45 replies to this topic

[Zage]

How come the Summit express and River Run gondola at Keystone run side by side each other? seems stupid to me to have 2 lifts running side by side each other, why is it like that?

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This post has been edited by Zage: 31 March 2005 - 11:30 AM

[poloxskier]

Ususaly more advanced skiers ride the summit express especially since it runs faster and Keystone wanted more capacity out of the river run base and usualy the majority of passengers on the gondola seem to be foot passengers and skiers who get cold easily. Personaly I don't ride the gondola unless I'm going to eat at the restruants up top and am not skiing back down because it takes much longer to get up plus the last few times I have been to keystone there seems to have been fewer cabins then there were before the summit express went in so the lines are really long at the gondola.

[Zage]

It, makes sense

[poloxskier]

In my opinion there is way too much uphill capacity at Keystone though. The runs are packed and with lifts like these that run bottom to top the more difficult runs are frequently populated with skiers that are attempting to ski way above their ability. This probably is one of the reasons that I have seen more accidents at Keystone than any other resort that I have ever skied.

[SkiBachelor]

Another reason why the Summit Express was installed was because of how Intrawest was building the village. If the gondola broke down, there is another way up the mountain instead of having to go to the other side of the resort.

LL has a similar set up with Glacier and Friendly.

[Zage]

You mean had the same set-up, cause friendly giant is not there anymore.

[highspeedquad]

The preference is probably one reason, and the risk of losing your only lift up from that area could hurt as well. The only other way up is Peru, followed by Montezuma, if there was no lift operating from the River Run base area. It seems that there are always a few different ways up in most areas.

[poloxskier]

I also forgot to add that the gondola does close or run at reduced speed almost every time that I'm there due to wind. I have gotten stuck on the outpost gondola for over 45 min because they were running it so slow in the wind.

[floridaskier]

The Summit Express goes a good bit faster than the gondola. I rode them both (downloaded the gondola) just to say I'd been on them. Maybe it's sort of a replacement for the Erickson lift

[poloxskier]

floridaskier, on Mar 31 2005, 07:38 PM, said:

The Summit Express goes a good bit faster than the gondola. I rode them both (downloaded the gondola) just to say I'd been on them. Maybe it's sort of a replacement for the Erickson lift
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is in part but they didnt really nead a replacement for it as it hardly ever ran. Ericsson was removed the year the Summit went in because the summit terminates in the same place the ericsson did.

[highspeedquad]

The Summit does operate faster, 1100 vs. 1000 fpm, likely since they were installed in 1986 (River Run) vs. 1997 (Summit) so it makes sense that the Summit can operate at a higher speed.

[poloxskier]

But when I have been there the last few years I have never seen the gondi run at full speed.

[Kicking Horse]

i heard this from someone else and i have no idea how true it is. But the gondi out of river run runs around 850fpm to 950fpm. Sometimes as slow as 375fpm. Again i don't know how true it is. just going on what i heard.

[poloxskier]

I dont know exact numbers but that sounds about right.

[NoPainNoJane]

they've been talking about replacing the river run gondola with a new one in the next few years. the loading area for the gondola would be placed on the other side of the river and the current location is to be re-graded and used for a teaching area.

articles from earlier this month:

first article

second article

[Mike]

The gondola can run faster but there is a slight design flaw...the terminal isn't long enough. The load and unload area doesn't allow enough time to get 6 people into the gondola when it's running full speed. They have to run it at a slightly slower speed to allow enough time to load and unload all six people.
I agree it is an unusual setup (having 2 lifts side by side). Keystone needs the gondola for the restraunt and the chairlift is nice for skiers because they don't have to remove their equipment every ride. A standard 6 pack might work there with the option to remove chairs and put gondola cabins on at night. Quicksilver at Breck was built with the ability of putting gondola cabins on at night to bring people to the restraunt. This never happened, of course, but the machinery is able to move a gondola cabin through the terminals.

[Mike]

NoPainNoJane, on Mar 31 2005, 07:41 PM, said:

they've been talking about replacing the river run gondola with a new one in the next few years.  the loading area for the gondola would be placed on the other side of the river and the current location is to be re-graded and used for a teaching area.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This might happen before breck gets a gondola from what I hear.

[Zage]

Oh gee, I relly like the River Run gondola

[highspeedquad]

A chondola does make sense, but they might need that capacity they get from two lifts. It would be okay for night dining, though.

Where is the Snake River area? That is where they want to move tho gondi to. Any speculation on who will make the new gondi and what type it will be?

[liftmech]

The Snake River is the stream you cross to get to the mountain from the village/parking lots.

Quote

(poloxskier) In my opinion there is way too much uphill capacity at Keystone though.

Even after they have removed Pack 1, Ericsson, Ida Belle, and Saints John?