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Crystal Mountain Gondola


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#141 Peter

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Posted 18 November 2010 - 11:31 AM

Great info, thanks Dino. Any idea how long this usually takes? Crystal has now stated this is why they can't open most of the mountain.
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#142 iceberg210

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Posted 18 November 2010 - 01:00 PM

While it makes sense that that would prevent the rest of the mountain from being open I wonder why it's just Quicksilver and Discovery they're opening. You'd think they could open Gold Hills as well. Perhaps that's included in the "further terrain to be opened over the weekend".

Also you'd think they could use Quicksilver as a way to get folks to Forest Queen and High Campbell and just rope off all the runs that go back toward the Gondola.

Perhaps that's a bit much to ask, or perhaps the snow conditions aren't there yet but just some musings...
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#143 Lift Dinosaur

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Posted 18 November 2010 - 04:41 PM

View PostSkier, on 18 November 2010 - 11:31 AM, said:

Great info, thanks Dino. Any idea how long this usually takes? Crystal has now stated this is why they can't open most of the mountain.

Not a black-n-white question.
Sheave trains have to be checked for alignment to hold the rope, terminals need to be ready to accept the rope, brakes need to be released (hopefully in a normal manner rather than just "jacking them open", etc. etc.
Ballpark - 5-7 days if all the pieces are in place.
Unfortunately, Marketing Departments have the impression that once the towers are flown the lift is ready to run! :temper:
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#144 liftmech

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Posted 19 November 2010 - 04:49 AM

Marketing.... I'll keep my mouth shut.

As for limited terrain, I imagine the cat crew is working on getting the runs on chair 9 open. Sounds like there was a lot of snow at one time, and that slows things down. Pa mentioned he was pushing snow with the bumper yesterday just going up to plow the road. If there's that much below the base area, I bet there's quite a bit more up high.
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#145 Peter

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Posted 19 November 2010 - 06:42 AM

Forest Queen and Chinook are opening today as well.
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#146 Peter

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Posted 20 November 2010 - 08:48 AM

Nice news report here: http://www.king5.com...-109358459.html
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#147 Peter

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Posted 22 November 2010 - 04:20 PM

From Crystal's Facebook Page:
"Gondola construction is chugging along, even with these incredibly cold temperatures (12 degrees!) and heavy snowfall. The haul rope is being strung right now!"

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#148 liftmech

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Posted 22 November 2010 - 07:28 PM

Sounds like the comline is going in as well. Weather isn't helping those guys out much; Pa had to clear a few trees off Northway today.
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#149 Peter

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Posted 23 November 2010 - 07:33 PM

Crystal reopens Thursday with all lifts running except the gondola. I'll be there and will take some pictures of the gondola's progress.
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#150 Peter

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Posted 25 November 2010 - 05:30 PM

Pictures from today.

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#151 Crystal Coach

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Posted 25 November 2010 - 10:13 PM

GREAT pics! Sunday I get to ski finally, and I'll be looking at the gondola too.

That is the haul rope, right? It looks too big to be a pilot line.

View PostSkier, on 25 November 2010 - 05:30 PM, said:

Pictures from today.


#152 liftmech

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Posted 26 November 2010 - 01:14 PM

That's the haul rope.
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#153 Peter

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Posted 27 November 2010 - 07:53 PM

Haul rope was spliced today but I hear opening has been pushed back to the 17th.
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#154 Peter

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Posted 28 November 2010 - 07:00 PM

In other news the RFID GO cards are a total disaster. Ticket line today, 11/28, well into the parking lot.
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My season pass wouldn't scan at all without taking it out of my pocket and waving it around.
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#155 liftmech

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 04:18 AM

Wow. I don't ever remember seeing a line that big. That's to buy tickets, right?
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#156 Crystal Coach

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Posted 05 December 2010 - 10:31 PM

View PostSkier, on 27 November 2010 - 07:53 PM, said:

Haul rope was spliced today but I hear opening has been pushed back to the 17th.



I haven't heard an estimated date yet... still the 17th?

#157 Peter

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Posted 06 December 2010 - 06:06 AM

On Friday, Crystal posted on Facebook that it will be sometime around the 17th but they have not nailed down a date yet.
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#158 Peter

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Posted 08 December 2010 - 03:06 PM

Opening has been pushed back to sometime between the 21st and 23rd.
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#159 Lavalamp

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 08:58 PM

They are publicly saying the 22nd. Load test on the 20th.

Seattle Times story, and the Crystal news item.

#160 Peter

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 07:19 PM

Cabins are on the line. Note the big Crystal logo is on the bottom of the cabins instead of the front and back.

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