Red River Ski Areas Main Chairlift to be replaced

Say goodbye to the old Red Chairlift and hello to a brand new Dopplemayer triple chair. This summer Red River ski area will be replacing one of Red River's most recognizable structures.  Seeing the old Red Chair leave is a bit sad, as I have spent the last twenty years riding it. However, the sadness quickly dissipates when I think of the ride being shortened from 15 to 11 minutes. That didn't sound like a lot until I figured out that I can now get in at least one more run on a powder day before I have to go to work. Also, the added capacity and speed should almost completely eliminate lift lines during the peak times of Christmas and Spring Break.

So what does this mean for us homeowners? To start with, it means that our the ski area is doing a great job of investing in infrastructure. History has shown that ski areas that have upgraded and invested significantly in their infrastructure have not only seen increases in skier days but also increases in commercial and residential property values in their communities. Sun Peaks ski area, a similar sized resort in Canada started investing heavily in itself in 1994 and have since realized a 17% annualized increase in skier days over a 14 year period and a 10% annualized increase in residential property values over the same period bringing current values to between $500 and $600 Canadian dollars per sq. ft. 

Now is Red River going to see this kind of increase over the same period? That I don't know, however, history has shown that every other ski are that has invested in itself has not only helped itself but also the community in which it resides. Even in the midst of the current recession, The Red River Ski Area had a fantastic season. The management has done a great job of not only maintaining current Ski Area operations but also investing in the future of Red River.