Sundance RIP
- Geoff Hatheway
- Sep 18
- 4 min read
Greetings from Londonderry,
There is a lot of season prep work going on and a ton of events coming up at the mountain. It's going to be a fun fall and I will try to touch on all the activity as quickly here as possible.
As you may know, there are drought conditions currently in Vermont so those leaves are starting to pop early. Even with the dry weather, the good news is the snowmaking pond is still full with some underground springs helping keep it that way. So we will be making snow early and often as we work toward our earliest snowmaking-only opening ever if cold weather sets in for November. And, while the long-range forecasts signal a good winter in the Northeast, there's some common sense too that mother-nature likes to even things out and all this dry weather might just bring a bunch of storms this winter!
Our trail crew has been out mowing, weed-whacking and trimming back trees--getting trails tight so even just a little snow can make some of them skiable sooner.
Talisman (as well as Sorcerer, Black Line and The Hallows) getting hand weed-whacked last two weeks!
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This is the time of year our ski community also jumps in to lend Magic hand. Our "Friends of Magic Work Days" are coming up for glade clearing and lodge projects! The dates are Saturdays 9/27, 10/4 and 10/11 starting at 8:30am meet-ups on the deck to head up the hill, with lunch to follow up at Sunshine Corner "bar & grill". All the info for the work days is on our events calendar page.
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This is also the time when our big summer sale on season passes comes to a close with prices rising to our Tier 3 (of 4) levels. Less than two weeks left to snag your pass savings to the East's best hidden gem, where our skiers and riders come first!
(With the summer pass sale over as of October 1, get ready for the launch of our Throwback Card with no price increase over last year (just like our passes). The TB card saves 30% on online ticket prices every time you come, plus a free ski day. It was a huge hit last year as we look to keep skiing affordable for all those making a commitment to ski and ride Magic.)
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Black Line Tavern Happenings
Oh my, there is a lot going on at the Tavern, Alpen Deck and Sunshine Corner with Fall Foliage season!
First, the Tavern will be closed this Friday for a big wedding that will include the Green Lift running to Sunshine Corner; a champagne toast at the T-Bar; and then reception, dinner and dancing at Tavern and Alpen Deck! The weather looks perfect for the wedding. So, no SINGO this Friday, but we will be back open to all on Saturday at 4pm with Sammy B playing on the Alpen Deck. Tonight we have our Kona Brewing Corn Hole competition with lots of great prizes and our dinner special featuring Grilled Shrimp over Linguini with Sundried Tomato Pesto & Roasted red Peppers!
Magic's Fall Foliage lift rides to Sunshine Corner start on Saturdays 9/27, 10/4 and 10/11, with a final bonus day on Sunday 10/12. The grill up at Sunshine Corner will be going for lunch, lots of cold bevies, with live music and great views across the valley--all sponsored by our friends at The Richards Group in Manchester! Lift tickets are only $25 with all the information right here on our events page.
The Tavern will also be featuring bands on the Alpen Deck this fall:
- 10/4: Unqualified Band, presented by The Sun Lodge, from 4-7pm
- 10/11: Bigfoot County, presented by Twisted Horn Brewery, from 4-7pm
(There will be no band on 9/27 as the Tavern and Deck will be closed for another wedding!)
We thank our local sponsors for helping us put on free live music and bands for you here at Magic!
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Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
As we've grown, there are more jobs to fill! And, if you are interested in working at Magic over the winter, we have lots of positions that we fill locally and from our skiers and riders who love it here as well. Some are full-time in the winter, others are part-time. Take a look on the website and fill out an application and send it to us. You can also pick one up at the ticket office when it's open on Saturdays for fall foliage rides.
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In closing, we lost a ski area founder this week. The one and only Robert Redford who built Sundance Ski Resort in Utah starting in 1969. Better known as a movie star, he was one of the first celebrities I was fortunate to meet in the early 1970s as a youngster soon after seeing Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Robert Redford greeted our family when we arrived late at night to stay at Sundance (Paul Newman happened to be there as well playing poker). It was such a beautiful location and he was out there skiing with his guests as well.
This is what he had to say about skiing from recent coverage by Powder:
“For me, personally, skiing holds everything. I used to race cars, but skiing is a step beyond that. It removes the machinery and puts you one step closer to the elements. And it’s a complete physical expression of freedom.”
I think we all feel the same about the freedom you feel when skiing and riding. And, I hope Magic does it today like he would have liked. RIP Robert Redford.
Keeping the soul in skiing,
Geoff
Geoff Hatheway
Magic Mountain Ski Area
Where Skiing Still Has Its Soul
- Thursday Locals Specials and Corn Hole League
- Friday Closed for Wedding
- Tavern open Sunday at 4pm with Sammy B playing
