Jump to content


Loveland - Chair 5


4 replies to this topic

#1 SkiKC

    New User

  • Member
  • 18 Posts:

Posted 29 March 2018 - 10:31 AM

I'm frequently up and around Summit County, and on the drive back down 70 to Denver, Loveland always catches my eye. I've stopped there for a self-guided "lift tour" of sorts, and on occasion near the end of the day, I've been able to take a lap on some of the older chairs near the main base area. One lift that always catches my attention but nobody seems to know about now is Lift 5 - the Heron-Poma double that connects the beginner area with the rest of Loveland. I know that it's disused now that shuttle buses have proven more efficient - but none of the lifties or anyone else I've encountered seem to remember a time when it actually ran.
I'm a sucker for old equipment - I seek out areas with unique, old, or non-mainstream, non-modern lifts. Resorts often keep older chairs as backup (Aspen comes to mind, with the double that runs completely parallel to a detachable and is only operated when skier numbers require it), but in the case of 5 at Loveland, it seems that keeping it there would be posing a bigger liability (disused chairs over parking lots, roads, etc) than just removing it.
Does anyone know anything more about it? e.g. The last time it spun, either for an operational test or for skiers? And if Loveland has a plan for it?

#2 RibStaThiok

    Established User

  • Member
  • 1,057 Posts:

Posted 29 March 2018 - 12:50 PM

It last ran maybe 2001ish. Some more info on it over on Peter's site. There have been rumors that they are keeping the lift there as a placeholder of sorts with the forest service for the possibility of future use, or a new lift along that section. Personally, I'd love to see this old Heron running again.
At one time I could have sworn that lift ops would run the lift every now and then for upkeep purposes as the chairs would never be in the same place every time I drove up US 6.
Ryan

#3 skierdude9450

    Established User

  • Member
  • 1,484 Posts:
  • Interests:Skiing, sailing, music.

Posted 08 April 2018 - 08:16 PM

I remember riding it when I was maybe 8 years old - that would be around 2000. A really neat ride with lots of ups and downs. Even back then it ran only occasionally as there was a shuttle as well. They repainted the chairs about 6 or so years ago, which seems kind of curious for a lift that never runs, so maybe there's a hope to operate it again, but it's also been off the trail map for many years now.
-Matt

"Today's problems cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them." -Albert Einstein

#4 RibStaThiok

    Established User

  • Member
  • 1,057 Posts:

Posted 08 April 2018 - 11:26 PM

I would love to see it run again. They have not had it inspected by the state and have not had it permitted to run for many years though.
Ryan

#5 v12tommy

    New User

  • Member
  • 4 Posts:

Posted 11 April 2023 - 07:17 PM

I remember it running when I was a kid on the way to Keystone. I think someone had mentioned previously that they removed the gearbox out of it, I assume to harvest parts, but I have no way to confirm that. The story I heard was that they don't want to remove it, because it runs over the highway, and there is no way they could get approval to install a new lift in the future if this one is removed. As for why they don't run it, my understanding is that it is a labor thing. The chair requires 4 people to run it, whereas the shuttle requires 1-2 people, and they already need a shuttle driver to bring in the employees every day.





1 User(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users