CAMDEN, Maine — Tara Wellman said she paid $1,000 for a family season pass to the Camden Snow Bowl on Dec. 1, less than three weeks before the ski resort was publicly projecting its opening.
But a month after the scheduled Dec. 20 opening was missed and with the resort’s chair lift still not operating, the Union woman is voicing frustration about what she says have been less than forthright statements from the town.
“They’ve taken money for services not rendered,” Wellman said Sunday.
Landon Fake, Camden Snow Bowl general manager, said Monday that there have been discussions about whether to return some money to season pass holders but that no decision has been made. He said a decision such as that would have to be made by the town’s Select Board.
The Camden Snow Bowl sold about 1,200 passes for this season, Fake said.
The Camden recreation area has offered some concessions to season pass holders. Saddleback Mountain in Rangely allowed Camden Snow Bowl pass holders to have one free day at its resort in Rangeley. That offer ended Friday. Saddleback is still offering Camden pass holders daily tickets at $39, which is that resort’s lowest daily rate.
Also, Mt. Abram in Greenwood, Big Rock Mountain in Mars Hill, Titcomb Mountain in Farmington and Black Mountain in Rumford all have offered Camden pass holders a free lift ticket with every one purchased.
At a Select Board meeting earlier in January, Fake said many of the season pass holders were understanding of the situation while he acknowledged others were frustrated.
Wellman said while she supports the Camden Snow Bowl project and thinks it will be great when completed, the town should have been more honest when selling the season passes as late as early December.
She said $1,000 is a lot of money for a family to spend and get nothing back yet even if she did get a discounted rate for buying early. She said Camden residents may be less vocal because the cost to Camden residents is significantly less than for nonresidents. An individual adult pass for the season costs $358 for a resident and $499 for a nonresident, according to the Camden Snow Bowl website.
The suggestion by town officials that skiers can hike up Ragged Mountain and then ski down is silly, Wellman said.
“You’re not going to hike up the mountain with all your gear,” she said.
This is the third year that the Wellman family — she, her husband and three children — have purchased season passes.
Fake said he expects the triple chair lift should be operating and the Snow Bowl open on its typical winter schedule by the end of the month. He said 100 of the 162 chairs have been installed on the lift.
“We’re trying as hard as we can to get open,” he said Monday.
Once all the chairs are installed and the electrical work done, the lift will be tested for one to two days. Then the staff will be trained on use of the new lift.
New snowmaking equipment has been in operation for more than two weeks. The resort has been open on weekends during the past few weeks. The lodge is open for food service, and trails are open for snow shoeing. Youth lessons also are being offered, and people who want to climb the mountain can ski down.
The $6.5 million project began in the spring. In November 2012, Camden voters approved borrowing $2 million for the project with the remainder coming from private donations. The project includes new trails, the new lift, new snowmaking equipment and a new lodge.
The town planning board reviewed the plans for the lodge last week. The board will walk the site at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. Plans call for building the lodge this year and opening the next ski season.
Local officials have pointed out that a rainy spring and early winter played roles in delaying the opening and created erosion problems that sent sediment into Hosmer Pond.
In addition to having problems with weather, erosion and construction delays, the project also has experienced cost overruns. The town has acknowledged that the project has gone about $800,000 over budget. The Ragged Mountain Redevelopment Foundation has agreed to try to raise the additional money.
Town Manager Patricia Finnigan said Friday that she will soon provide a full update to the Select Board on the finances.