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Lifts That Should Never Be Replaced


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#1 Conrad

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Posted 06 May 2016 - 06:14 PM

I see the "Lifts that Need a Replacement" thread a lot. How about lifts that should never be replaced? The only exception I would add would be if it needs to be replaced due to safety concerns.

I'll start off with three:

Single chair at Mad River Glen
Madonna at Smugglers' Notch
Jupiter at Park City

I'll admit I haven't yet ridden the single chair and have it in there for historical significance. However, I found the conditions at Smugglers Notch to be one bright spot in this year's brutal winter and it certainly was in part due to the lift's capacity of 800 an hour. And Jupiter is just awesome as it is. No need for high speed or more capacity.

#2 silence

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Posted 06 May 2016 - 06:47 PM

Castlerock at Sugarbush, obviously the original was already replaced so let's go with never increase capacity since that stayed the same from the original lift...


#3 Smacpats

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 03:22 AM

View PostConrad, on 06 May 2016 - 06:14 PM, said:

I see the "Lifts that Need a Replacement" thread a lot. How about lifts that should never be replaced? The only exception I would add would be if it needs to be replaced due to safety concerns.

I'll start off with three:

Single chair at Mad River Glen
Madonna at Smugglers' Notch
Jupiter at Park City

I'll admit I haven't yet ridden the single chair and have it in there for historical significance. However, I found the conditions at Smugglers Notch to be one bright spot in this year's brutal winter and it certainly was in part due to the lift's capacity of 800 an hour. And Jupiter is just awesome as it is. No need for high speed or more capacity.


The problem with Jupiter as a double is that if one wasatch ever happens, it will need to be HS to get people quickly from PC to Big cottonwood.

#4 NHskier13

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 03:39 AM

Not so much as a replacement but a removal :
Ducking, Sunapee, NH
No need to remove it unless it totally breaks and it's not worth repairing imo

Peak, Pat's Peak, NH
It's pretty old (1963) but it's still useful for me, since hurricane and vortex both start in inconvenient places compared to the peak chair. If it gets replaced, it'll probably be a double again since the line isn't wide enough for anything bigger. Also, I like some older lifts, this being one of them. I think it would be nice to keep this lift as a little history for pats peak

#5 Sacdelic_Skier

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 04:04 AM

four words: north Americas oldest t-bar
The Ski Lift Enthusiast
http://sugarloafphotos.blogspot.com/

#6 Smacpats

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 04:13 AM

R.I.P. The telluride SLI's 1972* (Thanks CCSlider)-2017
Why do they need to even replace them?
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1,200 P/h plunge will also be missed. Double people on slopes means half of the powder.
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This post has been edited by Smacpats: 07 May 2016 - 07:40 AM


#7 Smacpats

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 04:22 AM

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I would also say that lift 6 at telluride never should have a replacement, if it weren't for Gold Hill express serving most of it's terrain (1st pics is lift 6, second are GHX)
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#8 Smacpats

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 04:23 AM

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This post has been edited by Smacpats: 07 May 2016 - 04:24 AM


#9 NHskier13

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 05:43 AM

i like those photographs lol

#10 Smacpats

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 07:25 AM

View PostNHskier13, on 07 May 2016 - 05:43 AM, said:

i like those photographs lol

Telluride is a very good place to take photos. Lots of views and lots of snow :)

They still have lots of it too (these are webcams).

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I doubt the snow in either of these will be melting soon either. The first one is 11,800 feet above sea level and the second is 10,800 feet above sea level. The top of the lifts is 12,400 feet above sea level, and the highest in bounds terrain you can hike to is Palmyra peak, 13,200 feet above sea level.

Not really a lift that shouldn't be replaced, but more of a lift that should never be installed:
Palmyra peak tram

This isn't in planning, but if something like it happened, Palmyra would be ruined. There is barely enough snow through the rocks for hike-to terrain, and a tram would make it unskiable.

This post has been edited by Smacpats: 07 May 2016 - 07:34 AM


#11 julestheshiba

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 08:28 AM

View PostSmacpats, on 07 May 2016 - 04:13 AM, said:

R.I.P. The telluride SLI's 1972* (Thanks CCSlider)-2017
Why do they need to even replace them?
Posted Image
1,200 P/h plunge will also be missed. Double people on slopes means half of the powder.
Posted Image
Posted Image
Posted Image

I still have no idea why they want to replace the SLIs. They aren't too old or long.
Don't get rid of something before you know how much it is worth.

-Will

#12 julestheshiba

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 08:43 AM

Some I don't want replaced and don't need to be.

Squaw One At Squaw
Solitude At Squaw
Lakeview At Alpine
Alpine Bowl At Alpine

Squaw One is by far my favorite lift. It is quick and effective at its job and rarely gets crowded (unless the ski team is using it).
Solitudes name fits it perfectly. Having a high speed lift next to it makes it less used than Shirley despite being less crowded. It also is the highest capacity fixed lift there so it is good on crowded days. This allows the runs on it to be rarely crowded.
Lakeview I admit gets crowded but this lift is quite relaxing and is great at keeping crowds minimal there. It also is great at getting rid of the crowds.
Alpine Bowl because why would it need to be removed. It is rarely open anyways?
Don't get rid of something before you know how much it is worth.

-Will

#13 boardski

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 08:47 AM

Challenger at Mary Jane, Sierra at Copper
Skiing since 1977, snowboarding since 1989

#14 boardski

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 08:48 AM

Bar UE at Steamboat
Skiing since 1977, snowboarding since 1989

#15 Smacpats

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 11:03 AM

View Postjulestheshiba, on 07 May 2016 - 08:28 AM, said:

I still have no idea why they want to replace the SLIs. They aren't too old or long.

Coonskin (Lift 7) is a bit too long. I bet it's the same as with the vail HSQs. Unability to find parts.

#16 snoloco

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Posted 07 May 2016 - 11:44 AM

Snowdon Poma @ Killington and D-Lift @ Hunter are my two picks

#17 julestheshiba

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Posted 08 May 2016 - 08:22 AM

View PostSmacpats, on 07 May 2016 - 11:03 AM, said:

Coonskin (Lift 7) is a bit too long. I bet it's the same as with the vail HSQs. Unability to find parts.

I just love old SLIs
Don't get rid of something before you know how much it is worth.

-Will

#18 Backbowlsbilly

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Posted 08 May 2016 - 08:57 AM

Pali at A Basin

#19 Smacpats

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Posted 08 May 2016 - 11:58 AM

View Postjulestheshiba, on 08 May 2016 - 08:22 AM, said:

I just love old SLIs

Same. Hopefully 7 and 8 at telluride get 2nd lives somewhere else, perhaps a beginner lift or a terrain park lift?

Sad that Aspen is even finally replacing 1A. Not many of them left :(

Here is a list of all remaining SLI's:
https://en.wikipedia..._still_standing

#20 julestheshiba

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Posted 08 May 2016 - 05:47 PM

My favorite ones are the combined tension drive lifts like oak park. Also I love Tahoe and SLI was based in Incline Village in Lake Tahoe.
Don't get rid of something before you know how much it is worth.

-Will





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