Mon, 12/01/2014 - 10:23 am

Holly S. Edwards

Chairlift towers, ready to go up Ragged Mountain via helicopter at the Camden Snow Bowl on Dec. 1. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)

(Photo by Holly S. Edwards)

Chairlift towers, ready to go up Ragged Mountain via helicopter at the Camden Snow Bowl on Dec. 1. (Photo by Holly S. Edwards)

(Photo by Holly S. Edwards)

CAMDEN — A helicopter will be on site at the Camden Snow Bowl today to help install 23 chairlift towers on Ragged Mountain.

If all goes as planned, Snow Bowl General Manager Landon Fake said the helicopter, owned by CHI Aviation, of Howell, Michigan, and crews should complete the delivery of one operator building, a chairlift bull wheel and the F-frame to which it attaches.

The helicopter will also help remove two of the old towers off the mountain, which town crews had not yet taken down.

The Snow Bowl is closed to the public and there is no parking on Barnestown Road, as the helicopter landing zone is the ball field there.

The town’s ski area upgrade got officially got under way the day after the ski season ended late last winter. Forestry and logging crews moved in March 17 to begin timber harvesting. For several months, trees were downed and hauled down the hill to the parking lot, where they were chipped or removed for firewood.

The $6.5 million project, which also includes engineering infrastructure and building a new lodge, is funded partially by private donations ($4.5 million) and $2 million by Camden taxpayers, who approved a bond at the polls last year.

Snow Bowl improvement goals

In 2008, Camden voters approved a non-binding measure that positioned support for borrowing up to $2 million for Ragged Mountain Recreation Area improvements, if matched by a minimum of $4.5 million raised via private money.

Following that vote, project proponents commenced soliciting contributions, as well as holding public fundraisers. The committee met the $4.5 million mark.

The matching funds — $2 million of town funds and $4.5 million in donations — are to be expended together, not one before the other, and expenditures are planned to match the cash flow of donations over a two-year period.

The cost of borrowing $2 million to the taxpayers could average $110,000 in annual interest payments for 30 years

The capital improvement project at Ragged Mountain entails making mountainside improvements in 2014 and constructing a new lodge in 2015.

The intent is to “provide the capacity to accommodate up to 600 skiers per day with adequate parking, lodge space, uphill lift capacity, and ski terrain serviced by snowmaking and enhance year-round trail use for hikers and mountain biking,” according to the plan. The mountain has been supported by the town in varying degrees since the town assumed ownership of its real estate and operations in 1983.

In 1990-91, Camden voters approved funding the Snow Bowl with $149,000 of their tax dollars; in 2009-2010, it was $55,000. In 2012, and following several years of good snowfall, the town contributed zero dollars.

The Redevelopment Committee has built a detailed finance and budget analysis of the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area through 2016, incorporating the entire mountain upgrade. Aside from debt obligation, the projected budget includes no town matching funds in 2015 and 2016.

Instead, the budget anticipates additional revenue will derive from the increased numbers of daily and season ski tickets, ski school enrollment and new lodge rentals.

Camden Planning Board approves Snow Bowl lighting plan as proposed (Oct. 6)

Camden Snow Bowl on target for Dec. 20 opening, weather willing (Sept. 19)

Camden to contract with South Portland firm to manage Snow Bowl lodge, base area (July 24, 2014)

Camden Snow Bowl project remains under DEP scrutiny, making progress, more work ahead (July 11)

Vermont trail builder takes helm with Camden Snow Bowl project, new phase gets under way (July 10)

Camden Snow Bowl prepped for more rain, assembling working group to assist with next steps (July 2)

Snow Bowl mountain mud runoff causes headache for neighbors, town (July 1)

Camden Snow Bowl anticipates ending season in the black; work begins on Ragged Mountain (March 19)

Homage to Camden’s Big T (March 15, 2014)

By wide margin, Camden voters approve Snow Bowl improvement bond (Nov. 5, 2013)

Camden voters consider $2 million Snow Bowl bond, three zoning amendments (Nov. 3, 2013)

Camden committee selects new parks and recreation director (Sept. 6, 2013)

Camden considers $2 million Snow Bowl bond, ordinance amendments Nov. 5 (Sept. 4, 2014)

Camden ready to put $2 million bond before voters (Aug. 21, 2013)

Camden pursues federal money to help with Snow Bowl upgrade (July 10, 2013)

Camden learns about refurbished chairlifts, woven grips and haul ropes (April 10, 2013)

Last run for Jeff (Jan. 21, 2013)

Stellar start to season at Camden Snow Bowl (Jan. 9, 2013)

Camden’s Ragged Mountain loses a good friend (Nov. 7, 2012)

Ready for packed powder? Camden Snow Bowl to make it quicker, sooner with updated snow guns (Sept. 12, 2012)

CAMDEN — Monday was a beautiful day to begin lifting the chairlift towers up Ragged Mountain at the Camden Snow Bowl, and while everybody had hoped to have all 23 towers bolted to their footings on the mountain in one day, it wasn't to be.

The first two towers were hoisted up with precision and seeming ease, and their placement and attachment to the cement footings went just as smooth. The third, and taller tower, gave the crews on the ground trouble, as they had a hard time getting the first bolt secured to allow rapid-fire finishing with the other bolts.

CHI Aviation of Howell, Mich., was contracted to supply the helicopter and crew, and they deployed their Super Puma Sikorsky S61N for the job.

As the third tower was being positioned over the footing, and the crew charged with grasping the tower's base and guiding it over the bolts, clouds rolled in and the lighting changed dramatically for the pilot looking down from above. Whether it was the lighting or a change in the air flow, both teams made multiple attempts to put the hole over the pin.

Just as it looked like they might have it, the tower would again come up and the ground crew would cling to the base until the last minute, letting go before they went up the air. After five or six failed attempts, it was decided to lay the tower in a clearing, and bring up a crane later to lift it up into place.

"While they were attempting to put the tower up, one of the times they were able to get it over a bolt, but it lifted up and to the side, bending the bolt," said Snow Bowl General Manager Landon Fake. "They tried to fix the bolt, and give it another go, but it couldn't be fixed enough to put the tower up so they decided to move on."

Fake and Facilities Manager William "Fitzy" Fitzcharles have both been eyeing a Dec. 20 opening date since the $6.5 million redevelopment project got under way on the ground this spring. And the entire Snow Bowl staff continues to work hard to make that happen.

Monday's work was to include flying up and installing 15 of the 16 towers for the triple chairlift, and eight of the nine towers for double chairlift. Snow Bowl Asst. Director Beth Ward said that the #1 towers for both chairlifts are close enough to the bottom of the mountain for the Snow Bowl to use a crane to install them.

As of the end of the day Dec. 1, 14 of the 23 towers they planned to get up the mountain are up. That leaves nine towers to fly up the mountain face Tuesday, plus setting in place the bull wheel, which moves the chairlift cables, the f-frame that the bull wheel attaches to, and an operator building. The helicopter work was to also include removing and bringing down two old towers that remain in place from the old chairlift.

According to Fake, the helicopter work was to cost just under $60,000. That includes a $40,000 mobilization charge, $750 for each tower that is installed/removed and $1,000 for setting the bull wheel.

Part of Monday's interruption in the work was due to the fact that the helicopter needed to refuel and daylight was waning, due to a late start.

"They have to fly to Owls Head to refuel, and since it was getting late in the day, by the time they flew there and back it would be dark so it was decided they would stay over and finish tomorrow," said Ward.

On hand during Monday's historic portion of the project was John Christie, who started skiing at the Snow Bowl before he started school and skied there through high school as a recreational skier. A Bowdoin College competitive skier, he is also a "Sugarloafer" and credits his early years learning to ski in his back yard, so to speak, for fostering his love of both the fun and sport of it.

"There is no better example in the country of how you can make something work for the benefit of the community, and the kids, getting them going skiing," said Christie. "My son wrote a column yesterday for the Sunday Telegram, of Thanksgiving, of things he's thankful for. Among the things he said was, that I got him skiing and he said, 'I learned to ski at my father's knee, literally, between his legs on the T-bar at the Camden Snow Bowl.'"

Christie said it was a "magnificent" day to be at the Snow Bowl, watching the next chapter come to life.

"It brings back fond memories for me," said Christie. "When I was at Sugar Loaf we installed 23 gondola towers in a day back in 1965."

He said that the redevelopment of the Snow Bowl will be a boon for the Midcoast, and for skiing in Maine. He also said that the redevelopment of the Camden Snow Bowl is what "everybody at Sugar Loaf is talking about," given that so many Midcoast residents spent numerous days each winter skiing there with their families.

"It's really important for the bigger ski areas to have these small, community feeder ski areas, for beginners to learn and kids to get exposed to the joy of skiing.," said Christie. "They have done a really great job making a premier beginner slope over at the new Coaster, and I know so many people have been intimidated by what was the old beginner slope, that sheer drop that ended at the lodge. This will be much better to get them up and going."

With a half day of work left Monday, and now another day of work ahead Tuesday to finish the tower work, Fake's parting comment was focused on the task at hand.

"I never realized how close the power lines around the parking lot were to the towers we have laid out in the parking lot, and that the helicopter has to maneuver around," he said.

• Report: Ragged Mountain Redevelopment Project $500,000 over budget (Oct. 8)

• Camden Planning Board approves Snow Bowl lighting plan as proposed (Oct. 6)

• Camden Snow Bowl on target for Dec. 20 opening, weather willing (Sept. 19)

• Camden to contract with South Portland firm to manage Snow Bowl lodge, base area (July 24, 2014)

• Camden Snow Bowl project remains under DEP scrutiny, making progress, more work ahead (July 11)

• Vermont trail builder takes helm with Camden Snow Bowl project, new phase gets under way (July 10)

• Camden Snow Bowl prepped for more rain, assembling working group to assist with next steps (July 2)

• Snow Bowl mountain mud runoff causes headache for neighbors, town (July 1)

• Camden Snow Bowl anticipates ending season in the black; work begins on Ragged Mountain (March 19)

• Homage to Camden’s Big T (March 15, 2014)

• By wide margin, Camden voters approve Snow Bowl improvement bond (Nov. 5, 2013)

• Camden voters consider $2 million Snow Bowl bond, three zoning amendments (Nov. 3, 2013)