11 replies to this topic

[julestheshiba]

Deer Valley had or has plans to build one or two gondolas to Park City. One would replace silver lake and the other would start at the base. The other option would not replace silver lake but go from the top of the silver lake lodge into Park City. Which option would you chose? Personally I would like the single gondola. Any more info about Deer Valleys plans would be greatly appreciated.

More info about gondola here: http://ski.curbed.co...rk-city-gondola

[snoloco]

Not sure if this is one of the options, but I'd say the best plan would be a 2 stage gondola with the first stage running from Park City to Snow Park Lodge and the second stage replacing the Silver Lake Express. Silver Lake always seemed to make more sense as a gondola anyway since it's a transfer lift that you can't lap and nonskiers can use. Then the Silver Lake HSQ can be relocated to replace the Mayflower Triple or be used as part of a terrain expansion.

[julestheshiba]

But I rarely see anyone on silver lake. Most of the crowds go to carpenter

[TheEpicPancake]

snoloco, on 07 March 2016 - 12:05 PM, said:

Not sure if this is one of the options, but I'd say the best plan would be a 2 stage gondola with the first stage running from Park City to Snow Park Lodge and the second stage replacing the Silver Lake Express. Silver Lake always seemed to make more sense as a gondola anyway since it's a transfer lift that you can't lap and nonskiers can use. Then the Silver Lake HSQ can be relocated to replace the Mayflower Triple or be used as part of a terrain expansion.

It's not an option, and most likely because the alignment wouldn't work with so many houses in the area between Main Street and Snow Park. The 2 stage version they're proposing would have the Silver Lake Express be replaced with a gondola, with a mid station near the top of Lucky Bill (so essentially just above Snow Park), and then a 2nd gondola running from Main Street to that mid station. So it would require riding 2 gondolas to get from Main Street to either Snow Park or Silver Lake.

[julestheshiba]

Couldn't they just weave around the houses with turns because the 1 stage would be much more efficient, don't you agree? I don't like riding gondolas and two to get to Silver Lake is very inconvenient.

[SkiDaBird]

julestheshiba, on 23 March 2016 - 05:56 PM, said:

Couldn't they just weave around the houses with turns because the 1 stage would be much more efficient, don't you agree? I don't like riding gondolas and two to get to Silver Lake is very inconvenient.

There are a lot of houses. Take a look at it through google maps, not earth. There's too much to avoid.

[julestheshiba]

now I see. Then why is that labeled as a option on the plan.

[TheEpicPancake]

julestheshiba, on 24 March 2016 - 06:20 AM, said:

now I see. Then why is that labeled as a option on the plan.

I think the one gondola from Main Street straight to Silver Lake is still an option, though not the preferred one. I think it's possible with just one angle station. It's the single gondola from Main St to Snow Park that would require several angle stations, and thus not a viable option, versus one angle station to get to the spot above Lucky Bill. And I think replacing Silver Lake Express with a gondola is something that should've happened from the beginning.

Here's some photos from Google Earth of what I imagine the 2 stage gondola would look like. As you can see, it avoids all houses (albeit just barely!). And I'm sure with the mid station on the red line, they would develop some sort of lodge and entry point for guests to enter the lift system. The Huntsman family, which owns the property in that area, is already in talks with Deer Valley to redevelop the area.

[julestheshiba]

TheEpicPancake, on 25 March 2016 - 12:40 PM, said:

I think the one gondola from Main Street straight to Silver Lake is still an option, though not the preferred one. I think it's possible with just one angle station. It's the single gondola from Main St to Snow Park that would require several angle stations, and thus not a viable option, versus one angle station to get to the spot above Lucky Bill. And I think replacing Silver Lake Express with a gondola is something that should've happened from the beginning.

Here's some photos from Google Earth of what I imagine the 2 stage gondola would look like. As you can see, it avoids all houses (albeit just barely!). And I'm sure with the mid station on the red line, they would develop some sort of lodge and entry point for guests to enter the lift system. The Huntsman family, which owns the property in that area, is already in talks with Deer Valley to redevelop the area.

I think you mean city to snow park would not need many angle stations and silver lake to city is not viable.

[julestheshiba]

 Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 9.55.43 AM.png (1.59MB)
Number of downloads: 49Would it be possible to do what mammoth did with their gondola?

[TheEpicPancake]

julestheshiba, on 26 March 2016 - 09:06 AM, said:

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 9.55.43 AM.pngWould it be possible to do what mammoth did with their gondola?

It's a good question. I always wondered how Mammoth managed to do that. Obviously they had to get permission for the spots where they placed the towers, but did they have to get every homeowners permission for which the gondola merely flies over? Or is the air above private property technically not part of the property and thus permission not needed? Does anyone know?

EDIT: Did some research and discovered this quote from an old article:

"The gondola was envisioned as long ago as the 1960s by Dave McCoy, the ski area’s founder. As development occurred along the route from 1973 forward, a right-of way was carved out, and home owners alerted to the fact that someday gondola cars might be swaying overhead, reports the Mammoth Times (Aug. 15)."

This post has been edited by TheEpicPancake: 26 March 2016 - 12:47 PM

[floridaskier]

Hard to see how any route from City Hall to midway up Bald Eagle Mountain works with all the houses the whole way up. I still think the only direction to approach this from is from the PCMR gondola angle station, which gives a straight shot to Silver Lake or Empire with nothing in between. Can't imagine I'm the only person who's thought of this