41 replies to this topic

[snoloco]

Which lifts seem to never be used? Here are my examples.

At Mount Snow, they barely ever run the Ego Alley and Sundance Triples, especially since they added the Bluebird Express. Now there are 3 detachables on the main mountain. 2 are run daily (Bluebird and Canyon Express) and can handle the load without the help of the Grand Summit Express on about 70% of the days. On Saturdays, Sundays, and during holiday weeks, they will spin the Grand Summit Express to take the extra load. On about 90% of the days, the 3 detachables can handle all of the load. The Bluebird Express will have a good sized line all day but the HSQ's will have minimal lines. Maybe they'll run a 2-5 minute wait during the morning rush and right after lunch. Only on super busy backyard effect weekends and Saturdays and Sundays during holiday weeks do the detachables all have a full maze consistently and then the two triples will be used only then.

Killington has a Yan HSQ and two doubles on Snowshed. Most times, only the HSQ runs on weekdays and one of the doubles will help out on weekends. Both doubles will step in if the HSQ breaks down or goes on wind hold. Because of low natural snow totals and no backyard effect visitors (mostly beginners who typically ski on Snowshed) the doubles have only run a couple of days this year when the HSQ was down. Otherwise, it has been able to handle all of the traffic on Snowshed on its own.

[boardski]

At Steamboat, Priest Creek and Christie 3 definitely fit this category. I often wish they would run Priest Creek as Sundown (the paralell HSQ) often has a line. Christie 3 however is now obsolete since the addition of Christie Peak HSS in 2007.

[snoloco]

I skied Steamboat over Christmas week this year and they ran both all but 2 of the days I was there. Still was quicker to take Sundown on most days than Priest Creek. Doesn't make sense why they wouldn't run it if there's a line at Sundown.

[Keymech]

Sunday River Oz. fixed grip quad. I think she will close this year with 16 hrs. open to the public. We ran her more hours for summer maintenance. She is a 1995 install with about 3000 hours on her.

[2milehi]

Argentine at Keystone. Last year she ran 18 hours to public.

[NHskier13]

Keymech, on 14 March 2016 - 03:42 AM, said:

Sunday River Oz. fixed grip quad. I think she will close this year with 16 hrs. open to the public. We ran her more hours for summer maintenance. She is a 1995 install with about 3000 hours on her.

That and...
- Duckling Double, Sunapee, NH. This lift really doesn't serve much that the nearby Spruce Triple doesn't, so it isn't necessary. Out of 11 days I've been to Sunapee in my life, only twice has it run. It's a really nice, old Roebling too (1962 I believe) and never gets lines when it was running, giving solid access to Eggbeater, one of my favorites.
- World Cup Triple, Waterville Valley, NH. I'm glad it is going to be removed and going to have it's full potential on Green Peak. I think the one thing keeping it alive is that it probably would cost less to maintain it for 15 years than to remove it. It operates less than 10 days a year according to the management. It probably was a godsend in '84 when it was first installed, back when there was a double to the top that had hour-long lines. It got struck by lightning in '99, replaced with a Doppy drive in '00, and the midstation was removed in 09 I think.

[NoPainNoJane]

I was at Crested Butte last week & noticed Twister was buried in snow at the top & bottom, looks as if it hadn't been ran in some time.

[boardski]

Lift 5 at Loveland, lift 6 at Purgatory, D Boyce platter at Wolf Creek

This post has been edited by boardski: 14 March 2016 - 04:45 PM

[trj820]

Chair 20 at Mammoth. It only seems to run peak weekends.

[julestheshiba]

Broken Arrow and Olympic Lady at Squaw. Broken Arrow has sun exposure so it only runs when there is lots of snow and Olympic Lady only runs on special occasions. Another one that has seldom run this year is Alpine Bowl at Alpine Meadows, this is quite unusual because last year, even with the bad snow, it ran lots more than it did this year.

[Conrad]

Some lifts never opened up this year like Knomes Knoll and Outpost at Pico and Duckling at Sunapee. I did have the opportunity to ride the Sundance Triple at Mount Snow this winter (mentioned above). Looking at the daily reports, it seems like it operates a good amount of Saturdays, and it was operating the busy Sunday I was there. I also notice the new Sunshine lift at Okemo was only open a couple of weeks this year...they must not have snowmaking yet.
Edit: Add Black chair at Magic

This post has been edited by Conrad: 14 March 2016 - 06:04 PM

[alexboesen]

julestheshiba, on 14 March 2016 - 05:45 PM, said:

Broken Arrow and Olympic Lady at Squaw. Broken Arrow has sun exposure so it only runs when there is lots of snow and Olympic Lady only runs on special occasions. Another one that has seldom run this year is Alpine Bowl at Alpine Meadows, this is quite unusual because last year, even with the bad snow, it ran lots more than it did this year.

While Olympic Lady has not run consistently in years, not running Broken Arrow is a new thing this year. I wonder if there is something wrong with that lift or they are planning to remove it as its very odd.

[SkiDaBird]

Albion at Alta. I wasn't watching the website every day, but they didn't run it over the Christmas season, so I'm not sure its run this year.

Virginia City at Bridger runs every day, but most weekdays they stop it in the morning, after the first crowd has cleared out. I'm not sure I've ever seen that before.

[julestheshiba]

alexboesen, on 14 March 2016 - 07:32 PM, said:

While Olympic Lady has not run consistently in years, not running Broken Arrow is a new thing this year. I wonder if there is something wrong with that lift or they are planning to remove it as its very odd.

In the past years Broken Arrow never ran but this year is has run many times.

[Yooper Skier]

Spruce at Pine Mountain, MI. 1965 Riblet double. I think it runs some weekends and holidays. I've never had the opportunity to ride it. Voyagers at Indianhead, MI is also another contender. 1969 Riblet quad. The year I had a season pass there, I think I saw it running twice.

[NHskier13]

B-Chair at Bretton Woods, NH. 1972 Heron-Poma, which is basically outdone by the Bethlehem Express. Bethlehem is longer but faster, and takes about the same time though serving more terrain.
Also Fabyan's Chair. It's not totally necessary, since it basically serves the same trails as riding Bethlehem + Rosebrook Express does, but that takes two lifts down the Fabyan's run (which is great, btw) and at the bottom of Fabyan's run, there isn't a way back up if it was closed. Other than that it is sorta pointless. I've only seen B operating twice out of 8+ trips to Bretton Woods, and Fabyan's usually runs but you see literally nobody on it. If it does open, it's also later when there are crowds (if there are crowds)

I don't think New England has quite as many lifts that aren't used too often, but some are there. Usually they are auxiliary lifts. (No, not as in the engines I mean as a helping hand to the main ones)

[snoloco]

Hudson Triple at Gore Mountain: 2010 Partek Triple that hasn't been open to the public at all this year. Operated 2 days in 11-12 and likely has less than 100 days open to the public in all the other seasons. Most lifts will get 100 days in 1 season.

Burnt Ridge Express Quad at Gore Mountain: 2008 Poma HSQ, only open weekends from mid-January to late-March for the first few years. Now open more often on weekdays, but still only runs a very short season. Opened 1/30 this year and closed 3/9.

[Conrad]

A few more to add:
Mittersill at Cannon
Slide Brook Express at Sugarbush
Tomcat at Wildcat
Top Notch at Attitash
The Snowshed doubles at Killington
J-Bar at Black Mountain, NH

This post has been edited by Conrad: 17 March 2016 - 04:31 PM

[snoloco]

Slide Brook should've been a gondola. It's a long, transfer lift that people don't lap, so the extra comfort of gondola cabins would outweigh the convenience of leaving skis/snowboards on. Who wants to sit on a long, cold, windy chair for 10 minutes? Typical ASC spending spree where they don't get anything right the first time. I'm sure it would get many users and run much more if it were a gondola. Sugarbush isn't 1 ski area, it's two separate ski areas with a shuttle bus between them.

[Sacdelic_Skier]

Maine t bar at abram doesn't run much if my memory is correct.