Idea #1: T-Bar Golf Green
If not for the T-bar, it looks exactly like the green on your favorite golf course. Mike Reynolds, former lift manager at Song Mountain, N.Y., had a problem with losing parts in the grass when he was relocating grips on the Hall T-Bar. Since this was part of the very important annual maintenance program, it meant searching for grip bands, springs, clips, snap rings and screws among the crickets and toads every summer. Then, one day on a golf course green, he dropped some pocket change and saw what a snap it was to gather it up. Back at Song, he started up the lawn mower and set the height as low as possible. It worked like a charm, and still does, saving time, money and frustration, too.
Idea #2: Pop for a Penny
Dan Raedeke, GM at Wild Mountain, Minn., needed a convenient and inexpensive way to serve soda at events like company picnics and family reunions at the ski area in the summer time. He found it in this great idea: The construction of a custom-made “post mix” mobile dispenser mounted on a snowmobile trailer and pulled by an ATV. Post mix is concentrated soda syrup. At only a penny an ounce it is eight times cheaper than pre mix.
Just hook up water and electricity to run the carbonation machine and the result is almost unlimited soda. Total cost to build three units? Zero. Wild Mountain persuaded Pepsi to pay for the construction. Groups are charged a dollar per guest for unlimited refills.
Idea #3: Summer Lift Rides
More and more ski areas are offering summer or any time chair lift rides for a variety of reasons, including weddings, reunions, fall foliage rides, site seeing and at an area in New York, a funeral (the deceased wanted his ashes to be scattered over the hills of New York and his surviving family couldn’t afford to charter an airplane).
In order to make the loading and unloading process as smooth as possible, Montage Mountain, Penn., built this unusual ramp. In this photo, Montage created loading and unloading ramps at the bottom terminal made of treated lumber. The frame is two by four feet and the decking two by six feet. They are easily removed for winter operation. The red stone walkways lead passengers to the right areas. Check ANSI B77.1 1999 – 4.1.1.9.1 Loading Areas for special ramp requirements for foot passengers.
