220 replies to this topic

[jaytrem]

I think this was mentioned somewhere else already. But from today's "skiidaho" email...

"The new gondola replaces the Exhibition chair, which traveled from the top of the River Run lift to the Roundhouse. Exhibition gets a new home at Discovery, a ski area near Missoula."

I don't think Discovery is building this summer, so I assume it will be next year.

[Peter]

Crystal has submitted plans for the new High Campbell quad to the Forest Service for review.

http://www.fs.fed.us...Replacement.pdf

Also of note, they have asked for permission to change the Bullion Basin lift to a used fixed grip double rather than a detachable quad.
There are a few other modifications to this area as well:
http://www.fs.fed.us...difications.pdf

[Snoqualmie guy]

If they do go with the chair 6 quad. Some kind of new top landing will have to be done since its already out of room with the double.

[Lift Kid]

Vail is planning a new base village development called EverVail. It will supposedly be an all-green LEED neighborhood as they're calling it. It will be located west of Lionshead. The new development calls for a Gondola to go from the village up the mountain. I'm not sure, but I would assume it would take people to Eagle's Nest. The development is supposed to open in 2010. I would assume that the gondola would be installed at that time, because nothing is happening this summer. I would assume that they will go with Leitner-Poma as that seems to be their recent choice. Vail loves to mention that their lifts are Colorado-built. Attached is a map, including the proposed gondola.

 evervail_map6.pdf (1.06MB)
Number of downloads: 68

On another note, purely my own speculation, but I bet Breckenridge will be doing some lift replacements or upgrades on Peak 8 in 2010 or 2011. The new Peak 8 base area development will, more than likely, prompt the ski resort to modify its current system to reduce waiting. The lines can be wicked down there!

[Peter]

Lift Kid, on 21 August 2009 - 10:16 AM, said:

Vail is planning a new base village development called EverVail. It will supposedly be an all-green LEED neighborhood as they're calling it. It will be located west of Lionshead. The new development calls for a Gondola to go from the village up the mountain. I'm not sure, but I would assume it would take people to Eagle's Nest. The development is supposed to open in 2010. I would assume that the gondola would be installed at that time, because nothing is happening this summer. I would assume that they will go with Leitner-Poma as that seems to be their recent choice. Vail loves to mention that their lifts are Colorado-built. Attached is a map, including the proposed gondola.

evervail_map6.pdf

On another note, purely my own speculation, but I bet Breckenridge will be doing some lift replacements or upgrades on Peak 8 in 2010 or 2011. The new Peak 8 base area development will, more than likely, prompt the ski resort to modify its current system to reduce waiting. The lines can be wicked down there!

Here's the route as proposed a few years back.

Attached File(s)

•  Vail%20Lift.jpg (64.94K)
  Number of downloads: 105

[vons]

last I heard was that the gondola would replace Pride Express(26) in addition to the proposed line down to Evervail. The current bottom of Pride would become a mid station. The old pride HSQ may be reused or sold. If you drive along frontage road you will pass a bridge across Gore creek about where the old Amoco station was the proposed terminal is directly west of the bridge on the north side of the creek, all the development sketches I have seen show a Poma omega gondola terminal.

[boardski]

The current HSQ lift #26 might be used for one of the lifts proposed to replace #5 on the backside if they are wanting to install the gondola soon. Seems like it would be sort of a drag having to remove equipment every time to ride up if people are wanting to ski or ride the upper Lionshead runs since there would be no more chairlift service on that section of the mountain with #9 removed (last year) and #26 removed (proposed). It will be interesting to see what they decide on.

[Lift Kid]

I would hate to see 26 go. That lift has some good runs for the front side.

[Kicking Horse]

They could always do a Chair / gondi lift with a mid station?

[vons]

chair 26's trails would be accessible from the mid station but you would have to take your gear off

[Lift Kid]

vons, on 23 August 2009 - 08:37 AM, said:

chair 26's trails would be accessible from the mid station but you would have to take your gear off

That's my complaint. I hate taking my gear off when I'm trying to do laps.

[Peter]

Well Saddleback, Maine still states on their website that they expect to put in 2 quads in 2010. However, Boyne's Stephen Kircher posted the following info on the AlpineZone forums:

Quote

The question was: What have we learned from our neighbor to the north?

That certainly new facilities do attract trial and that they are doing a nice job of producing a ski product. They have hired a great leader in Warren Cook and seen some moderate growth in skier visits.

We have learned that Warren is indeed savy at PR and in operations and is putting in place many of the tactics he used against Les Otten many years ago to try to get his resort to profitability.

We have also learned that the Berry family has substantially cut off funding to Saddleback and given Warren the ultimatium to make money or else.

We have learned that Saddleback's 1.5m cash flow (EBITDA) loss is unstustainable for any resort and that they need to do something significant to the operations to make it sustainable. aka raise prices, cut costs or try to steal marketshare.

We have learned that they owe the ski industy over 400k in past due payments on capital expenses and upgrades that they purchased in 2008 (over 12 months in arrears) and are currently seeking a government backed (FAM) loan of 3m to fund past due bills and fund operations this winter.

The jury is out on the long term viability of Saddleback without subsidies from current/future owners or government.

For our part, we intend to continue to meet the competition with improvements to facilities, cost structure and service. However, we are not expecting to get Government handouts to make that happen.

Skiers should consider these realities at Saddleback along with the pretty picture currently being portrayed in press releases on on the blogs.

Respectfully,
SK

[liftmech]

Snoqualmie guy, on 13 August 2009 - 02:04 PM, said:

If they do go with the chair 6 quad. Some kind of new top landing will have to be done since its already out of room with the double.

The top terminal is a roomy as it's going to get. Unless I miss my guess, the Park Service won't allow them to blast the remainder of the summit off as it will 'compromise' the view of that ridge from the park. They get pretty uptight about that. That being said-- what's wrong with the current configuration (the unload area, not the lift)?

[Peter]

liftmech, on 13 September 2009 - 06:13 AM, said:

The top terminal is a roomy as it's going to get. Unless I miss my guess, the Park Service won't allow them to blast the remainder of the summit off as it will 'compromise' the view of that ridge from the park. They get pretty uptight about that. That being said-- what's wrong with the current configuration (the unload area, not the lift)?

It's going to be bottom drive, bottom tension like the current lift, and I think a terminal like the one below might be even more compact than the current Hall one. On a related note, you can cleary see Northway's top terminal from Sunrise in MRNP.

Attached File(s)

•  big sky 2-22-07 036.jpg (250.15K)
  Number of downloads: 42

[Peter]

Well I just got an email from the Forest Service saying they have approved 2 new graded cat tracks at Crystal. Presumably related to the lift replacement, the first one will go from the top of High Campbell to the Throne. The second will go from the top of Green Valley a short distance to the Grubstake area.

More info here: http://www.fs.fed.us...ect/index.shtml

[SkiBachelor]

vons, on 22 August 2009 - 02:43 PM, said:

last I heard was that the gondola would replace Pride Express(26) in addition to the proposed line down to Evervail. The current bottom of Pride would become a mid station. The old pride HSQ may be reused or sold. If you drive along frontage road you will pass a bridge across Gore creek about where the old Amoco station was the proposed terminal is directly west of the bridge on the north side of the creek, all the development sketches I have seen show a Poma omega gondola terminal.

I believe Pride Express is too short to convert to a gondola. I wonder if a Chondola would work, although this would still complicate the mid station loading area?

[Aussierob]

Skier,
The Strawberry express lift will be a Doppelmayr-CTEC (old timing flats lift). We may be doing a realignment of Showcase TBar. Not really a new lift though.

[Peter]

WELCH VILLAGE TO INSTALL A SECOND UNIQUE LIFT
SAM Magazine--November 2, 2009--Welch Village Resort, Minn., announced that they have contracted with Doppelmayr CTEC to design a new, eco-Drive four-passenger chairlift for installation in 2010. The new lift will replace a double chairlift installed in 1970.

The new quad eco-Drive chairlift will be the second at Welch Village and the fifth in the world for this new design by Doppelmayr CTEC. With chairs and sheave-train similar to high-speed quads at larger mountain resorts, the lift gives guests a loading, riding and unloading experience similar to the best in the industry. Plans are also in the works to add a second chairlift to the back bowl east side, and a day chalet on the slopes facing the three valleys surrounding Welch Village.


What are the 4 Eco-Quads now? Welch, Massanutten, Gunstock, and ??

[skier2]

Skier, on 03 November 2009 - 01:42 PM, said:

WELCH VILLAGE TO INSTALL A SECOND UNIQUE LIFT
SAM Magazine--November 2, 2009--Welch Village Resort, Minn., announced that they have contracted with Doppelmayr CTEC to design a new, eco-Drive four-passenger chairlift for installation in 2010. The new lift will replace a double chairlift installed in 1970.

The new quad eco-Drive chairlift will be the second at Welch Village and the fifth in the world for this new design by Doppelmayr CTEC. With chairs and sheave-train similar to high-speed quads at larger mountain resorts, the lift gives guests a loading, riding and unloading experience similar to the best in the industry. Plans are also in the works to add a second chairlift to the back bowl east side, and a day chalet on the slopes facing the three valleys surrounding Welch Village.


What are the 4 Eco-Quads now? Welch, Massanutten, Gunstock, and ??

What I want to know is which double it will replace...None of them really serve special terrain, that's what the quads are for. Maybe going up lookout/wild finale?

[SkiBachelor]

Maybe the one located at Mahogany Bay Cruise Center or Badger Pass?