Progress comes one nail and one cubic yard at a time

Progress continues to be made on the two major projects currently underway for the summer.

Here are a couple pics of the ticket/retail room as the knotty pine is being installed....one nail at a time and there are a lot of nails!

The door on the left side that you can see goes into the lodge and the door to the right leads to the sidewalk between the bridge and the former entrance to the lodge. I think you will like it.

And here are a couple shots taken yesterday of the reshaping of the top for the ultimate installation of the triple seat chair lift........and many, many cubic yards of dirt are being moved. This is going to make these four ski trails sooooo cool. Can't wait.

Abbys Alley, Freeway, Central Park and Kenzies Korner will be longer runs and all easisly accessed by the new chair lift.

All this is happening while we see many of you for a full service river float or one of the many paintball groups.

Hey, make sure you stop and say hi at our booth at the State Fair in a couple weeks. North wall in the varied industries building.

A Progress Report on the Chair Lift

Saturday, July 12, the equipment arrived and started moving dirt at the top of the Freeway--near the Keaston surface lift to create the unload area for the additional chair lift being installed this year. The Keaston has been removed. Here is a photo of the Keaston before work began.

And two quick pics of some of the equipment being used to make the runs longer and the top of the lift higher.

Goal = Keaston removed; runs higher & longer

On Sunday, July 12 we began the disassembly of the chair lift. Step one is to remove all the chairs so they are ready to transport to Seven Oaks. ... and so the cable can be inspected before it is removed. Here are the chairs removed from the haul rope and ready to load onto trailers for the ride to their new home at Seven Oaks.

This is the shot of the LAST chair to be removed after six and one half hours of work. Twigg, Joel and son in law Jody did the work....... I represented management!

And a couple shots of the chair lift before the disassembly begins. You will note that the terrain at Seven Oaks is much steeper than here.

This chair will also be a rear load chair.

Then on Monday, July 14, Joel accompanied the inspector from Missouri as he gave a "thumbs up " on the condition of the steel cable (haul rope). The process has begun! We'll keep posting photos as work continues. Snowmaking in November will be here before you know it!

Interior lodge work

Thought it was time for a lodge addition update as it has been a while since I blogged. The plumber is done with all that he can do on the interior until he can install fixtures which will only be done once the carpenter is done. The electrician is moving along. He has the entrance completed so the carpenter this week got all the interior walls insulated and soon they will start with the knotty pine on the walls and ceiling in the 14 foot vaulted ceiling entrance which will be used for our summer and winter ticket sales as well as our retail sales. I will get some photos of the knotty pine once it is done........really, I will!

Later......
ps. the full service river floats are going gang busters again. Goood Hotttt Summer days is what everybody was waiting for and now it's here......plus the flood to be behind us!

A lot got finished yesterday

All the steel siding, steel trim and windows were finished yesterday. Once the electrician gets a couple rooms done, the carpentars can get real serious on the interior. Here are a couple pics taken this morning. Matt Hockemeir and crew are doing a great job with the carpentery! Read on......

The portions of walls you see in these two pics that have the "tyvek" exposed will ultimately be covered with stone to match the scheme used on the 2005 lodge addition. More below......

The bridge connecting the parking lot to the lodge will be moved a few feet further north (closer to the parking lot) and a boardwalk will be constructed from the bridge to the new front door that faces the parking lot.

When you go in the front door you will be able to take a left to the men's and women's restroom (each with a shower) or take a right to get tickets purchased and purchase our retail items. You will exit thru the door that is on the west which will take you back to the parking lot, to snowtubing, rental shop or to the slopes.......or you can go straight from the ticket/retail room without going outdoors into the lodge for food, seating and Coal Creek Lounge .

All of the earth on the parking lot side of the lodge will be landscaped. I am always looking for big boulders for landscaping, so if you know of any farm that has some that they have pulled out of their fields, let me know.

Paint ball is still going, the weather is great for tent camping and looks like we are about a week away from resuming the full service river floats. Call today for your reservations. Group rates available.

Seven Oaks has a wedding reception in the lodge tonight, a wedding and reception in the lodge Saturday night and another wedding and reception next Saturday. Tis the season to say "I do"!!

There are still a couple of Saturdays not booked for reunions and receptions this summer so if you have a need for a large group gathering......check out our lodge!

More Later.......

ps. the next Friday after Five will be Friday, July 4!

Post Rain Progress

Had a few weather delays......then shorted a few critical components for exterior work......but the skies are pretty clear now and the needed components came in yesterday so the crew is back at it. In the mean time the plumber and the electrician have started on the interior.

looks like we are getting closer by the day of re-starting the full service canoe, kayak and tube floats. Call to make your reservation today....and the paintball fields continue to be active....just call ahead so we know your desires.

more later........

Then the west wall and roof was built

Here are a couple photos taken today at about noon. The west wall was erected yesterday as well as all the wooden roof structure being finished yesterday. And now today the roof is being put on........so with all this rain we can stay a little drier!
Thanks for checking on our progress. You can see it first hand this friday night, June 6 as we host the June Friday after Five.......... Jimmy Buffett themed night........ with DJ......... No cover charge........ Normal sandwich and pizza menu............... Volleyball, horseshoes, good times and Hey, I'll be there!


The roof in this photo is about 25% completed.

Another update

Here are a couple photos taken Saturday, May 31 as the trusses were set in place. Next will be the construction of the west end wall followed by roof insulation and steel sheeting. The west end of this addition will be used for retail and ticket sales. This end will be all knotty pine interior with vaulted ceiling. Fun project that would be even more fun if it wouldn't rain so often.