Skilifts.org / SORT Forum

I skied at Killington on Saturday and, low and behold, the South Ridge triple was open. It has never been running when I have been there in the past (maybe because I've never been there on a Saturday before). For those unfamiliar with it, this Yan triple makes about a 15 degree turn about half way up on the loaded side. Tower number 29 is the top terminal and then the tower numbers keep counting on down the downhill side. Of course, I had to ride it. The trip around the two mid line bullwheels is rather denture rattling! My skiing buddies, knowing my interest in lifts, wanted to know why it was built this way and I had to say that I didn't know. Does anyone out there know why this was done, other than Janek's general interest in doing things differently?

Thanks,
Dan

$$$ + ego....
a labor intensive lift indeed 40+ towers....
usually not open due to exposure....

mid bullwheel "Jerk" ..... Priceless

hence the Jerk chair

enjoy

I worked on the installation of that chair. Someone asked me - "Have you ever built a lift like this?" and my answer was "I've never seen a lift like this." I believe the thinking was that the lower section was steep enough that "green" skiers would stay on the top section. I have heard that the good skiing for more experienced skiers is the downhill lift line. It was not a fun installation with all the one-sided crossarms - the towers wanted to spin under the helicopter.
I was a Killington last week and was told that the lift seldom operates.
It wasn't a YAN thing, more of a KILLINGTON thing.

There was also a midstation at the turn... I think that may have have been a factor to build the lift that way.

Maybe they wanted the lift to be more interesting. Their trail maps show no reason for it not to go strait.

it was buit for the midstation, i have also heard that the midstaion was put in to keep the chair open longer, so only the top half of the lift would have to have snow for it to run. but having the glades tripple, it was never realy needed.

This lift was a beast from the manufacturing standpoint. It's the first "triangular" that I know of. Hats off to Oscar for keeping it all together for so long.

There is a triangular gondola at Sterling Vinyards in Napa Valley, CA. I road a few years ago and it's either a PHB Hall or a Von Roll detachable. There is a special derailer when the lift reaches the third bullhweel. The lift detaches and moves on to a rail which looks like a chair parking rail which takes the gondola around the bullwheel and then it automatically reatches. It's quite an interesting lift to ride if you ever have the chance.

ok...
ill get some up to date photos of the ridge...
AKA the Fridge

I rode that lift yesterday for the first time. Incredible to say the least. The turn is funny "Hang on, Sudden turns coming."

No-one's yet said why the lift was designed as a triangle. Breck's T-Bar is built that way because of the rocky terrain that would have to be dealt with if the lift followed a straight line (i.e. the current down-line side).

Lift Dinosaur, on Jan 29 2006, 07:55 PM, said:

spunkyskier01, on Jan 29 2006, 09:27 PM, said:

These are the reasons for the turn. They wanted the ability to have a midstation, but as far as I know it was never put in, so the lift just turns as is for now. I have never ridden it either but it does seem like the only logical reason for that turn, as well as making the lift just plain weird and following Killington's history for weird frankenstein lifts (i.e. Canyon Quad, Snowdon Quad, old Needles Eye Double, etc.) It sort of makes me think on Breckenridge.

I thought the original concept WAS to have loading at the second bullwheel.

Yes, that's what the mid-station was supposed to be, a mid Load. Rather than an unload.

"No-one's yet said why the lift was designed as a triangle"

Janek just wanted it to be "kinky."

I actually talked to Pres Smith before and one of the answers to my many questions was this.

"The South Ridge Triple was purley built as a novelty lift. I had seen one in france years before and thought it was intresting."

So im not sure if your reasons are accurate, some of them sound very ligitmate but that is what I heard from the man himself.


Mike

ski_Lift_modeler, on Jan 31 2006, 01:28 PM, said:

I have heard the same reasoning behind the South Ridge Freezer.

I wondered. The novelty theory makes sense, as a midstation does not necessarily require a turn. Also, an aerial lift is much easier to install over rough terrain than a surface lift such as the aforementioned T-Bar at Breck. Now that I think about it, though, a midstation that has a turn on it would be easier to load than one where you have to step in from the side. It almost makes it like bullwheel loading.

liftmech, on Feb 3 2006, 05:31 PM, said:

yes, and almost like the Peak 8 Super Connect at Breck, although that one is more like bullwheel loading + the curve!

dave

SkiBachelor, on Jan 30 2006, 10:11 AM, said:

I've ridden that one. I was on a wine country tour and went to that winery just to ride the tram. In some circles that would be considered odd -- but of, course, not in this forum.

The only brand names I saw were Hall.

I think that it was built as a triangle just for the sightseeing aspects. Of course, unlike chairlifts or T-bars, in this case you did ride down.

BTW, it is a good tour -- but the wine is lousy.

Cheers (pun intended), TCS