Last week, Smugglers’ Notch and Stowe announced that they had withdrawn a proposal to add a gondola connecting the two ski resorts. In the Vermont News & Citizen article though, Smugglers’ Notch said that they were not done with their attempts to make the gondola happen. They let the issue go for a grand total of less than a week.
WCAX reports that Smugglers’ Notch is moving ahead with another study of the interconnect gondola. The study will compare the economic benefits/costs to the environmental impacts. The Vermont ski resort is aiming to complete the study within the next year.
Bill Stritzler, who’s the owner of Smugglers’ Notch, described the intentions of the new study to WCAX:
“I think it’s going to be a positive study. If it is, then we will bring it forward for consideration. We’re not going to stretch it though if it’s not clearly a positive study. Then, we will have to go back and keep our ‘not now’ approach to the project.”
To me, it doesn’t make a lot of sense that they’re still pressing forward with this. The local community and government officials are against this, yet they’re still trying to sway it. A study won’t change these mindsets. They should focus on infrastructure improvements so they could handle the crowds if they were ever able to connect the two ski resorts.
While the Madonna and Sterling lifts probably shouldn’t be replaced due to the need to have a low capacity in order to keep its elite terrain in quality shape, other lift upgrades should be considered. Morse could use lifts that are easier to load for beginner skiers. In addition, lodges, like the Madonna Sterling Base Lodge, aren’t big enough to handle peak crowds. Then there are simpler infrastructure projects that social media accounts like @FreeLot1 are suggesting, like fixing a broken step.
WCAX’s video breakdown of the situation is below.
Image/Video Credits: Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Free Lot 1, WCAX
