320 replies to this topic

[Peter]

For anyone who hasn't made it to Jackson Hole this winter but is curious about what the Teton lift project looks like, here are some pictures of the terminal locations and liftline.

Bottom terminal location looking up
 IMG_6559.JPG (210.47K)
Number of downloads: 172  IMG_6558.JPG (234.84K)
Number of downloads: 217

Looking down into the bottom terminal...it is in a big hole that was created last summer.
 IMG_6556.JPG (278.08K)
Number of downloads: 200

Looking up the line from part way up
 IMG_6554.JPG (316.02K)
Number of downloads: 178

Looking down the line from a few different spots
 IMG_6552.JPG (352.28K)
Number of downloads: 164  IMG_6550.JPG (368.82K)
Number of downloads: 156  IMG_6546.JPG (365.35K)
Number of downloads: 158

Top terminal location
 IMG_6543.JPG (198.92K)
Number of downloads: 136

The entire line is very steep; the lift will climb 1,600 feet in less than 5 minutes.

[MNSkier]

Lutsen Gondola

Skied Lutsen this past weekend and there are lots signage promoting the new gondola coming this summer. Talked with some of the staff and the word is that the old gondola will continue to run through summer operations while they are installing the new gondola.

I did not see any official plans, but the staff are being told that the new gondola will be directly to the north of the existing line. The terminal on the Eagle Mountain side will be located slightly east and sounds as if it will encroach on "Flapjack" (Bunny Hill). What will probably be the most significant change will be on the Moose Mountain side where they plan to move the terminal up Moose Mountain towards if not past (implied) the top of Bull Chair.

While moving the Moose terminal makes sense in light of the planned expansion to the west, I was surprised by this potential plan because of the winds that are common for the top of Moose. The terminal and that part of the line would be perpendicular and very exposed to what I believe is the prevailing wind. Just my opinion, but the existing gondola is shut down due to wind fairly often so I would think they would try to reduce that risk.

Regardless, Like many of the people I talked to this weekend I am looking forward to the new ride in 2015/16.

[skier2]

MNSkier, on 23 February 2015 - 06:50 PM, said:

Lutsen Gondola

Skied Lutsen this past weekend and there are lots signage promoting the new gondola coming this summer. Talked with some of the staff and the word is that the old gondola will continue to run through summer operations while they are installing the new gondola.

I did not see any official plans, but the staff are being told that the new gondola will be directly to the north of the existing line. The terminal on the Eagle Mountain side will be located slightly east and sounds as if it will encroach on "Flapjack" (Bunny Hill). What will probably be the most significant change will be on the Moose Mountain side where they plan to move the terminal up Moose Mountain towards if not past (implied) the top of Bull Chair.

While moving the Moose terminal makes sense in light of the planned expansion to the west, I was surprised by this potential plan because of the winds that are common for the top of Moose. The terminal and that part of the line would be perpendicular and very exposed to what I believe is the prevailing wind. Just my opinion, but the existing gondola is shut down due to wind fairly often so I would think they would try to reduce that risk.

Regardless, Like many of the people I talked to this weekend I am looking forward to the new ride in 2015/16.

With how much business Lutsen does in weddings at the Summit Chalet, I'm surprised they're potentially planning on moving the return terminal so far away from the Chalet itself. Still very excited to see this happening and am looking forward to the many great things to come up there.

[DonaldMReif]

So Teton is going to be a Doppelmayr. Kind of an interesting turn when the other three existing high speed quads at JHMR are Leitner-Pomas that are all of different ages and models. The change in manufacturer's choice kind of reminds me of how Vail relied on Leitner-Poma to build Gondola One in 2012, like they had for the seven high speed quads built between 1998 and 2010, but one year later, changed to Doppelmayr to build the Mountaintop Express lift, and Doppelmayr is also building the Avanti Express lift.

On topic, Teton's definitely sounding steep since it sounds like, for a lift of similar vertical, it will cover about the same amount of vertical as the Beaver Run SuperChair in approximately half the distance (the ride time of the Beaver Run SuperChair is 9 and a half minutes; Teton sounds like it will have a ride time between four-and-a-half to five minutes).

[Lift Dinosaur]

DonaldMReif, on 23 February 2015 - 09:29 PM, said:

So Teton is going to be a Doppelmayr. Kind of an interesting turn when the other three existing high speed quads at JHMR are Leitner-Pomas that are all of different ages and models. The change in manufacturer's choice kind of reminds me of how Vail relied on Leitner-Poma to build Gondola One in 2012, like they had for the seven high speed quads built between 1998 and 2010, but one year later, changed to Doppelmayr to build the Mountaintop Express lift, and Doppelmayr is also building the Avanti Express lift.

As always, it comes down to the $,$$$,$$$ on the last page of the Proposal.

Dino

[vons]

yup, money is king and the consumer is always trying to stretch their dollars.

[RibStaThiok]

That and Doppie seems to be in deal making mode lately.

[eagle628]

Sugarbush's new Valley House Quad is Doppelmayr, per Win Smith (http://forums.skimrv.../14412-The-Mall, bottom of page).

[silence]

eagle628, on 27 February 2015 - 03:21 PM, said:

Sugarbush's new Valley House Quad is Doppelmayr, per Win Smith (http://forums.skimrv.../14412-The-Mall, bottom of page).

I wonder if they were approved to extend the Valley House Quad base down hill, I didn't really see an answer in that thread but Win mentioned it on his blog at sb.com

[liftmech]

Time to silence rumours. Copper will not, unfortunately, be building anything this year. Here's hoping for next summer.

[DonaldMReif]

Guess Colorado's going to have a slow new lift season this winter if the Avanti Express lift and the Take Four upgrade are the only two new lifts I am aware of.

This post has been edited by DonaldMReif: 11 March 2015 - 12:22 PM

[liftmech]

Powderhorn's still building one....

[SkiDaBird]

liftmech, on 11 March 2015 - 10:24 AM, said:

Powderhorn's still building one....

That was the Take Four he mentioned.

Perhaps has to do with Vail's investment being focused in Utah this year.

[liftmech]

I read that too fast, only saw Avanti.

[RibStaThiok]

We have these kinds of years every now and then when there will only be 2 or 3 new lifts if even that in a year's time for a particular state. Which is just fine. Keep the old trusty iron lifts working yet another year and save some $$$ in a bad snow year.

[jaytrem]

liftmech, on 12 March 2015 - 06:18 AM, said:

I read that too fast, only saw Avanti.

Nope, you read it correctly. The post was edited.

[Peter]

Has anyone heard whether the 2 new lifts at Okemo for the South Face Village development are going in this summer?

[djspookman]

Peter, on 16 March 2015 - 04:33 PM, said:

Has anyone heard whether the 2 new lifts at Okemo for the South Face Village development are going in this summer?

I know that the main access lift might be, as for the other, that surprised me to see that on the list. (and I am very involved in the overall project)

[Peter]

Doppelmayr is going to start work on the Rafferty lift at Snow King March 23rd and the plan is to have it open by mid-June for the alpine slide and new mountain coaster. The same crew is also going to build the Teton detachable quad across the valley.

http://snowkingmount...lodge-building/

[Peter]

"The Backyard" expansion at Crystal Mountain (Michigan) includes a triple chair and 6 new trails.

http://www.mlive.com..._expansion.html

I'm guessing it will be Built by SkyTrac.