Maple Valley Ski Area Sold

Maple Valley Ski Area has been sold. According to the Vermont Secretary of State's Office, the new owner is Sugar Mountain Holdings based in Weatouge, Conn. The listing notes Sugar Mountain is "member managed" and Keane Aures, who is listed as a "member" on the filing, is the only person mentioned. Aures is the senior counsel in the Hartford office of the law firm of Gordon & Rees. Aures specializes in construction law.

Started in 1963, Maple Valley has been long recognized as a family style ski area.  Most of the local population under 30 years old learned to ski here.  Because of the local base of schools using the facility as part of their winter sports programs, weekdays were just as busy as weekends.  Over the years, it has grown from a rope tow to having two Hall double chair lifts plus a T-bar.

The Maple Valley Ski Resort has a vibrant history in the local community. It has been a valuable resource to visiting skiers as well as the local residents of Southern Vermont. Currently closed,the Mountain once served the Winter Sports programs of over 20 local area schools, teaching thousands of students to ski over the years......

The last time the property was leased was in the Winter of 1999-2000.

Sugar Mountain’s face consists of 16 trails, half-pipe, 2 chairlifts, a T-bar and tube lift.  Trails range from beginner to expert.  The longest trail is 1 – ½ miles with over a 1,000 feet vertical drop.  Trails can be lit up for night skiing, unique to the area. There are 2 Hall chair lifts, the south lift is 4000’ and the north lift is 3,000’.  Although there is no representation to their condition, the foundation of these lifts exists. The T-bar and tube lifts are at a lower section of the mountain near the lodge. The slope behind the lodge, serviced by the T-bar, has been analyzed as perfect for 1 or 2 half pipes.  A new owner could forgo the expense of operating the lifts and just use the low maintenance tube tow and T-bar for tubing and build a simple half pipe for boarders.

​The snow making capability of the mountain since 1987 has enabled skiing regardless of weather.  The focus of the owners has been to continue to grow the skiing side of the business while concentrating on the development of other year-round uses.  A summer flea market was successful.  There is also a Maple Sugary on the property that produces up to 200 gallons a year. Expansion of the banquet facility business has been effective in the past.  A campground in the orchard area with swimming nearby at the covered bridge would create both summer and winter business for the lodge and stores.  A snowboarders-only mountain with rock climbing in summer has been suggested.  The property lends itself to more concerts.  With 400 acres, the undeveloped areas could be used for mountain biking, cross country skiing, hiking, picnicking or a number of other recreational uses.  The base lodge lends itself to live entertainment, dancing, weddings and functions in the off-season and should be used for year-‘round for functions, as in the past; too often the mountain would shut down after the winter season.  There have been weddings, camping, mountain biking, volley ball, festivals, helicopter rides, flea markets and live entertainment in the lodge, capable of serving 200 people at the bar and dining room. The views from atop the mountain are spectacular and 8 months of the year would be accessible by vehicle with some work to the beginner trail.  A campground would also utilize the property in the summer months. It is ideal to be a multi-seasonal facility with skiing, banquets, business meetings and concerts.

The base Lodge is Three Stories tall measuring 51 feet wide by 115 feet long. The First Floor is equipt with a Ticket and Information Booth, offices, employee lounge, Rental and Sale Outlets, and Fitting Rooms. The large deck on the front is perfect for handling the incoming skiers purchasing tickets.

The second floor consists of primarily an open dining and game area, with a cafeteria at one end, an office and two bath rooms. The third floor has a Bar, Lounge, offices, skylights, and an elaborate exposed rafter and truss beam network. The ambience is both Rustic and Casual. There are 10 bathrooms located throughout the building

There are 2 Hall Chairs Lifts, the South lift is 4000 feet, and the North lift is 3000 feet. They're not fancy but both are workhorses and relatively easy to maintain with parts readily available. The T-Bar and Tube lifts are at the lower section of the mountain near the lodge.

Electricity for the Lifts, Trail Lights, and Lodge is provided by  two Onsite Generators, One 300 KVW, and another 200 KVW unit.

There are 2 - 400 gallon per minute pumps at the river for providing water through an extensive piping system to the snow guns. The mountain has night lighting which no other ski resort in the area has. The slope behind the lodge, serviced by the T-Bar Lift, has been analyzed as perfect for one or two half pipes.

There is a large recieving area behind the lodge where all the lifts start and all the trails end. This makes the mountain very user friendly for familys trying to keep track of each other.

The front of the lodge is highly visable from Vermont Route 30 making it advertise itself. Route 30 is one of the states busiest highways and is the main Route between Interstate 91 and the West River Valley and Stratton another 45 minutes drive to the north.

A large 2nd Floor Deck in the back of the Cafeteria lets people watch the skiing and is a great space for bands to perform while concert goers watch from the amphitheatre-like hillside during the warmer months.

The mountain lends itself to being the perfect location for a true all season resort with its beautiful face, and magnificient trails for summer and fall hikers to enjoy. A perfect location for the summer music festivals that summers in Vermont are famous for.

The land is fabulous and the views stunning. There are places up top where you can look to the Northwest and see Stratton, and turn around 180 degrees and see Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire.

Along with the river frontage there a numerous mountain streams, near vertical ledge cliffs, a 20-40 acre orchard with well drained soils that are perfect for the developement of Cross Country Ski Trails, Tennis Courts, and Housing. The Mountain has 16 trails, 374 acres of forest, a gravel pit, numerous open level areas and internal roads.