Word last week that the Haystack ski area may be reopening on a limited basis this winter has been welcome news to many. We agree, and feel that even a small-scale operation at the Wilmington facility is good for skiers, good for the property owners around the mountain, and good for the overall economy of the region. Given the ups and downs of the local economy over the past couple of years, any entrepreneur willing to risk capital and invest in a local venture we see as a positive development.

That’s not to say there aren’t challenges faced by Haystack. Three jump out pretty quickly.

The first is the operating company’s ongoing dispute with the Coldbrook Fire District over sewer allocation fees. We won’t get into the specifics here, but the owners of Haystack Club need to resolve their issues with the district. It’s going to be hard to sell high-end town homes without access to the sewer system.

Second will be real estate sales. Yes, the stock market is making a comeback. Yes, there is money circulating again. But the overall economy still remains shaky, and running a ski area on a long-term basis for only a handful of property owners doesn’t strike us as financially viable. Haystack Club will make it only when a large volume of their units can be sold, and that requires a much stronger overall economy than what we currently have.

Third will be access to water, and that means Haystack’s relationship with Mount Snow. As it stands right now, they share a snowmaking reservoir and both entities will be drawing water out of it to make snow this winter. Mount Snow is going through a laborious permitting process to build a new snowmaking reservoir to meet its needs. Haystack will have to be supportive of that effort, if for no other reason than its own survival. Both ski areas need snowmaking water to survive, both mountains are linked by a system of pipes and reservoirs, and both will market to much of the same clientele. There is a symbiotic relationship that needs to be on good terms.

We certainly wish the best for Haystack. It would appear that sentiment is shared by others as well. A quick check of the number of views of the story on our Web site confirms that. The story has had more than double the amount of views than any other story we posted last week. There have also been many positive comments from readers posted on the page.

If ever there’s been a ski area that has potential, yet never had the opportunity to fully reach that promise, it’s Haystack. Certainly, it’s not there yet. There’s a long road ahead. But having even one lift running and some life in the base lodge puts the mountain that much closer to realizing the goal of viability. We’ll all be a little better off when that day comes.