Niehues is painting a Mad River Glen trail map in 2020

[MarzNC]

There is a Kickstarter to help cover the commission cost for James Niehues to paint Mad River Glen. He started work back in June. As of Sept. 3, already well past the target amount. Backers can choose between different versions of the finished trail map painting. Any extra money goes to MRG via the non-profit Stark Mountain Foundation. Open Road Ski Company was formed a few years ago in order to make a book of Neihues trail maps a reality.

A Ski Legend Paints Mad River Glen a New Trail Map

Help give this iconic mountain a new trail map by legendary ski artist James Niehues

www.kickstarter.com

Project Timeline

February 2020: Mad River Glen, Stark Mountain Foundation, James Niehues and Open Road Ski Company discuss the need for a new trail map
June 2020: Open Road Ski Company provides seed funding for Niehues to begin work
September 2020: Kickstarter Campaign
October 2020: Niehues completes painting of Mad River Glen
November 2020: Delivery of Art Prints begins
January 2021: Open Road Ski Company donates Niehues' map and campaign profits to Stark Mountain Foundation in support of Mad River Glen

 

[Brownski]

It’s not pretty but I always liked the MRG contour map. I wish more hills did that.

 

[MarzNC]

Should be plans for more than one trail map on the slopes at MRG after the Kickstarter ends. Going to be plenty of extra money over the $7500 goal for the painting commission. Pretty sure today is the first day and the total is already over $40K. The 30x30 signed and framed prints sold out all 20 for $1200 each.

What type of trail map does Magic have?

 

[Harvey]

Magic Mountain Trail Map, Vertical, Stats, Profile

Our rundown on the ski area in Londonderry, VT.

nyskiblog.com

 

[marcski]

Contour maps are awesome. Unfortunately, they are going the same way as the manual transmission. I used to love killington's blanket sized contour map from back in the day. I think MRG's maps has probably the same for quite some time.

 

[MarzNC]

Magic Mountain Trail Map, Vertical, Stats, Profile

Our rundown on the ski area in Londonderry, VT.

nyskiblog.com

That is definitely not a painting by Niehues. Someone from Magic should start talking to him. I bet they could raise $10,000 or more with a Kickstarter.

One of the things that impressed me about the management of Cataloochee in NC was that they have a Niehues trail map. But when I first saw it I didn't know that Cat was founded back in the 1960s. Well run tiny hill, 740 ft vert on 25 acres. Had a good time there last season with the Indy Pass since it's near where my daughter is in college.

Cataloochee

Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley, North Carolina Painted in 2010

jamesniehues.com

 

[Harvey]

That Magic map is new, it cool. I was a fan of the old one too:

Niehues is awesome, and I'm sure appreciated at Magic, but they might have different priorities.

 

[MarzNC]

Niehues is awesome, and I'm sure appreciated at Magic, but they might have different priorities.

Completely understand not wanting to spend money for a commission for a painting to be done. But think of the potential extra money that could be raised for Magic. Clearly Open Road Ski Company knows how to set up a Kickstarter for success. There is an art to coming up with the Rewards, both limited and unlimited. The Kickstarter for the book raised more money than any other art project in the history of that category, over $500K. That was far more than they needed for publication.

Niehues' goal is provide a sense of a mountain in a trail map painting that is both beautiful and functional. I'm still blown away by the idea that he hand paints every single tree and tree shadow.

 

[MarzNC]

Not surprisingly, all the limited edition signed and framed prints were taken in the first 24 hours. Almost $75,000 raised in the first day from almost 200 backers.

Remember, all proceeds beyond Neihues commission goes to the Stark Mountain Foundation. That's the non-profit that helps provide financial support of major projects for Mad River Glen. Construction of the new buildings went on all summer and should be completed this fall. The fundraising campaign for that work came up with several million dollars over several years before work could move forward. Deferred maintenance over 30 years made the project imperative for the future of MRG. They are still $300-400K short to finish paying for work in progress, which means taking out a loan.

 

[Brownski]

Hey Marz
Did you see that Niehues is retiring? End of en era