refacing Dominion annually, leaf blowing and tree removal.
That soaring bird attraction hasn't ran (is it even there?) in 3 years?
The air bag isn't there anymore.
The b-ball court, soccer, football fields are all gone.
The water slides by the lift were shut down by the state and removed. Sat vacant for 2 years. Now it's just a pool.
That stupid Alpine slide hasn't ran in 2-3 years.
The mini golf courses look like they haven't been used in a decade or more.
Alpine, Domboo, Tempest, Salvation and Indy are meant to be groomed runs. Instead they're rockier than Ripper and Utah until about a month ago when they re-groomed Indy and did part of Tempest. There's word going around that a serious accident off that Tempest drop is what lead to this work being done. Unfortunately, this stuff should have been done twice a year for the past 5-6 years. Instead it was done once every 5-6 years!

I know that without any money it's hard to fix stuff. I get it. I also know that chapter 11 is to restructure the business. But man, they just keep closing stuff and falling into disrepair it seems.

 

[Westy]

I am glad I got to experience that place growing up when it was in it's Action Park heyday.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Park

 

[Jm_]

Make it Great Again

 

[dump]

The fatalities section of the Action Park wiki page is insane.

 

[jonKranked]

well they also let Marc go at the end of last year and replaced him with someone from winter operations.

 

[Westy]

The fatalities section of the Action Park wiki page is insane.

I remember seeing numerous drunken jersey shore types walking around with massive road rash and other open wounds from crashing on the alpine slides or other rides. I actually has some dipshit ram the back of my sled at the end of the alpine slide, his sled jumped over mine and gave me a pretty massive hematoma on my back.

 

[sundaydoug]

They just did a ton of work on both Tempest and Indycross, both of those are running prime. They also just built Upper Deviant, which is pretty mellow but still super fun. The only trails that really need some TLC are Alpine and parts of Breakout, but overall that place is running pretty mint. I've been a season pass holder for the last 8 years (I think?) and IMO it's in just as good a shape, if not better than it's ever been.

We should also note that the current operating ours are way better than in the old days. I rode from 2-7pm last night.

Also, who cares about the basketball courts and mini golf?

 

[canadmos]

I am glad I got to experience that place growing up when it was in it's Action Park heyday.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Park

Wow it comes full circle, I knew that name was familiar. Admittedly as a teenager I was a huge roller coaster/theme park nerd and the looping water slide was always referred to as crazy and dangerous. Not shocking reading this.

 

[Electric_City]

I've been there for 15 years. I've seen it in its prime. It's not prime. "Who cares about the...", it's not that I used any of it, but it shows that they either don't care, or are on their way out. Why not close the bike park during the week days? Or run limited weekends? This might seem useless to you, but it gave the wife and kids something to do if you opted to bring your family.

That "ton of work" you speak of has been needed for 5-6 years. My buddies are saying that's how Thunder is keeping their trails. They don't neglect them till they're washed out and shit.

 

[jonKranked]

I've been there for 15 years. I've seen it in its prime. It's not prime. "Who cares about the...", it's not that I used any of it, but it shows that they either don't care, or are on their way out. Why not close the bike park during the week days? Or run limited weekends? This might seem useless to you, but it gave the wife and kids something to do if you opted to bring your family.

That "ton of work" you speak of has been needed for 5-6 years. My buddies are saying that's how Thunder is keeping their trails. They don't neglect them till they're washed out and shit.

tl;dr -

jabba days = BITD

 

[captainspauldin]

That soaring bird attraction hasn't ran (is it even there?) in 3 years?
The air bag isn't there anymore.
The b-ball court, soccer, football fields are all gone.

I think they've been having wedding receptions at the red tail lodge and I imagine all of these things going on would be a distraction for weddings guests? That's my best guess as to why they removed or aren't running these anymore(or the air bag and soaring bird thing made no $$)

 

[jonKranked]

I think they've been having wedding receptions at the red tail lodge and I imagine all of these things going on would be a distraction for weddings guests? That's my best guess as to why they removed or aren't running these anymore(or the air bag and soaring bird thing made no $$)

i've heard this about the wedding receptions as well

 

[captainspauldin]

Yeah, I think they currently have 3 different wedding venues at Mountain Creek(Crystal Springs, Red Tail Lodge, and Minerals Spa/Hotel), maybe they think that will save them in the off-season? Either way, I rode mcbp yesterday and the trails from the middle of the mountain to the bottom were pretty beat up(alpine, domboo, breakout), but found trails from the top to middle weren't too bad for the most part.

 

[jonKranked]

Yeah, I think they currently have 3 different wedding venues at Mountain Creek(Crystal Springs, Red Tail Lodge, and Minerals Spa/Hotel), maybe they think that will save them in the off-season? Either way, I rode mcbp yesterday and the trails from the middle of the mountain to the bottom were pretty beat up(alpine, domboo, breakout), but found trails from the top to middle weren't too bad for the most part.

back at the beginning of they year i'd heard a rumor they'd be shutting the lift down during wedding ceremonies. glad that didn't come to pass.

but the weddings they host are big money.

 

[sundaydoug]

This might seem useless to you, but it gave the wife and kids something to do if you opted to bring your family.

Fair enough, good points. I live 20 minutes from the mountain and have industry pricing on a season pass, so as long as the lift is spinning I'll be there. I was talking to a buddy yesterday about how good I thought the conditions were, but I guess it's subjective.

 

[StiHacka]

That wiki page has legendary content.

 

[Electric_City]

i'd heard a rumor they'd be shutting the lift down during wedding ceremonies.

They did that last year once when I was there. It was very annoying. Again, putting us second to everything else.

 

[jonKranked]

They did that last year once when I was there. It was very annoying. Again, putting us second to everything that makes money.

Fixed.

 

[Sandwich]

Man, now would be a great time to open a bike park- Every podunk ski hill on the east coast.

Man, bike parks make NO MONEY- Every open bike park on the east coast

 

[jstuhlman]

Man, now would be a great time to open a bike park- Every podunk ski hill on the east coast.

Man, bike parks make NO MONEY- Every open bike park on the east coast

Just out of curiosity . . . (not counting Bailey as it is tiny, shuttles, is hoping to make $ off land/residential eventually, and is bike exclusively) and Thunder (I think), what other lift served parks on the beast coast offer nothing other than bikes in the summer? Even Beech has Yoga/Disc Golf/a brewery at the base?

 

[StiHacka]

Just out of curiosity . . . (not counting Bailey as it is tiny, shuttles, is hoping to make $ off land/residential eventually, and is bike exclusively) and Thunder (I think), what other lift served parks on the beast coast offer nothing other than bikes in the summer? Even Beech has Yoga/Disc Golf/a brewery at the base?

Thunder is a family resort, they have an extensive network of ziplines, that mountain rollercoaster and also rafting. Highland is bikes only. There's nothing else around, not even interesting beer.

 

[Sandwich]

Just out of curiosity . . . (not counting Bailey as it is tiny, shuttles, is hoping to make $ off land/residential eventually, and is bike exclusively) and Thunder (I think), what other lift served parks on the beast coast offer nothing other than bikes in the summer? Even Beech has Yoga/Disc Golf/a brewery at the base?

I've seen a few open some trails recently. Honestly the trails at greek peak in upstate NY look more attractive than the clapped out non-jump runs at thunder, but I just have to wonder- outside of the dedicated group of 9 trail builders who totally swear that there's a huge market for this, how can you have 7 DH parks within 3 hours of each other? Plattekill, mt creek, windham, greek, thunder, jiminy, killington, mt snow, whiteface, sugarbush, thunder....yeesh there's a lot in the area. Some of those are a stretch, but I just can't understand anybody opening a DH park in the area right now. If core places like Creek or Platty can't make it work, then how can others? Thunder is pretty dedicated to a "summer operations" sort of vibe, but weddings are expensive as fuck...and you don't have to clean the chairlift afterwards.

 

[jonKranked]

Thunder is a family resort, they have an extensive network of ziplines, that mountain rollercoaster and also rafting. Highland is bikes only. There's nothing else around, not even interesting beer.

Everyone seems to be ramping up summer ops because winter just isn't seeing the same ROI recently. I think part of it is just sheer expenses to travel these distances for a weekend anymore.

 

[jonKranked]

I've seen a few open some trails recently. Honestly the trails at greek peak in upstate NY look more attractive than the clapped out non-jump runs at thunder, but I just have to wonder- outside of the dedicated group of 9 trail builders who totally swear that there's a huge market for this, how can you have 7 DH parks within 3 hours of each other? Plattekill, mt creek, windham, greek, thunder, jiminy, killington, mt snow, whiteface, sugarbush, thunder....yeesh there's a lot in the area. Some of those are a stretch, but I just can't understand anybody opening a DH park in the area right now. If core places like Creek or Platty can't make it work, then how can others? Thunder is pretty dedicated to a "summer operations" sort of vibe, but weddings are expensive as fuck...and you don't have to clean the chairlift afterwards.

Just my $0.015 on platty.... Their resistance to change has only been to their detriment. Less on the trail side of things but moreso on the facilities side.

 

[Westy]

I for one blame millennials who expect the gnar to be shredded for them.

 

[BigBoi]

Do they still keep a bear in a small cage at the top? That was fucking brilliant

 

[fwp]

Mt Creek does offer lift access 7 days a week, with decent hours.
My local mountain is open 2 days a week, Bankers hours, 10-4, 10-5 or 10-6, depending on the month, weather permitting. Offers a handful of different trails down the mountain, Broken up enough to claim over 20 trails.
The mountain closes for bike races, and closes for multiple weeks to host spartan races
The lift is painfully slow, almost 10 minutes.

As bad as Creek may seem, its better than alot of other mountains.
Growing up in the 80's and 90's, I'll never complain about too many rocks. I'm just happy to have any lift access,

 

[G30RG3ryan]

http://www.njherald.com/20170516/mountain-creek-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-plan-would-allow-debt-restructuring#

I hate to say it, but this place is falling apart. The bankruptcy seems to stem from the Sewer Authority.

That said, no "real" trails have been built since dickhead left.
No maintenance has been done besides refacing Dominion annually, leaf blowing and tree removal.
That soaring bird attraction hasn't ran (is it even there?) in 3 years?
The air bag isn't there anymore.
The b-ball court, soccer, football fields are all gone.
The water slides by the lift were shut down by the state and removed. Sat vacant for 2 years. Now it's just a pool.
That stupid Alpine slide hasn't ran in 2-3 years.
The mini golf courses look like they haven't been used in a decade or more.
Alpine, Domboo, Tempest, Salvation and Indy are meant to be groomed runs. Instead they're rockier than Ripper and Utah until about a month ago when they re-groomed Indy and did part of Tempest. There's word going around that a serious accident off that Tempest drop is what lead to this work being done. Unfortunately, this stuff should have been done twice a year for the past 5-6 years. Instead it was done once every 5-6 years!

I know that without any money it's hard to fix stuff. I get it. I also know that chapter 11 is to restructure the business. But man, they just keep closing stuff and falling into disrepair it seems.

Not sure where you got your info, but almost every single thing you mentioned about the Bike Park is not true. The other stuff maybe, not too concerned about that though.
-Not sure what you consider "real" trails, but there have definitely been a few new ones built and most of the OG trails have been revamped over the years.
-Just about every trail gets touched up each season. Every once in awhile trails get a complete overhaul as seen recently in Tempest and Indy.
-There has not been any accidents on Tempest that caused it to be redone, it was just time for a refresher.
-All of those trails you mentioned have been re-groomed at least once a season, sometimes twice as you require. This year was a little bit different because of a smaller crew, but most trails have been worked on and work continues everyday until the park closes for the season.

 

[kidwoo]

I'm pretty sure Electric_City picked his username after being struck by lightning. He's good value.

 

[Electric_City]

Not sure where you got your info, but almost every single thing you mentioned about the Bike Park is not true. The other stuff maybe, not too concerned about that though.
-Not sure what you consider "real" trails, but there have definitely been a few new ones built and most of the OG trails have been revamped over the years.
-Just about every trail gets touched up each season. Every once in awhile trails get a complete overhaul as seen recently in Tempest and Indy.
-There has not been any accidents on Tempest that caused it to be redone, it was just time for a refresher.
-All of those trails you mentioned have been re-groomed at least once a season, sometimes twice as you require. This year was a little bit different because of a smaller crew, but most trails have been worked on and work continues everyday until the park closes for the season.

I respect you as a trail builder. I'm one too. I hear it from the riders, the bird watchers, hikers, geo cachers, search and rescue and fire departments, and the land owner/organizations/state/county I deal with. The trail's too steep, the trail's too hard, why does the trail meander instead of going straight, we call this section "X" why do you refer to it as "Y", the trail users scare the birds away, can't you close the trail to bikers?... I've learned to take it with a grain of salt. But I've also learned what's important to the users and what's just people bitching.

Im certain that you guys are busy all the time and you do what you can, with what you're given. Thank you. But there's no denying that Indy, Tempest, Alpine, Domboo and several others (like Waterboy) have been in need of some major TLC. Domboo is a green (maybe blue?) trail. That little rock drop takes you into washed out ruts and loose gravel, then head on into the middle of the berm. Those turns after Test of Metal are past due too. Why wait YEARS to reface smooth runs like indy and Domboo?

Fwiw, my favorite runs don't require as much love - Ripper, BMW, Utah (thanks for reopening this), Deceit... While we're at it, reopen Stigmata. But since I ride with a mixed bag of riders, I hit whatever we, as a group, decide on.

Just so you know I'm not all talk, I've sent a pm to you.

 

[Jeremy R]

Man, coming through when I did, and not having any close lift access in my area at the time was brutal. All the work I had to do and all I had to go through just to ride and race my DH bike at all was a challenge. Things like: Riding up in a hot shitty u haul truck with 40 other dudes in smelly ass dianese suits....having to build a dh course in two days with two other people with only a rake so we could race it the following weekend....driving 7 to 10 hours just to get to a decent resort with good tracks. It was all worth it though because this sport rules.
But to constantly see these newer riders complain about some trivial candy apple ass stuff like braking bumps and a few ruts on their groomed out bobsled run trails while they get to pick and constantly criticize which local bike park they are going to this weekend. Wow.
Deer Lowered, please help me not to choke them out, for they know not how shitty it can be.

 

[jonKranked]

Man, coming through when I did, and not having any close lift access in my area at the time was brutal. All the work I had to do and all I had to go through just to ride and race my DH bike at all was a challenge. Things like: Riding up in a hot shitty u haul truck with 40 other dudes in smelly ass dianese suits....having to build a dh course in two days with two other people with only a rake so we could race it the following weekend....driving 7 to 10 hours just to get to a decent resort with good tracks. It was all worth it though because this sport rules.
But to constantly see these newer riders complain about some trivial candy apple ass stuff like braking bumps and a few ruts on their groomed out bobsled run trails while they get to pick and constantly criticize which local bike park they are going to this weekend. Wow.
Deer Lowered, please help me not to choke them out, for they know not how shitty it can be.

i too remember those days. back when there were only maybe 4 or 5 resorts in all of new england offering lift access riding.

 

[mykel]

I'm with JeremyR - bunch of whiney assed poseur-bois.

When I started riding, there was NO lift access ANYWHERE. You could not buy a mountain bike because they were not available in any retail establishment. If you did not build your bike out of whatever you could beg, borrow or steal, you simply did not ride. CharlieKelly and the boys were not the first to do the mountain thing, it was happening all over, they were in the right place at the right time. Huge respect for getting us mainstream.

Trails were either game, hiking, moto, or something we hacked out of the bush to connect the first three into something a bit more bike oriented. (Ever tried to ride your bike on a real outdoor motocross track? Parts can be a huge blast, other parts - not so much ) with the end result being something we could ride with the absolute minimal amount of climbing going mostly downhill.

My first time at a lift serviced resort was like I had died and gone to heaven.
And it is at our 750 foot "local" hill about 3.5 hours away.
Other than Blue(ontario), the closest lift riding is 8+ hours away.


In other words - quitcher bitching.

 

[Electric_City]

Man, coming through when I did, and not having any close lift access in my area at the time was brutal. All the work I had to do and all I had to go through just to ride and race my DH bike at all was a Things like: Riding up in a hot shitty u haul truck with 40 other dudes in smelly ass dianese suits....having to build a dh course in two days with two other people with only a rake so we could race it the following weekend....driving 7 to 10 hours just to get to a decent resort with good tracks. It was all worth it though because this sport rules.

This is why we pay to play. Otherwise I'd just stick to trails I ride for free.
Dickhead used to BRAG on here and Hcor about 400 riders showing up for a day. That car wasn't granted to him either. There's money being made somewhere. "If you build it, they will come" hold true. That's why people are going to K-mart and Thunder now. Don't build a groomed run and not maintain it for years on end. Then in one week fix it up and think it's good to go for another 5 years. Flow trails is what put Creek on the map. Isn't this what makes Whistler the biggest park in the world? Groomed, flowy, jump trails? Isn't A-line the most recognized trail in the world of mountain biking? This is why Platty suffers, unfortunately. People don't like steep, loose and above the norm trails. This is also why your raked-deerpath-through-the-woods trails didn't make it either.

OH well, we'll see what happens in a couple years when the place is sold again.

 

[dump]

Man, coming through when I did, and not having any close lift access in my area at the time was brutal. All the work I had to do and all I had to go through just to ride and race my DH bike at all was a challenge. Things like: Riding up in a hot shitty u haul truck with 40 other dudes in smelly ass dianese suits....having to build a dh course in two days with two other people with only a rake so we could race it the following weekend....driving 7 to 10 hours just to get to a decent resort with good tracks. It was all worth it though because this sport rules.
But to constantly see these newer riders complain about some trivial candy apple ass stuff like braking bumps and a few ruts on their groomed out bobsled run trails while they get to pick and constantly criticize which local bike park they are going to this weekend. Wow.
Deer Lowered, please help me not to choke them out, for they know not how shitty it can be.

Raking it the weekend before? How about raking it the morning of...
Good-old Blue Knob.

 

[toodles]

I'm with JeremyR - bunch of whiney assed poseur-bois.

When I started riding, there was NO lift access ANYWHERE.

Oh this is gonna turn into one of those "back in my day" stories about walking 40 miles to school in the snow, uphill. Then 40 miles home in the blazing sun uphill again.

Other than Blue(ontario), the closest lift riding is 8+ hours away.

8 hours! Luxury! Nearest to here is 14 hours drive and there's one track available at $100 AUD a day!

 

[kidwoo]

smelly ass dianese suits....

Just fyi this was by choice. All you fools just liked looking at yourselves in the mirror with only those things on.

Admit it.

 

[Jeremy R]

Just fyi this was by choice. All you fools just liked looking at yourselves in the mirror with only those things on.

Admit it.

Yes. I cut mine in to chaps and would do squat thrust in front of the mirror while yelling out my accomplishments.
WWLD: #whatwouldlopesdo

 

[Jm_]

"If you build it, they will come" hold true.

I think one of the biggest problems we have with parks is they tend to have the idea "if we kind of half-ass build it, maybe they will come, and then maybe we can expand it when we PROFIT!", which doesn't work out like that, people never come in droves. It's not all about flow, but to balance the trails out, having a few good gnar chutes and some good flow, it's going to take a LOT of building. We aren't talking just moving dirt, but some big structures as well. Look at Keystone. Good gnar, good flow too, but some big step-ups/downs and it's a hell of a lot of resources and building, if you actually put the resources into those trails to make them fun and make them stand out. If you have invested in it, have the trails, have the trail maintenance, have the fun factor, have the lifts, have the support, yep, they'll come, but it's a lot of $$$ to really have all those things IMO. It's much easier to just have a few trails and one lift going and kind of say "yeah, we have a bike park" and try to rely on the trails that were built years ago.

 

[Jim Mac]

Oh this is gonna turn into one of those "back in my day" stories about walking 40 miles to school in the snow, uphill. Then 40 miles home in the blazing sun uphill again.



8 hours! Luxury! Nearest to here is 14 hours drive and there's one track available at $100 AUD a day!

..."and then our father would cut us in two with a bread knife and dance on our graves! You tell that to the youth of today and they'd just never believe you!"