Published: December 21, 2007 11:25 pm            

Seven Springs unveils high-speed, 6-seat lift

CHAMPION — Legs swinging from a particularly cushy chairlift, Ed Theis said a quicker trip to the top of Seven Springs Mountain Resort’s “Gunnar” slope means more skiing, which, of course, makes for a more memorable trip.

The Mount Pleasant man said he rode the first chair when Seven Springs revved up the high-speed, six-seat lift for the first time Friday morning. By afternoon, Theis still was going strong.

“I like it because it’s fast,” he shouted, his voice fading as he headed up the mountain.

Just in time for a snowy season and the resort’s 75th anniversary, Seven Springs opened the new lift – the No. 1 request of visitors – and refurbished its hotel rooms with warm, inviting tones. The state-of-the-art lift now is a 4-minute ride instead of a 12-minute trip with long lines at the bottom.

“It is going to be a white Christmas,” resort CEO Scott Bender said.

This year, forecasters are predicting weather that will allow all skiing terrain to be open – a figure that had dipped to 60 percent last year. As of Friday, 80 percent of the slopes were open for eager skiers and snowboarders.

The weather comes as a reprieve to resort management, especially in light of recent years with less-than-perfect snowfall for the ski hotspot.

Last winter was the first under the resort’s new ownership, the Nutting family of Wheeling, W.Va.

With warm temperatures, 40 percent of the slopes were shut, and resort employees wondered whether the Nuttings might halt planned renovations and additions.

But, they didn’t.

The resort moved ahead, renovating 400 rooms in nine months.

It set up the new chairlift in six months, built an addition to the snow-tubing park building and a magic carpet conveyor there, added a Euro-bungy and a 20-foot climbing wall, expanded fly fishing programs and biking and hiking trails and finished a first phase in a downhill mountain-bike course.

“These projects are great examples of (the Nuttings’) commitment, and there is more to come,” Bender said.

Updating the hotel rooms with new decor, black-out draperies, flat-screen TVs and high-speed wireless Internet is the first part of renovations.

Next, resort management plans to renovate hotel corridors and the lobby with the same contemporary designs in earth tones, put together by interior designer George Conte of Greensburg. VIP suites also are planned.

“Our intent was to maintain the image we have here of Seven Springs,” Conte said.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.