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As some of you know, Mt. Bachelor gets a lot of rime, so much that it can take down the comm-lines and even break tower heads. Anyway, this summer or last Mt. Bachelor decided to run its upper section of comm-lines of its lifts underground and have junction boxes at each tower. Pine Marten, Outback and Skyliner all feature the new boxes, although Pine Marten has had its comm line on the ground since 2008.

I must admit, I like the idea and I'm surprised I haven't seen this done at more ski areas.

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We've done the same thing in the long span at the top of our YAN chair.

SkiBachelor, on 08 January 2014 - 08:57 PM, said:

Crystal did it on their gondola, it's underground the way up. Most of the trench was dug by hand too.

At one time all of Copper's lifts were configured that way. Personally I think it makes sense only if there is, as Allan mentions, a long span where weight and/or wind are an issue. We moved Baker's chair 8 comm underground in several places because wind would drift it into the carriers no matter how tight we pulled it. Our K-lift comm is spliced six ways to Sunday because it keeps getting hit with excavators. 'Uh, the red line is where I dig, right?'
From an installation perspective a buried comm is a royal pain.

Crescent at PCMR has the comm line buried until tower 3, where the summer zipline passes over. The big span over the gorge on the Flight of the Canyons gondola has the comm line strung between the footings of the towers on each side, hanging 30 feet or so below the cabins.

Where is it on the Peak 2 Peak gondola at Whistler?

floridaskier, on 09 January 2014 - 01:14 PM, said:

Peak 2 Peak may be like the tram at Jackson Hole where communications go through the wire rope.

P2P has safety data through the rope and information done over wireless network. 7th Heaven and Symphony have buried comm lines for the top section of the lift.
Edited to add the P2P uses the Frey RSS system for inducing signals in the haul rope. The other option is fibre optic in a track rope.
This post has been edited by Aussierob: 09 January 2014 - 06:32 PM

After losing 2 comlines in three years at my old place (Snow Valley) we buried the comline for the last four towers or so on our lift 11. We also got alot of rime and wind at that lift, particularly after it cleared a breakover and was extremely exposed.

At Grand Targhee, the Comline on the Dreamcatcher lift was partially destroyed a few years ago during a particularly windy night. It is now run underground between towers 18 and 23.

Headwaters,Shedhorn and Challenger have burried com lines at the Big Sky.