Saddleback prepares for first ski season since closing in 2015

For the first time since 2014, Saddleback ski area is getting ready to welcome skiers this winter.

IN THIS WEEK'S HOMETOWNMAINE - WMTW NEWS 8'S STEVEMINICH SHOWS US THEPROGRESS-- THREE GOOD NATS HITS OFWORK --(07-02-46) (JIMQUIMBY/SADDLEBACKMOUNTAIN)"AFTER BEING CLOSEFOR THE LAST FEW YEARS THISIS A PRETTY HAPPYUNDERTAKING WE'RE ALLMAKING."IT'S THE MAJOR UNDERTAKINGEVEN THE MOST LOYAL OFSADDLEBACK SKIERS KNOWSWAS SO DESPERATELY LONGOVER DUE..A 38-MILLION DOLLAR UPGRADTO VIRTUALLY EVERY FACET OFTHE INFRASTUCTURE,,, ANDEXPANDED LODGE,,,ADDITIONAL SNOWMAKING ANDNEW LIFTS..(07-55-02) (ANDYSHEPARD/G.M.)"THE SKIING DOWNHILLWAS ALWAYS EXECPTIONAL,THE GETTING UP THE MOUNTAINPART WAS THE CHALLENGE."--NATS--AT THE HEART OF SADDLEBACK'SUPGRADES IS A NEW HIGH SPEEDDOPPELMAYR CHAIR LIFTTHAT'LL MOVE HUNDREDS UPTHE MOUNTAIN IN JUST FOURMINUTES..(07-04-06) (CHASEMARTINSON/DOPPELMAYR)"IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THEWHOLE DYMANIC OF THEMOUNTAIN,, THE LIFT ISGOING TO BE THE FILET MINON,24 HUNDRED PEOPLE AN HOUR TOTHE TOP."--NATS OF COPTER--THE MOST MODERN OF LIFTS,,, AMARVEL TO WITNESS THEINSTALATION...A HELICOPTER HIRED TO FERRYTONS OF CONCRETE UP THEMOUNTAIN TO WORKERS WHO LAYTHE CHAIR LIFTSFOUNDATION.....(06-59-02) (QUIMBY)"WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAYCONDENCES THE TIME FRAMEDOWN TO A COUPLE OF DAYS."--NATS--(07-54-39) (SHEPARD)"THIS ISN'T A BUILD ITAND THEY WILL COME KIND OFTHING."ALL CONSTRUCTIONASIDE,,,, TO MAKE THISMOUNTAIN RELEVANT AGAIN,,GENERAL MANAGER ANDYSHEPARD SAYS IT MUST FIRSTSELL THE EXPERIENCE,,,A TASK HE SAYS MADE EVEN MOREFEASABLE BY SO MANY FORMERSADDLEBACK WORKERSANXIOUSLY RETURNING EVENAFTER FIVE YEARS AWAY...WORKERS INCUDING JASONBELLOMY(08-24-29)(JASONBELLOMY/SADDLEBACKEMPLOYEE)"IT'S MAINE, IT'SSADDLEBACK, IT'SRANGELEY, IT'S A FAMILY UPHERE, IT'S DIFFERENT."(07-53-10)(SHEPARD)"IT DOESN'T SURPRISEME AT ALL THAT THAT'S THE WAYIT PLAYED ITSELF OUT,THERE'S SUCH A STRONG SENCEOF FAMILY HERE AT THEMOUNTAIN."TIME IS TICKING BEFORE THEFIRST SNOW FLIES AND THECHAIR LIFTS SPIN FOR THEFIRST TIME IN HALF ADECADE.... BUT ALL ARECONFIDENT THE WORK WILL BEDONE ON TIME --- THE CREWSHERE ARE EAGER,, THEY'VEWAITED YEARS FINALLY ROLLUP THEIR SLEVES..(07-37-46)"QUITE HONESTLY IT'S ALOT OF WORK BUT ITS, AH IT'LLTAKE ALL SUMMER TO DO IT'SDIFFICULT BUT WE'VE BEENPLANNING ON IN DOING THISFOR FIVE YEARS."SINCE NO ONE HAS SKIIEDTHE MOUNTAIN IN SO LONG -THE TRAILS AND GLADESNEED SPECIAL ATTENTION,TO