Flood from sudden downpour damages Putnam ski resort; rebuild in progress
Dean Ryder, owner of Thunder Ridge Ski Area in Patterson, met with News 12 Tuesday at the resort to tour the damage: a parking lot that now looks like torn-up carpet, a ski school building with much of its foundation missing and a muddy lift ticket office.
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One of the few remaining ski resorts east of the Hudson River was left a mess after a massive downpour did thousands of dollars in damage in just a few minutes.
Dean Ryder, owner of Thunder Ridge Ski Area in Patterson, met with News 12 Tuesday at the resort to tour the damage: a parking lot that now looks like torn-up carpet, a ski school building with much of its foundation missing and a muddy lift ticket office.
Ryder said it all happened because of Monday morning's downpour. The intense burst of rain caused a retention pond to blow over its dam, creating a fast-flowing stream down the mountain and across the parking lot.
Equipment, signs and debris were washed across the road.
"We've owned this place for 34 years and I've only seen this happen once before," Ryder recalled, "and it was nowhere near this level."
He estimates $100,000 in damage, most of the cost due to the parking lot, which needs to be entirely replaced.
Ryder said he and his staff can handle the adversity.
They already have contractors on site and plan to have everything in place to open in mid-December, as they do every ski season.
"Stuff happens that's out of our control with the weather," resort employee Theresa Delcogliano said. "We will pick up, clean up and keep moving forward. We always do."
Ryder said he is patiently working with his insurance company to cover repairs for damage from the most recent storm, as well as a windstorm on July 4.
