Any updates? Any chance of services this season like fuel?
Snowy Mountain Lodge
- Thread starter snosub
- Start date
I'm a member of that church, Laramie Valley Chapel.
Not sure what it's going to look like yet business wise, but I think the cabins will be rented once they've been gone through and fixed up. A lot of leaking pipes, a lot. Plus metal roofs needing to be installed on a majority of the cabins including the lodge itself. Lodge was supposed to get the metal roof this week, haven't been up this week, will be tomorrow though.
I don't think the lodge will be open as a restaurant as that business design has failed multiple times, but like I said I think the cabins will be open to rent when they aren't being used for other things.
There's a work-day up there on the 17th if anyone wants to help out fixing things up, including LOTS of pipe work...
Thanks for the update wyorever..
No offense to the church and there intended use it is fine... but it is really a shame it never got bought up by a fellow snowmobile enthusiast. That place was run into the ground by people of certain beliefs and it never has had a real chance to come back. It truely has the potential to be a hayday there again if the right people would of got it.
Hasn't the lodge had four or five different owners in the past ten years or so? Maybe I'm too young to remember it ever having any 'hay days,' I've been sleding up there since I was fourteen, I'm twenty four now, and I don't ever recall seeing it crazy busy up there.
I think the problem is, with me at least, I would rather go load sleds and pack up all my stuff and then go eat versus the opposite. That lodge has failed multiple times trying to run it as a restaurant, probably why it was for sale for such a long time, no one else wanted to risk it.
This is true. I can still hope someday it will be ran the way it should be but I probably wont be able to keep sledding at that age..
The last decent owner I remember was the guy that ran it around 1997 or 1998 if I remember correctly.
As far as 'hay days' I guess it depends on what people want. Some want cheap decent cabins with kitchens, others want hotel rooms with a full service restaurant/bar, some just want a place to fill up with gas.
IMO to be successful the lodge should offer something year round except for the muddy season (similar model to what Steamboat Lake Outfitters do). Cater to the sledders in the winter with rooms, gas, and food. Guided horseback/atv/jeep rides in the summer and guided fishing and hunting trips. Albany Lodge is doing this except they do not have any guides - just rentals.
One last thought - we should be careful what we wish for. If SML turns in to a TML everyone will be on here complaining about the high costs, crappy service, and increased traffic caused by a successful lodge operation. Maybe the last few seasons will be considered the 'hay days'.....
Yes, you were to young to remember this but take my word for it....it USED to be the hub of activity there, it seemed like every sledder on the mtn made that the last stop to swill beer and tell the tall stories of the day. I truely miss those times.
If I was closer to retirement age and didnt have a family to raise and had the means I personally would of shown serious interest in that property!
Fair enough. In the short time I've been sledding so far everytime we stopped in there to grab a bite it seemed like we were one of the only ones in there.
I will keep you guys updated if they decide to rent out the cabins and such for the winter, along with who to contact if you are interested. My vision for the lodge was to guide out of all year, but I don't think everyone at the church shares the same vision I do, maybe I'm just being selfish and want to live up there year round
. I think another problem is all the permits required with providing guiding services, but it is something I am interested in.At any route, I will let the powers that be know that there are people interested in renting the cabins and having a place to pick up some fuel and such.
By the way, are you guys coming out for the Nebraska and Wyoming football game? I'm excited to see Nebraska in action this year (I'm originally from Grand Island).
people need to understand that the new owners need to play nice with the the forest service for any thing to happen. They set the rules for owners to play by. If I recall the fuel tanks had to move away from the creek, and that is easier said then done.
So I asked about the whole fuel tank situation. Turns out we have to buy the tank, 10g's and then its another 10g's to set it up. So even if we made $1.00/gal, which no one would buy fuel at that price, to turn a profit would take a loooooong time. Fuel is a long shot up there. Dealing with the Forest Service so far haven't been an issue, they've been fine to work with.
What kind of tank are you buying? Is it gold lined. Looking at the prices in one of my supplier catalogs a 1000 gallon tank with containment dike ready to go is around $3000.
I'm not buying any tank, thats what I was told lol. I guess I don't see what the issue with driving five miles down to Cent is anyways, unless they don't have premium.
I know when we go to Togwotee for a week each year we always take as much fuel with us as we can. I can't imagine we're the only people that think this way, gas cans are cheap.
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