Jump to content


A bit more than a "wanted" question (wanted: surface lift?)


10 replies to this topic

#1 vinn

    New User

  • Member
  • 6 Posts:
  • Interests:skiing and all that other outdoorsy stuff.

Posted 27 March 2010 - 11:05 AM

This is a bit more than a "wanted" question because I'll admit I probably have no clue what I'm talking about.

On another forum someone was asking about some resort real estate. Offhandedly I said something like: buy your own mountain and build your own lift. Well, I've kind of kicked around the idea before myself, but never really started putting a pricetag on it. The real estate side of this seems pretty simple - purchasing the side of the mountain is relatively cheap and easy to do since no one seriously considers building much of a structure on that kind of terrain (I'd be happy with a small cabin and wood stove.) As an example of real, I found this in 5 minutes of looking: http://montana.craig...1662192941.html . That's 4 hours from where I live and I bet I could find something cheaper and closer if I spent some time looking.

So then the question becomes, how realistic is it to put in a lift? My wife's grandfather put in a rope tow on their property in PA about 40 years ago and it's still running to this day. I'd be interested in putting in something a bit more substantial than a rope tow though. It seems like some kind of surface lift like a Poma or t-bar would be pretty realistic. Possibly even an old double chair. This would just be for private/friend use. I'm not interested in selling lift tickets or dealing with that. I'd be happy with 400 - 500' vert. So, the questions become:

1. How much does this kind of stuff cost? This would almost certainly be a diesel operation of some kind.
2. How realistic is this idea?
3. Anyone know of any stuff laying around Montana?
4. I'm not very mechanically inclined, however I have a lot of friends that are. I've also worked in the ski industry for the past decade, so I know quite a few lift mechanics. I also have quite a few buddies that could help out in other construction areas, like excavation.
5. I live in Montana, which doesn't have a tramboard. Are there any government regulations I'd have to be aware of if this is all on private land?

#2 iceberg210

    Bald Eagle Lifts: Defying Gravity

  • Administrator II
  • 1,079 Posts:
  • Interests:42

Posted 27 March 2010 - 11:28 AM

1. Depends on what you'd like to do, I've seen used TBar's for as little as 10 grand, or cheaper. Chairs would be a decent amount more.

2. If you have the money and the time, it'd be realistic, now granted you'd need ALOT of time and money, lol.

3. Actually there is one lift laying in the parkinglot of Marshall Mountain in Missoula. (at least there was last I heard) They also have a TBar and a chair, but both of those are installed and I'd very much doubt they'd sell them. (even the spare sitting in the parking lot I'd doubt they'd sell but it might be worth a shot.
http://www.colorados...arshallmtn.html

Also there is a TBar that's installed (at least last I heard) outside of Anaconda is it? Cameron once posted something about a lost ski resort in that area. And that might be a place to look.
http://skilifts.org/...wtopic=7854&hl=

A much much much longer shot would be the lift that is kind of near where Idaho hits Montana, on the highway to Ennis, there's an old Constam lift or something living back there, but it's probably so far beyond repair that it's not even worth mentioning. It's at the intersection of US 20 and Idaho State 87.
http://skilifts.org/...3677&hl=telecar

4. It's not what you know it's who you know. :thumbsup: And if you actually got this off the ground I'd be willing to come up and help possibly just for the experience, and it'd be fun I'd think.

5. Finally if it's a private area, on private land, not for public use I don't believe there would be any government oversight required. HOWEVER I'd definitely suggest still following the requirements of whatever manufacture in terms of maintenance on whatever lift you ended up with. Skipping on maintenance only ends up costing more in the end.
Erik Berg
Bald Eagle Lifts: Defying Gravity
http://www.baldeaglelifts.com

#3 vinn

    New User

  • Member
  • 6 Posts:
  • Interests:skiing and all that other outdoorsy stuff.

Posted 27 March 2010 - 11:33 AM

View Posticeberg210, on 27 March 2010 - 11:28 AM, said:

A much much much longer shot would be the lift that is kind of near where Idaho hits Montana, on the highway to Ennis, there's an old Constam lift or something living back there, but it's probably so far beyond repair that it's not even worth mentioning. It's at the intersection of US 20 and Idaho State 87.
http://skilifts.org/...3677&hl=telecar





Wow. Good info. Thanks! Ok, so I think it's probably about in the realm of what I was thinking. I figured $10k might buy some kind of lift.

This area you mentioned at the intersection of US20 - Idaho 87 is actually pretty close to my backyard - it's an hour away. (I live in Ennis.) So, it might be worth looking into just because of the proximity. I heard there used to be some ski cuts in that area and that they're completely visible from the road, but every time I've driven by there I've never been able to spy them.

(Okay, after reading that thread it sounds like the remains of that lift is trashed.)

This post has been edited by vinn: 27 March 2010 - 11:40 AM


#4 iceberg210

    Bald Eagle Lifts: Defying Gravity

  • Administrator II
  • 1,079 Posts:
  • Interests:42

Posted 28 March 2010 - 10:11 AM

Yeah I was pretty sure that lift was trashed, that's why I said it was a real long shot, but still you know, you might as well look into every possibility, and if nothing else it's pretty interesting to know about a ski resort that close to home.

You live in Ennis? Lucky! I got up there a couple times about two years ago for fly fishing, I absolutely love that town. Then again I love all of Montana so... :biggrin:

Which reminds me and makes me a tad bit frustrated that come this summer it'll be two years since I managed to get up there... Blargh.........
Erik Berg
Bald Eagle Lifts: Defying Gravity
http://www.baldeaglelifts.com

#5 thairston96

    Established User

  • Member
  • 33 Posts:
  • Interests:skilifts, trains, photography, film

Posted 28 March 2010 - 10:24 AM

Check out this link for some lifts that are for sale.
http://www.saminfo.c...c=Lifts=


-Tim


#6 rniemi

    New User

  • Industry II
  • 75 Posts:

Posted 30 March 2010 - 06:49 AM

Quote

5. Finally if it's a private area, on private land, not for public use I don't believe there would be any government oversight required. HOWEVER I'd definitely suggest still following the requirements of whatever manufacture in terms of maintenance on whatever lift you ended up with. Skipping on maintenance only ends up costing more in the end.


Probably might be a good idea to contemplate your county's zoning and building permit processes, which usually carries with it a healthy dose of engineering requirements, PE stamped drawings and inspections. Non-commercial private operations aren't exempt from building permit requirements in most locations. I would imagine nothing would suck more than installing a lift, then completely removing it 2 weeks later due to lack of building permits. :-)

I seem to recall a private ski area in Colorado getting hit with heavy fines when they fired up the chairlift for a party with friends without the proper tramway board approval. It's always something..


-Ryan

#7 Peter Pitcher

    Established User

  • Industry II
  • 194 Posts:

Posted 30 March 2010 - 11:40 AM

Bridger Bowl is taking out two of their old riblet chair lifts. These are well maintained and have many upgrades and can probably be bought cheap but a chair lift instalation is going to cost 200 Gs and upward so they might give you the lift but it will cost a bunch to put it up. If you want a lift that you can ride yourself and friendswith no operator, then I suggest you stay with a surface lift and there probably the best is the Poma platter lift. This would be somewhat cheaper to put up but once it is up and running you can just put it on "automatic" and ski all day. I have seen these lifts used this way in Europe.

#8 vinn

    New User

  • Member
  • 6 Posts:
  • Interests:skiing and all that other outdoorsy stuff.

Posted 30 March 2010 - 08:35 PM

I'm definitely leaning toward something like a Poma - they're about the right complexity. A lift with chairs seems like a bit too much work. I did call Bruce over at Marshall Mtn and talked with him a bit. The lift in the parking lot is a double that came from JH. It's mostly, kinda, not really for sale, except kinda and the price tag seemed quite high. At this point I'm slightly less concerned about the lift than finding some property. I'm about half serious about this, so I'll post an update if something comes up. Anyone happen to know of about 160 acres of steep hillside for sale in the Revenue or Tobacco Root ranges? Preferably one with lots and lots of snow on it.

#9 Outback

    Established User

  • Industry II
  • 170 Posts:

Posted 31 March 2010 - 06:06 PM

Just doing my weekly browsing and saw your post about wanting a lift for personal use.
Reminded me of a sale I made of an awesome YAN double, lightweight overhead drive, bottom tension, four towers, fixed return.....took it out of Kirkwood, CA (Snowflake???)and sold it to a developer in Utah (ex mayor of PC). This lift was in perfect cherry condition! He had the perfect location behind his house; his house was at the top of a development he had spearheaded, maybe 25 custom homes. Long story short, this lift sat in the development for five years until someone hauled it away to the scrapper. Turns out he needed a building permit for the lift, master plan, enviromental permits, etc., etc.
Not trying to damper your dream...there is always a way to reach your goals, but check out all the details before making the investment.
And remember a lift is a contraption capable of transporting many lives at any given time with gobs of liability loopholes. Maybe a repeat of your family's ropetow would be in order.
Here to help.
Craig

#10 Lift Dinosaur

    Established User

  • Industry II
  • 2,075 Posts:

Posted 31 March 2010 - 06:48 PM

Great "Real Life" experience Craig.
Vinn - have you thought about beach front property instead?

Dino
"Things turn out best for the people that make the best of the way things turn out." A.L.

#11 jeffe

    Established User

  • Member
  • 31 Posts:

Posted 06 April 2010 - 01:40 PM

Teton Pass out of Choteau could really use a hands on operator.





1 User(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users