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Hot-Specialist-6824 t1_ja0vul5 wrote

If you're going to replace it with a gondola just shut it down. Sununu is a jackass.

−11

Icy-Neck-2422 t1_ja0wpgr wrote

I'm not a huge fan of the tram myself but totally get the people that want to retain it instead of a bunch of gondolas. Cannon does not need to become another Loon.

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ShamanicYogi t1_ja0z3zc wrote

It was the first aerial tramway in North America. It should be designated on the National Register of Historic Places.

109

DeerFlyHater t1_ja13q1p wrote

Senator Gendreau from Littleton along with others was trying to do that with SB55 this year.

Looks like it may have been tabled though. I didn't listen to the senate session to see why. Perhaps it can be pulled off the table.

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SheeEttin t1_ja142ag wrote

As someone who is not a skiier/snowboarder and has ridden neither, what's the difference?

7

tugboat100 t1_ja15cs8 wrote

Cannon's tram is two huge cars that can hold 80 people. Skiers carry their skis on the cars with them. Loading happens at the same time as unloading, so as one goes up, one goes down.

A gondola is the same idea but there are more of them, but hold less people. About four. The cars stack up and slow down for the load/unload process. You load your skis on the outside of the gondola car.

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Umbert360 t1_ja1babn wrote

Seems like a potential conflict of interest, considering his ties to Waterville Valley. He already proved he has no qualms about treating his own mountain differently to get an edge over the surrounding areas when he loosened covid regulations early at Waterville and not the others. Waterville also benefited from Covid relief money, and worst of all, he designated it as a special zone that basically made it a tax haven for investors. It’s hard to trust any legislation in the state that involves him and any ski area

4

surmisez t1_ja1cr0i wrote

Rather than using taxpayers' money, those that use it should raise the funds to fix it.

I'd rather see $25M go to fix/upgrade roadways.

0

glockster19m t1_ja1dis7 wrote

Is this like other mountains in the state where we are gonna pay for lift repairs only for profits to go to private owners?

6

Curious_Buffalo_1206 t1_ja1loqm wrote

Compared to gondolas, trams cost 10x as much and get 10x fewer people up the hill per hour. They’re also gigantic Petri dishes, and it bled money like a stick pig during corona (there will be more pandemics). They’re archaic and inferior in every possible way, although they would have to design the gondola properly to keep its scenic value for summer tourists (some gondolas are cramped and have poor views).

The pro tram people just have that insufferable allergy to any change whatsoever that’s endemic around here. This tram was built in the Reagan administration. It’s not the tram from the 1930s, and by that logic, why aren’t we using government funding to restore the historic rail access from Concord to Boston? They’re fucking hypocrites, that’s why.

Fuck trams, seriously. It’s like wanting to maintain the pony express when we could have the modern USPS instead.

The only trams that have any business staying around are the Big Sky and Jackson Hole trams, for very different reasons than the Cannon boomers give.

Sununu’s on team gondola because he’s not 90 years old and possesses more than the bare minimum understanding of ski lift economics.

6

JohnnyRebe1 t1_ja1magt wrote

Only thing I can find is them recently stating they are going to be increasing ticket cost and parking costs to offset $825,000 from increasing energy and labor costs. Do you have anything to back up your claim that cannon provides a 7 million dollar boon to taxpayers?

6

Curious_Buffalo_1206 t1_ja1mrtn wrote

This is a donkey brained take, honestly. Waterville and Cannon are not competitors in that way. They’re both partners on the Indy Pass. Small independent ski areas have nothing to gain by tearing each other down. Their number one enemy is Vail, who has formed a near monopoly on NH skiing and is generally considered to be the fucking worst by everyone.

The last thing Sununu wants to see happen is have Cannon (or Gunstock) fail and have Vail control another NH mountain. Hot take but Cannon is the only good ski area in NH. It would be fucking tragic to see those crooks ruin it like they did at Wildcat.

The only people that want to see Cannon and Gunstock fail are those Free State carpetbaggers.

5

Curious_Buffalo_1206 t1_ja1nm4o wrote

The only gondolas in NH are at Loon and Bretton Woods. Loon’s is such a POS, it shouldn’t even count. Wildcat is in Pinkham Notch. Wildcat has a scenic chairlift. Definitely no gondola. That place is decrepit, especially since Vail did a hostile takeover. Bretton Woods is in Crawford Notch. Saying those areas are in Franconia Notch is like saying Burke and Jay are in Franconia Notch.

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marshal1257 t1_ja1oh32 wrote

Googles: Difference between a tram and gondola?

1

GazuGaming t1_ja1pz92 wrote

Conflict of interest the Sununus own a competitor to Cannon

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ShamanicYogi t1_ja1qo2q wrote

Cannon is owned by the taxpayers and it’s annual reports are a matter of public record. However, I’m not going to spend my time digging through state financial documents just to appease a stranger on Reddit. You are able to research it yourself. I worked in the ski industry for a couple of decades and always have kept an eye on revenue vs snowfall up until the past few years. Last report I remember looking at was pre-Covid, so the info I have is probably from 2018-19 season or so, but it was around $7.25M in annual profit. By comparison, Gunstock does around $1.5M. Cannon, as probably the most popular ski area in NH, has generally shown steady growth of about $100k-250k per year since 2011, obviously dependent on the weather. That’s a rate of less than 3%. Not huge, but still profitable.

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ryanpm40 t1_ja294h1 wrote

I fail to see the problem with this idea. What are the downsides?

2

KrissaKray t1_ja2f4t0 wrote

Forgive me but if someone asked me what that thing in the pic was, I’d say it’s a gondola lol. I’m gonna have to go google the difference.

−2

Cullen7777 t1_ja2qa98 wrote

I don’t hate the idea. Who the hell wants to stand there breathing everyone else’s air anyhow? And those sketchy bumps at the towers? no thanks

−2

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja2ui09 wrote

This probably the driver behind my position on this.

The tram, though historic, is seriously showing it age. It is also very energy inefficient compared to other aerial lifts available, including modern versions of a jig back tram.

....but it can only move so many people so quick. Combined with a relatively low threshold for 'Selling out' day tickets (thanks to limited parking), makes Cannon so much more bearable than Loon.

Let the massholes have Loon. Keep to minimal snow removal on the notch and let Cannon remain the profitable respite it is for folk of NH to enjoy what NH has to offer without the constant inundation of folks who view us all as their servants first and backwards lessers second.

Considering the tram was already rebuilt, maybe we can get a modern/retro tram. New drives, upgraded towers, top bottom stations and slightly larger cabins based on the current form factor. Keeps the Tram vibe and aesthetic, but could carry a few more people and cost less in energy expense to run per operating hour to soften the increased amortization cost.

I think it is irrational to expect a tramway from the 30s will just last forever, but a high speed gondola would lead to an overcrowded experience for all. Making Cannon another Loon, Waterville, or the like where you get long lift lines and over crowded trails.

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Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja2uvrk wrote

Cannon has nothing to offer them, but it doesn't seem to stop them from coming and then complaining Cannon has nothing to offer.

Look at the plates on any given weekend, +65% are MA. No I haven't done a data study, but I would still throw money on that percentage being accurate, or even lower than the actual data would show.

−9

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja2v848 wrote

Cool does that mean the profits generated go back to the users who paid for it as a dividend and cutting the state out of Cannon's annual profits?

I'd love to get a dividend back on my annual season pass, and give NH less money to waste on downstaters

1

CLS4L t1_ja2zed0 wrote

Fix old man in mountain too or get rid of tbose signs

−3

Puzzleheaded-Row-511 t1_ja33s38 wrote

Damn! My friend and I used to take that tram up the mountain, then hike down the other side. Then we'd walk all the way around the mountain back to where we parked. Did that about five times. Those were younger days though. I couldn't do it now if you paid me lol. That tram is awesome, I hope they fix it. That's a lot of money though.

1

chucktownbtown t1_ja35t2c wrote

So the link provided above to you isn’t enough to show that Cannon loses money annually? The link from the Taxpayers of Cannon? It’s missing the previous 6 years of data, but considering cannon shows an operating loss of $9M over the course of time here, I suspect they continue to lose money.

3

exploremore617 t1_ja373xg wrote

Sununu/WV installed a shitty 6 pack from a manufacturer that has no other lifts in NA. The lift has constant mechanical issues and will continue to be a problem for WV. That wasn’t a wise business decision for someone who understands ski lift economics

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Curious_Buffalo_1206 t1_ja39hhw wrote

Sununu isn’t involved with running WV anymore. He’s a governor now. You can argue he has some conflict of interest due to his family’s involvement there, but he didn’t decide on that chairlift. I don’t even like the guy, but this is just silly.

Also, your larger lift manufacturers have a backlog of orders for years at the moment. All the ski conglomerates were heavily investing in new lift infrastructure (likely to take advantage of rock bottom interest rates 2 years ago).

WV didn’t want to wait five years for their new lift. Smaller operations often go with smaller contractors. There’s really nothing to see there. Only time will tell if that lift becomes a huge problem. The Doppelmayer Kanc8 at Loon was also a fucking disaster in its first year. Takes time to work out the glitches, and they’re always behind schedule on construction lately…

FWIW, I think those Doppelmayer 8 packs are horribly over-engineered, and would be a mistake to install for an operation like WV. Those are going to have excessive ongoing maintenance costs. The giants don’t care (they can negotiate with the manufacturer at their size anyway), but that’s the kind of thing that makes an Indy resort go NELSAP.

0

rudyattitudedee t1_ja3bn8k wrote

I’ve lived in nh my entire life and I do the tram at least twice a year. It’s an affordable afternoon and great for kids. My kid has “driven” it like six times. I have great stories from the tram rides. Once, my wife and I had a very packed summer tram ride, but it turned out it was a whole car packed full of deaf people and we were the only people who could hear. It was the quietest ride I’ve had, save for the random outbursts of deaf person laughter as they signed jokes to each other. Same with the cog. They are treasures.

3

Icy-Neck-2422 t1_ja3h0rx wrote

Yeah - the Cannonball Quad seems like it's crawling, especially if they are making snow on Profile during the day. Zoomer is slow but it's so short that it's tolerable.

Thankfully they've been doing a great job at limiting ticket sales so it doesn't turn into a Loon-style 7-run day due to the lift lines.

4

T-to-B t1_ja3i0xf wrote

Yeah I'm not going to trust that website at all. It hasn't been updated in 7 years. They aren't using the correct data and there is clearly an agenda to have cannon's operations sold.

−1

Different_Ad7655 t1_ja3mk5n wrote

Right, the license plate used to read years ago, scenic New Hampshire. For many manydecades it's been understood what really drives the economy. It's not old fashioned textile mills lol. The industrial ship has long sailed. Now it's tourism

1

nobletrout0 t1_ja3rkun wrote

This is getting old

Sununu offered jobs at Franconia during the whole “oh no magerd” that happened at gunstock

He’s never had anything but positive things to say about cannon and the notches management team.

So what if his family is part owner of Waterville. What’s good for goose is good for gander. All our ski places need some love. Except loon fuck that place.

Call your state rep and tell them you approve of repairing the tram. It’s hit it’s end of life and has done nothing but print money for the state.

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kells938 t1_ja3v11s wrote

He provides links that contradict what you're saying but you won't back your argument "to appease a stranger on reddit." So you'll argue with someone on Reddit and tout that you're right, but won't back your claim. Got it.

1

chucktownbtown t1_ja3w6nx wrote

You can literally click on each year’s financial statement within that link for the data, and it links to the State of NH Dept of Rev and Economic Development P&L sheet. Its using official state/public data. Not sure what other source could/would even be considered more trustworthy.

You don’t want to trust that? What data source would you trust then?

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T-to-B t1_ja3xe4y wrote

I'm not going to dive into all of their financial documents. But a lot of the numbers this website has listed don't match the numbers in the linked documents. So I can't trust any of their data.

0

Curious_Buffalo_1206 t1_ja46s48 wrote

There are variations on gondolas that are highly resistant to winds, that are still much more affordable than a tram. See Palisades Tahoe’s Gold Coast Funitel for example. As windy as Cannon is, that place is far windier. Their funitel can operate in winds up to 100 km/hr (62 mph). I can’t find specs on the Cannon tram’s max wind speed, but the Sandia tram states that it cannot run above 50mph. I’d expect Cannon’s to be in the same ballpark.

I think the opposition would not be half as strong if the only local gondola (Loon’s) wasn’t such a massive piece of shit. The views are terrible, the uphill capacity is terrible, it’s always down, it’s just a terrible lift. Now that I think of it, every east coast gondola I can think of is an oddity in some way. I guess if I’d never seen a proper, modern gondola, I might oppose it too. But a tram sized budget gets you a really, really nice gondola. Not anything like Loon’s, or that ridiculous chondola at Sunday River (just… why).

2

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja48nys wrote

I don't give a shit. It is what it is. Don't be an asshole when you come up and no one will care you came up from Mass.

Sadly a non insignificant number (large minority/majority) of Mass residents, when they travel, like to be assholes and then try to defend their behavior by playing the 'I'm from Mass It's how we are' card like it makes it any better.

This weekend/last week it was well known conditions would be shit. There is zero justification for coming up and making aggressive scenes about the conditions, being rude, and justifying the aggressive scene because of where you came up from and projecting we all hate you for it. Sadly it isn't 20 something frat douches either.

It's moms and dads with kids in tow teaching the lesson that if you are rude and make a scene, you may get your way, and if not you will at least disrupt others away from their good time.

It is meme in the Northeast, Rockies, Tetons, Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii, to list a few, for a reason.

−3

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja49vdz wrote

I think a lot off Mass residents like to conflate Masshole as hate for Mass in general. It isn't. It is direct response to a strong held attitude and behavior that a large portion of MA visitors bring with them.

Repeated multiple times and will again. If you aren't an asshole firstly, no one cares where you are from. Act like an aggressive asshole and then are from Mass you are a Masshole.

I have friends who spent their whole lives in MA and they are actually the first to point out and be effected by others Masshole behavior when they come up and visit.

It is meme well outside just the northeast for a reason.

1

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja4a5fr wrote

Just don't come up with a shitty self entitled attitude and no one cares where you are from. Why so many folks from Mass cannot figure this out is beyond me.

You have to be an asshole first, before being from Mass plays into the equation making one a Masshole.

3

Different_Ad7655 t1_ja4aack wrote

Well I think we are describing is just the American tourist in general and the hideous reputation they have abroad. New Hampshire is the host state out of stateers are the guest, the tourist. I don't think it's so particular to Massachusetts but rather as a state the generic over there in American abroad, the Karen, fortunately not everybody's like that

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Jetpilotboiii1989 t1_ja4dbm7 wrote

Couple of things:

I’m from Massachusetts, but to me, I’m a New Englander and will go where I please. When I’m in nature, I’m “leave only footprints” when I’m on the mountain I abide by the code. And that’s me.

I don’t really like that it seems trendy now on social media to lean into the bad “Boston and its suburbs” stereotypes and those people can kick rocks.

I honestly was up there twice in the last few weeks and saw more CT plates than anything, and let’s be real, those are probably Manhattan/Westchester people descending on the upper New England like the locusts they are.

I go to the mountain when I have time and it’s almost always a weekday. But I look at the weather and research the conditions, I’m the type that thinks a bad day on the mountain beats a good day anywhere else and I’ll still enjoy the hell out of less than ideal conditions. But if I go on a rough day, that’s on me.

This is all coming from someone that will likely live in NH by the end of the decade and won’t be taking the Masshole with them if I can help it.

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Internal_Ring_121 t1_ja4f6fh wrote

I thought they were talking about the big flat bottomed boats and was wondering how the hell that would work.

TIL about Ariel gondola

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Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja4jhi4 wrote

Fair enough. I consider myself from New England too, but I can say I do not relate to how people treat each other when I end up down south in the greater Boston to Worcester metro plex for any period of time. Add to that when I travel the number of times in my many years I have had people ask what is up with people from Mass.

Sitting at a bar in the Teton Village 'what's that accent?'
Me 'A mix of ME, NH, and beer.'
Patron 'wasn't quite a Mass accent, what is up with folks from there?' and then continues to tell a story about navigating raging assholes and their families.

I don't know, maybe it is the rude city meme, and then the rude city folks travel deep and add to that a Boston accent is fairly noticeable. This would include your greater NYC folk as well.

Back to point, if you aren't an asshole and don't bring an asshole vibe with you no one will care. I'm sure I've shared hiking, biking trails, skin routes, climbing adventures with many folks from Mass and never knew or cared because they, like I, were just doing our thing enjoying nature.

I have also had some positive interactions with folks who shared specifically they were from MA. Ironically they go out of their way to state they aren't like 'most folks from MA' a little like you did.

It cannot be over stated enough, it takes being an asshole first for anyone to even really care.

I can assure you we do not go out of our way to make it a MA folks aren't welcome. It really boils down to a 'ahh of course they are from MA' after the fact when acting aggressive and rude when something goes sideways.

ME and NH have home grown assholes as well and I don't like them either.

2

Jetpilotboiii1989 t1_ja4x26r wrote

Oh I hear ya. I used to work with a lady back in my restaurant days that would emphasize often that she was from Lynn. Which, was enough to get a bead on her personality. All to say, some people take pride in being from an environment where everyone treats each other like garbage because no one learned how to respect one another. I hate it and I always have. That said, I do think in some established contexts playful ribbing among friends and family is the normal way of interacting (which I hope you see my initial comment as just that)

I will say, I worked in NYC at one point and my first few experiences on my own needing help didn’t go too smoothly; seemed like there was a rule book somewhere that I was supposed to know about and should have glanced before coming. Even a simple question like “am I in the right place to…?” Gets an eye roll. Sink or swim. Which I don’t think would happen in Boston but I’m probably biased.

Reminds me of back when I went to Minnesota for a job interview, and later to work. The first night I’m at a bar getting a meal, I see several people shooting glances my way and experience tells me I’m in for it. Turns out they just wanted to talk to a new person. They said I didn’t have much of an accent. I probably do, but not like the movies. Any way, I later found out that the midwestern bubbly kindness was often a means of masking passive aggression and you learn what signs to look for. All to say I’ve met jerks all over, just different modes of expression.

I honestly haven’t been to Cannon, I looked at it more than a few times. I don’t have a lot of criteria for a hill, but to me it seemed a little more oriented towards skis than a board. Perhaps I’m wrong and I should give it a shot. Even if it were I always have a good time regardless. I wouldn’t say I’m new; actually just returning after a few years off, but I try pretty hard to not be Jerry.

1

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja50enj wrote

Wow you just don't seem to understand the concept of investments and returns do you.

It is a NH investment that has been paying out profits to the NH general fund for years. If you and other taxpayers are upset that Cannon generates profits that go to covering the state's annual budget than let NH resident pass holders get the profits in the form of a dividend, or discount on their passes.

It is an intentionally sarcastic suggestion, but I see you got lost way back at how general business entities operate so I'm sorry for you there.

Educate yourself then post comments online. All will be better for it.

0

surmisez t1_ja56fuz wrote

If, and that's a big if, the government is actually running a business that turns a profit, I'd be beyond surprised. Governments do not know how to run a business, which is why they always run at a deficit. If the so-called government business puts forth that it's making a profit, an audit will reveal that its a sucking black hole, pretending to make money.

Businesses, for your information, have to run on general accounting principles, that means cash or accrual methods. It also means double entry accounting. Just because a business takes in large sums of money does nor mean that it's financially healthy, nor stable.

The government tends to forget to include the expenses involved in their schemes, instead showing that something is very profitable when in point of fact it stinks on ice.

1

rudyattitudedee t1_ja59rea wrote

They probably just don’t want hikers to be able to damage tracks and derail a train full of tourists 6k ft to their deaths. I don’t disagree that it’s not an environmentally friendly mode of transport. In that same breath only hiking should be allowed on mt Washington then. The auto road sucks and should only exist for Travis Pastrana to race.

2

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja5adsa wrote

Cool so you have an opinion on a specific issue that isn't based in the facts of the specific topic. You also won't do any research because it might challenge your opinion that, by your own admission, isn't rooted in specific facts.

You are basically just humble bragging about putting effort into remaining ignorant and don't even seem to realize it.

1

Nowhere_X_Anywhere t1_ja5agzq wrote

Cool so you have an opinion on a specific issue that isn't based in the facts of the specific topic. You also won't do any research because it might challenge your opinion that, by your own admission, isn't rooted in specific facts.

You are basically just humble bragging about putting effort into remaining ignorant and don't even seem to realize it.

1

T-to-B t1_ja5dt7t wrote

There's a lot of flash assumptions here.

The funitil isn't a gondola. It actually functions more like a tram. And I don't think they make funitil anymore. They are being replaced by 3s lifts which are pretty similar. I do think that'd be a good option for replacing the tram. But I don't think a traditional gondola is a good idea personally.

Also Cannon is actually just as windy as Palisades if not more. You know how Mount Washington had the highest wind speed record, cannon actually had the 2nd spot. Also keep in mind the cannons tram goes to the summit and the Gold Coast only goes halfway up.

There are east coast gondolas that make sense. Stratton, K1, starship, stowe just to name a few.

4

lunchbox15 t1_ja5roru wrote

Uhh no... State actually receives positive cash flow each year from the Sunapee Lease. Unfortunately instead of that money going into the general fund, it is instead used to offset the continual operating losses sustained by Cannon every year.

2

lunchbox15 t1_ja5ucz5 wrote

When you put it that way... MND would be a qualified bidder now that the WV 6pack is operational and that company certainly has some questionable ties to the Sununu family.

1

Fire-the-laser t1_ja8sceg wrote

Having worked at both Cannon and Palisades I can say without question Palisades is windier. The funitel was built specifically to handle higher winds than the previous gondola it replaced but it still routinely goes on wind hold during winters like this year where the resort will likely pass 500” of snow this week.

Anyway, most of the development of new lifts takes place in Europe and the 3s gondolas seem to be the latest and greatest for achieving uphill capacity and efficiency. Most people would still call it a team because they couldn’t tell the difference.

1