The Dartmouth Skiway's plan to build a new base lodge hinges on its intensive fundraising capabilities -- and $3 million.
The Skiway must raise at least that amount before the College will allow them to break ground on the project, according to Susan Folger, the director of the fundraising project.
The Skiway plans to raise nearly half of the necessary money this year. "We're optimistic," Folger said.
The estimated $3 million needed to complete the entire project will come from donations, said John Wilson, the College's assistant director of facilities planning.
There are other plans for an additional $1 million project to further increase the snowmaking capacity of the mountain.
There were already extensive improvements in snowmaking last year as a result of a major donation of equipment by a Massachusetts snowmaking equipment company.
Skiway manager Donald Cutter '73 said "these improvements will bring us in line with the rest of the ski industry."
These developments are expected to greatly increase the capacity of the mountain. The snowmaking improvements will allow the Skiway to open more trails each year immediately after the winter break, according to Cutter.
Current lodge facilities, serving both the College and the public are proving to be "grossly undersized," Wilson said.
With daily attendance rate rising, the lodge is having trouble accommodating all of the skiers, according to Wilson.
Last Sunday's attendance of 1735 skiers was the largest the mountain has ever seen. Wilson added that the new lodge is especially important because the current lodge only seats 125 people.
Preliminary studies have concluded that the mountain needs a 16,000 square foot facility, much larger than the present 4,000 square foot lodge in order to serve the current capacity of skiers.
Banwell Architects of Lebanon, designers of several ski area projects before, will design the new lodge.
Folger said draft architectural plans for the new lodge could be submitted to the College's Board of Trustees as early as February for approval.
This project comes after years of Skiway lobbying the College to consider improvements to the area.
