Brighton-Solitude Merger: Who's Got the Inside Scoop?

[bl2000]

last unsubstantiated, boozyball, canyon folk rumor had the d's keeping and running the inn and creekside.
and boyne the rest

I heard the same thing. Converging rumors. Probably doesn't mean anything really. I asked GdS and he denied anything is in the works. But, my $$$ is on it happening.

[The Gnarwhale]

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2014/0...litude-in-utah

"Independent Skier Magazine is reporting that Brighton Ski Resort, located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah has bought the neighboring ski resort Solitude. If this news is true, the combined resort would be 2,250 acres making it one of the largest ski resorts in North America.

“Massive news from Utah. Solitude Ski Resort sold to the owners of Brighton Resort (Boyne USA). Will both mountains become connected? Stay tuned to independent Skier for updates and more info as it becomes available. ” – Independent Skier Magazine

The two resorts are already essentially connected by a trail known as the Sol-Bright, but a true merger will mean join operations and more interconnectivity."

So, I went to the Independent Skier facebook page that that article links and found this:

"Oh so close. . . financing falls through and axes deal, here's the latest from John Kircher:

“Unfortunately the deal will not happen due to lack of third party financing that was anticipated by both resorts.

Both resorts are disappointed but will operate this coming season as they have for the past many years.

Brighton has been operated by Boyne Resorts since 1986. Solitude remains owned and operated by the DeSeelhorst family since 1986 as well.”

John Kircher
Principle and West
managing director
Boyne Resorts"

So, false alarm?

[skifishbum]

gotta b ofishceral if both bastions of skiing the urinal cake network and independent skier says so
sure am glad sillytude aint part of the special fartsniffers bro netwerk,
nice popup spam though

[glademaster]

So does this prove that bumping a rumor thread bi-weekly on TGR can turn bullshit into news in a little less than a month? Shit's embarrassing.

[bl2000]

So does this prove that bumping a rumor thread bi-weekly on TGR can turn bullshit into news in a little less than a month? Shit's embarrassing.

What's your point dude? (I'm guessing you're a dude.) There were discussions between the ski area owners and this forum provided an opportunity to share knowledge AND rumors about it. Shit's embarrassing.

[BobMc]

I'd say it wasn't bullshit, and it looks like we came within a hair of Boyne owning Solitude. Saying the financing fell through on the other than that done deal is a ways away from "it was all just rumors!"

[Bromontana]

Yeah, it's relevant going forward too. I'm surprised Boyne wasn't given the financing. Rates are stupid low and a well thought out integration of Btown & Soli would make a pretty cool resort without sacrificing prime bc. Keep Soli out of Silver Fork and Wolvy, but let them connect lower above the stocked touron pond.

Assuming Solitude ownership is patient, I imagine Boyne will work on a different offer that the banks will support. Otherwise maybe Vail tries to save face by making an intelligent acquisition.

[glademaster]

What's your point dude? (I'm guessing you're a dude.) There were discussions between the ski area owners and this forum provided an opportunity to share knowledge AND rumors about it. Shit's embarrassing.

My point is that it's shameful for a skiing "news" site to post an article like this before they are 110% sure it's true. It's ski resort related news in the middle of August, you can wait an extra 12 hours to run that piece and not look like a damn fool, or you can handle it the way it was handled.

This is the ski industry we're talking about, so blowhards are a dime a dozen. If it was legit there would have been a press release and some PR dweebs trumpeting the majesty of the merger in a matter of minutes; there's no need to turn to anonymous sources.

[The Gnarwhale]

Unofficial sites are more clickbait than news. I dont think anyone's holding them to high journalistic standards, least of all themselves. Because it's August is probably a reason in itself to feed the rumor mill.

But it turns out there was merit to the rumors and Solitude just missed out on being owned by Boyne this week. That is news and it wasn't the rumor mongering here or elsewhere on the interwebz that magically made it turn true.

[getoutside]

Keep Soli out of Silver Fork and Wolvy, but let them connect lower above the stocked touron pond.

^ amen to that

[skifishbum]

i like that
the clickbait urinal cake network
profiting from trying to keep old stale piss fresh.
i dreamt iceman bought it and brought woodsy back to run it.

[splat]

It is quite inevitable that the les deux vallées encaissées will occur.
The money will be in shuttle services to get people back to their cars on the other side after the lifts close.

[Mudfoot]

Hiked up to Summit this week and there is not much evidence of "pre-new lift" activity. There is a slash pile from a new short run cut from the existing Sunrise/Summit Road down to what looks like the new Summit lift bottom, but no indication that is where it will actually be. There are wetlands below the slash pile, so I assume they cannot go further downhill. Did not see any sign of survey stakes or tree cutting along the new lift alignment, but it will certainly need to be upslope of the existing alignment under Middle Slope.

On another note, got my Soli season pass but they had no info (or apparent interest in pursuing) 3 free days at Telluride again this year. T-ride tickets are over $100 a day, so that is a sweet benefit. Happened to be in Telluride yesterday and the ticket office said they "reached out to Solitude" a while ago about doing the 3-day benefit exchange this year "but got no response." If anyone has any pull with the Soli administration please encourage them to follow up with Telluride. More free skiing is always a good thing.

[Mudfoot]

Here is a link to the Forest Service application for the realigned and lengthened Summit and Honeycomb Return Lifts with a description of what they are proposing. The last two pages are maps of the existing and realigned lifts.

http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558...T3_1772811.pdf

[tuco]

Here is a link to the Forest Service application for the realigned and lengthened Summit and Honeycomb Return Lifts with a description of what they are proposing. The last two pages are maps of the existing and realigned lifts.

http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558...T3_1772811.pdf

Not sure why everyone thought Summit was already happening(most likely will), but I can almost guarantee that a Honeycomb return extension into SF ain't going to happen

[skifishbum]

Yeah, it's relevant going forward too. I'm surprised Boyne wasn't given the financing. Rates are stupid low and a well thought out integration of Btown & Soli would make a pretty cool resort without sacrificing prime bc. Keep Soli out of Silver Fork and Wolvy, but let them connect lower above the stocked touron pond.

Assuming Solitude ownership is patient, I imagine Boyne will work on a different offer that the banks will support. Otherwise maybe Vail tries to save face by making an intelligent acquisition.

ifin sillyfork is prime bc
why aren't the meadow chutes listed in the prime bc bible of chutes?
as far as wolvie more people ski it lift acessed from alta b right on and sillytude than the bottom of griz
so wouldn't that make it resort sidecountry that you can acess from the backcountry too?

[Bromontana]

ifin sillyfork is prime bc
why aren't the meadow chutes listed in the prime bc bible of chutes?

Too tame for Mr. Mclean as you probably know . besides it's much more open pow field--glades than defined chutes.. kind of a misnomer.

as far as wolvie more people ski it lift acessed from alta b right on and sillytude than the bottom of griz
so wouldn't that make it resort sidecountry that you can acess from the backcountry too?

semantics like this don't really mean much one way or the other. wolverine cirque, bowl and tusc are USFS with no resort permits. I've historically been a fan of open boundaries, but when the resorts keep expanding it undermines the type of inbounds/ob/bc balance that has long been a collective goal of the greater SLC community.

[Mudfoot]

FYI: I talked to the season pass office at Telluride again a few days ago and Solitude never got it together to accept their exchange offer of 3 free days this season. That's $660 of free skiing at T-ride it looks like my wife and I will not be getting again with our Soli season passes this year.

[bl2000]

Not sure why everyone thought Summit was already happening

That's probably because I posted that the ground was torn up in the vicinity of the new loading area. It was torn up only to re-lay snowmaking pipes and has been regraded.

[glademaster]

I am a huge supporter of making the chuteless Meadows in bounds and lift served. That has to be some of the least desirable BC terrain in the central Wasatch; it's a convex rollover that gets wind loaded and runs into a big ass terrain trap. It practically screams "string a lift or two up me and bomb the shit out of me."

[tuco]

^^^Sure, some lifts on east facing mediocre terrain with the bottom 1/3 covered with willows is always a good choice for more ski terrain. I'm sure there are a shitload of home/property owners in that area that share your support.

[BobMc]

I am a huge supporter of making the chuteless Meadows in bounds and lift served. That has to be some of the least desirable BC terrain in the central Wasatch; it's a convex rollover that gets wind loaded and runs into a big ass terrain trap. It practically screams "string a lift or two up me and bomb the shit out of me."

For being the "least desired" it sure does seem to see a lot of use. The Meadows tracks out quicker than Honeycomb.

[glademaster]

For being the "least desired" it sure does seem to see a lot of use. The Meadows tracks out quicker than Honeycomb.

Low hanging fruit means it sees a lot of traffic for sure, but the nature of the terrain makes it more conducive to being sacrificed to chairlifts than some other zones in the same area. Just my $0.02. The only real drawback to that would be the ease of accessing some great tree skiing further down the ridge.

[Mudfoot]

I may be missing something, but I do no see how making the Meadows part of the area would work without extending the Honeycomb return lift all the way to the bottom of SF Canyon, which would make Flannigans and coming off of or around the back of Fantasy Ridge that much more attractive, thereby incorporating the top and north side of SF into the area by default. The downward extension of the HC lift (and a little hiking) would open up as much or more terrain than a lift up the Meadows.

[JKnight]

The proposed relocation of the HC return would put the base station down into Silver Fork, servicing some of that terrain you listed. Hopefully the FS won't reward Solitude for fucking it up the first time.