Skilifts.org / SORT Forum

Greetings,

As a new series of Remontees-Mecaniques Taos Ski Valley reports is being published by user rodo_af, we are looking for some help with several of the ski lifts. As far as we can tell, all of the lifts are Poma or Stadeli (besides Pioneer, Yan), so the manufacturers is not a problem. However, the years are more tricky. Here is what I have so far:
Lift 2 = 1995
Lift 8 = 1992
Lift 4 = 1991
Lift 1 = 1989
Lift 7 = 1984
Lift 6 = 1976
Lift 5 = 1973
Old Lift 4 = 1971-1991 (Pullman-Berry)
Lift 3 = 1970
Old Lift 2 = 1965-1995
That leaves us with question marks on Lift 7A (relocation?) and Lift 9 Rueggli. Does anyone have any information on these lifts? Also, feel free to share any interesting tidbits on the other lifts as well.

Thanks in advance for any help!
Here is the link to the R-M series:
Original French
Computer Translated English

The original lift one was installed in 1961 and removed in 1989 it was then reinstalled as lift 7a. Taos also had a detachable Pomalift up the front before chair one was built (must have been a hell of a ride) From what I have red in history book of the resort ( Ski Pioneers, By R.Richards) Chair 1 was the first Stadeli Chairlift built and cost of $52000.

Nate could tell you more on the other lift

7A Installed in 1990 used the parts from old lift #1 and old Lift #2 those parts were also re used to make the Rueggli Lift installed in 1991 Walter Ruegg designed the chair bail using old center pole chairs to make them then had a company in Denver test and make them. The Rueggli Lift drive bullwheel and gearbox was purchased from an area out east. Might ave been waterville not sure. Also the Haulrope off the old lift #1 was replaced a couple years before the lift came down. That Haul cable was enough for 7A, Rueggli, and replaced the lift 3 cable. I think the Rueggli cost less than 30,000 to build at the time too being used. The Rueggli gearbox is in pieces in my shop now and almost cost what the lift did to rebuild it.

I can dig up more dates for the older lifts that were here

Thanks for the information! Now you say that both of those lifts borrowed parts from the old Lift 2. Does that mean I got the date wrong on when the new Lift 2 was built? I pinpointed it as being installed in 1995, but that was only because I found that a lift of similar vertical and length was installed then according to the lift surveys and Google Earth. Not because of hard evidence.
Thanks a bunch!

The Rueggli report has been published, but without all of the information: https://translate.go...html&edit-text=
This post has been edited by Conrad: 10 September 2014 - 06:46 AM

The current Lift #2 was installed in 1995, Lift # 6 is right next to it was installed in 1976, Not sure what year the old #2 came down. The old lift #2 parts may have been used to keep the others going. They had to swap the gearbox on 7A at one time so the current setup is off of old #2 and the grips and chairs have been swapped out some. So old #2 is mostly spare parts that have been getting used up. Will dig up when that came down. Did use some of the grips to keep lift #3 going they were slipping too much this also required switching out chairs we removed from #5 were same design but needed a bigger diameter for the hangar to accept the other grips big improvement.

Lifts 1,2,4, and 8 All Poma Alpha Quads Lifts 5,6,3, Rueggli Stadeli doubles Lift 7A stadeli center-pole double Lift 7 Stadeli triple . Pioneer lift (11) Yan triple. Mainstreet lift (12) SkyTrac Triple.

vons, on 09 September 2014 - 06:09 PM, said:

I herd the Poma Platter was a hell of a ride for sure. As was Mickey driving a cat tow. Crazy to think you could build a lift for that price when they now ring in at $1.5M Plus. It's hard to accomplish much for $52,000 now. We built the Pioneer lift for somewhere around $400,000 in 2012.

Thought you might find this useful for some photos if you want.

http://www.colorados...88a6ae1e3ba637d

http://www.santafene...a71e0342ce.html

Taos sounds like a nice place to ski at. I need to check it out sometime.

cool articles and great pictures. Some of that don't look the same anymore

Thanks for all the information! Lift 3 just came out: http://www.remontees...rtage-5167.html

Do you have a lift #10 or is that yet to be built?

We don't call them that but 7A is pretty much Lift 9 and The Rueggli is Lift 10. When we built the Pioneer we started calling it lift 9 and were told if we call it by a number it is Lift 11. So with all the confusion snowmakers were calling it lift 9/11. So I assume by the phone number to the lifts and order built. That if they were numbered in sequence that is what it would be. But those labels are unofficial cause everyone has always called them 7A, and the other Rueggli. And the Pioneer is called by it's name more than a number. When we clear it on the radio we call it lift 11. And the new mainstreet lift will assume that it will be called lift 12. Or if it takes a name would Probably be called the Mainstreet or Kachina Peak lift. Lift #4 is already named Kachina lift but we use mostly numbers for lifts.

Great thread, Taos is a hard place to get info for, thanks for all the awesome pics and data

Just returned from Taos. Nice place, needs more snow though. The bump run recommendations were very good. I couldn't help but notice some old S L I chairs turned into benches in the village. Did Taos have an S L I lift at one point?

The SLI looking chairs where on the old Kachina lift (4) which was not an SLI but a Pullman-Berry

Unfortunately Taos is a very rocky mountain and needs a fair amount of snow to ski well
This post has been edited by vons: 03 January 2015 - 07:23 AM

Makes sense, thanks. Regarding that master plan, the HSQs planned for 4 & 5 sound great and much needed, Lift 4 will likely have some lines when KP opens and the ride up #1 takes the patience of a saint when #5 is not open as it is not currently. Have they ever considered replacing 7 & 7A with a HSQ running from the bottom of 4 to the top of 7A and then maybe reinstalling the current 7 (with double it's current chair spacing) to improve access to Hidalgo and some of those shorter double-diamonds? The chutes near #8 would still be hike-to and access would be a little improved. I'll try to win "Powerball" and send a donation. :-)

boardski, on 02 January 2015 - 09:04 PM, said:

Whole region is having a hard year. I got into quite a bit of trouble last week because stuff wasn't covered.