Skilifts.org / SORT Forum

I spent the summer in Chamonix last year and spent one day hiking the lift line of the original lift up to the glacier. The lift has been abandoned about 30 years at least, but still some interesting photos. I will post two, and if you like I will post more. First is near the top and shows a touch of re-engineering that needed to be done! Second is looking up the abandoned third stage that was never completed.

Also wanted to say a great site. I was patrol for many years, and still love the mountains even though I work in education now.

Please post all that you have. Great pics!!

Hello again,

Sorry for the delay, but so busy of late. Alright, I am going to post a few things. First are the Google Earth locations (OOPS CAN NOT UPLOAD KMZ FILES - HELP ANYONE??) so you can put these pictures into context. Also, will post a link to Google Books for a 1924 version of Popular Science that did a story on the building of this lift. There are to Google Book links. One is the front page, and the other is the actual story. If the links stop working, do a goodle search for "Chamonix, popular science 1924 summer winter" and it should come up.


http://books.google....epage&q&f=false

http://books.google....epage&q&f=false


A bit of the history as I remember it. The lift was build in the early 1920s. The plan was to build a third stage, but WW2 got in the way. After WW2, they planned to build the third stage, but then a new plan was made to build a much bigger one, the current tram, and to a higher point. That tram is linked below.

http://en.wikipedia....iguille_du_Midi

http://www.compagnie...edumidi_ete.php

http://www.compagnie...idi_ete_gb.html

The abandoned one then became redundant in the early 50s. It seems that it ran for a while after as the cars are not the original ones.

The first pictures I will post are of the area around the top of the second stage. Some points to note. Beside the incomplete third stage is a very small work tram. It also does not seem to have run in a lot of years as the inside of the hut is all torn up and rusted, but is parallel the third stage. It may have been used as a construction tram in the 50s. The fourth picture is a map on the wall of the inside of the stage 2 top station. It shows the incomplete 3rd stage. The last picture is from the inside of the big granite stage 2 top station looking down the second stage.

More Later...

TME