16 replies to this topic

[Powdr]

Interesting article in the Park Record:

http://www.parkrecord.com/Stories/0,1413,1...2988455,00.html

I always thought that a transport lift, like Telluride's up to the developments in Deer Valley would be a good thing to reduce car traffic and encourage guest up there to spend time on Main Street. Here's a look at the likely lift layout (as described in the article and from UPCM's old proposal:

 PCMR_DV_Gondi.jpg (153.03K)
Number of downloads: 191

Powdr

[floridaskier]

I've always hoped they'd do it. I hope they also open up a gate between the two at the top of Empire/McConkey's, where right now, there's a single orange rope separating DV and PCMR

[iceberg210]

I thought that this was probally coming ever since they put in McConkeys as a hihg speed six pack because there really isn't enough crowds up there to validate that kind of lift unless there were other motives behind it which I think included a future hookup between the 2 resorts. This is a great idea as both PCMR and DV will benefit and will also be able to use it to thier advantage over competing resorts such as the Canyons.

[floridaskier]

That was my thinking too about the McConkey's six pack. They would be fine with a low capacity HSQ. They don't even bother to set up a maze down there, you just ski right up to the load gates. On the DV side, they're all set with the Ruby and Empire HSQs. I guess the first year they would do it would be for next year, 06-07, but if they hurry maybe they could work it out for 05-06? Anyone think that's a possibility?

[sphrrt]

I think that Deer Valley is too concerned about their maximum skier capacity (or do I mean restaurant capacity?) to seriously consider a link with PCMR. I also think the high speed quads on the DV side are more a factor of serving the Empire Canyon Lodge and also all of the new real estate development in that area than for an interconnect. In regards to McConkey's at PCMR being a six-pack I know that there still is potential for PCMR developing up the backside of Brighton for which McConkey's would be the main access lift, but I'd have to say without that it is a bit of overkill to have a six seater up there!

[Powdr]

The six pack is definately overkill, but..... I have seen more traffic up there in the last few years than ever before. Not exactly six pack worthy, but certaintly within the realm of HSQs. As for timing on A) a hookup w/ Deer Valley and B) a Gondi: a hookup COULD happen tomorrow if the logistics were worked out (but won't because right now both resorts have higher priorities and no huge incentive to boost business as the skier number are already excellent year over year). The Gondi is still years away from use.

[jasdmd0]

Lets also not forget about the DV snowboard thing too. I think that that ultimately might be the biggest sticky point in this one.

[SkiBachelor]

I don't think that really has that big of an affect if the gondola ould terminate at the base of the Empire Canyon Lodge. I would think that DV would serve snowboarders food if they rode the gondola down, but wouldn't allow them to board there. DV checks lift tickets at the base of those three lifts so I think it would work out just fine.

[floridaskier]

I heard that DV was getting a scanner ticket-check system instead of the old hole punchers for about an hour a day at the base of only some lifts. That would make it alot easier to check for snowboarders. They started checking tickets at Ruby/Little Chief/Empire when they opened up the road to the Empire Lodge. The hole-punch system they used was incredibly easy to get past. They seemed to only check tickets in the morning, and only at lifts at base areas, and not even all of those. If you had an older ticket that was facing in so you couldn't see the date and it had a hole, they would let you through. At other mountains, they scan you every time

[Powdr]

I was as Silver Lake (the base area) and they were checking tickets on only one of the two quads going up. Seems like their ticket checking operation is spotty at best. Hmmm....

[floridaskier]

First thing in the morning, if you get in line for Silver Lake instead of Carpenter (at Snow Park base) they don't check your tickets. Then if you go down to Quincy or Wasatch, they don't check either until about 9, giving you about 2 unchecked rides, before one person armed with a hole puncher stands out in the middle of the maze, checking probably one lane's worth of tickets. You wonder why they even bother. I've noticed they're much stricter at Empire/Ruby than anywhere else.
If they wanted to do an interconnect pass with PCMR this wouldn't work out too well. They should use the same system as PCMR

[sphrrt]

Another thing to think about is traffic congestion at the base of a new lift in old town Park City. As it is there really isn't any parking at PCMR's Town Lift and there isn't room for any to be put in. And I really don't think that many people are actually going to ride down to town in a gondola after spending millions of dollars on their fancy mountain retreat. All in all, why not just upgrade Town Lift to a detachable and call things good?

[SkiBachelor]

You have a point there in the aspect that there is really no parking in down town Park City except for the parking garage just a few blocks over. However, there is already a drop off spot a block down from the Town lift so that could work for people dropping off their family or they could all ride the free city bus system. To make the system complete, Park City should buy a few extra buses and have those stop at special bus stops located near big lodging places and pick people up there. This is the case at Whistler and the system works great. It would be really great though if the full Utah Interconnect is built though. I would really like to see a gondola to connect Park City with Solitude/Brighton and Alta/Snowbird.

[Powdr]

formerliftforeman, on Aug 4 2005, 06:49 AM, said:

...Lift capcity is up around 85,000 butts an hour...<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, just to show you that you DON'T know everything (and your claim to know more about DV than anyone else is dubious at best), DV has a stated capacity of 38K - 39K per hour. Just thought I'd let you know ;) I BTW, happen to know may current and former emplyees there too.

Powdr

[sphrrt]

I have to agree with POWDR, because with DVs 21 lifts with an 85,000 pph uphill capacity would mean each lift would have to have a capacity of over 4,000 pph each - I don't think so. But with that said, DV still has one of the largest uphill capacities in the western hemisphere and with their skier limit it certainly rivals the most uphill capacity per skier anywhere!

But, I also agree with formerliftforeman in that the city would have to take on the responsibility of running a Gondola such as this and probably work out financing in addition to the installation since I don't think that either Resort sees this as enough of a benefit to do it themselves.

Just one more thought, I've heard that DV doesn't want to go to a scanner or gate-type ticket system as they feel it would de-personalize the customer experience. And we all can agree that one thing DV will always stress is making the customer experience as personal and "DV difference" full as possible.

I'd still love to see this and in particular a full Wasatch Interconnect happen, but I'm not holding my breath!

[SkiBachelor]

As long as the Utah Interconnect connects with another city, the government will most likely be the one to pay for it since it would be treated as public transportation other than for private use. I presume the entire system would cost about 40 million to build which is a lot, but it should pay for itself kind of quickly. Maybe charge people a small fee to ride it which would cover all maintenance and operating costs.

I believe Ski Data has just released a new type of ticket system which uses RF technology and it's a lot like a metal detector. Basically, a person wears a card on them and then skis through the device and if a person doesn't have one on or it's expired, an alarm will sound and a ticket checker will get them. I've heard a lot of people don't like the current Ski Data system if they don't have the RF card which the season pass people have. It's a hassel to find the card and then insert it into the machine. I think people that have used it don't have any trouble with it, but a lot of beginners hate it and it's easy to understand why.

[floridaskier]

Solitude has a system like this - you put a card in a pocket on the left side of your jacket and go through a metal-detector-looking thing