Skilifts.org / SORT Forum

First of all, this is my first post, although I have read these forums for years.

I will post more pictures as I have time, but this will be a start.

My home ski area, Hidden Valley in Wildwood, MO is only about 15 minutes from my house, so I go there once a week during the season which lasts from mid-December to early-mid March.
It has 310 feet of vertical drop and two triple chairlifts, one quad chairlift, as well as a couple of rope tows and a magic carpet.
The pictures I am posting are actually several years old, but I will also post one from every week I go to show the conditions.

This picture is of the bottom of the 1982 Riblet Triple. Its name is the Gateway Lift

 HPIM0570.JPG (1015.44K)
Number of downloads: 115

This picture is the bottom of the 1986 Riblet Triple. Its name is the Ozark Lift.

 HPIM0571.JPG (963.65K)
Number of downloads: 156

This picture is looking down from the top of the frontside. The Ozark lift is on the left and the Gateway is on the right.

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Number of downloads: 149

This picture is the bottom of the 2003 Partek Quad. Its name is the Lewis and Clark Lift.

 HPIM0604.JPG (1.18MB)
Number of downloads: 136

This picture is looking down the backside and the Lewis and Clark lift is on the right.

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Number of downloads: 99

I have already been once this year, yesterday, but I will post the pictures I took yesterday later.

Quote

Are you certain that is actually a 1986 lift? That terminal style was prevalent in the 1990's and early 2000's, just before Riblet left the industry. Judging by the modern style of lifting frame and that type of terminal, I would guess that it was either retro-fitted or is newer. Also, I believe most Riblets built before the 90's had halos.

Here's a 1997 from Giant's Ridge, MN.


Welch Village here in Minnesota also has a Riblet like this, though theirs is a 1999. The lifting frames on that lift are the same as the ones on the Ozark lift you have pictured.

Nice pictures! Looks like a nice little ski hill.

Lift Kid, on 24 December 2010 - 08:24 AM, said:

I am not positive that it is a 1986, but I do know that it is listed on the lift installation surveys here on skilifts.org as being installed in 1986. My first time skiing at Hidden Valley was the 97/98 season, and the lift was there then, but my dad and mom learned to ski there in the late 80's and I think they remember it also (But not 100% sure). Another thing to note is that the Ozark Lift has snowguns on its towers. They are fan guns, but very old-looking and don't make much snow. I think this type of gun is from the 70's-80's, I believe they are SMI.

Also, the bottom terminal does not have windows, mabye this is common, but I have never seen another like it.

This picture is of a tower with a snowgun.
 HPIM0574.JPG (973.02K)
Number of downloads: 57
This post has been edited by missouriskier: 24 December 2010 - 10:11 AM

Lift Kid, on 24 December 2010 - 08:24 AM, said:

That lift is for sure from the 80s. The proof is in the cross arms and lifting frames. The style on ozark was only used during the 80s.
Here is a picture of the triple at cuchara that has the same tower design. This was the only type of riblet tower to use a cross arm that is not clamped on since the 60s.


These were then replaced by the late 80s style as seen on the yellow lift.


And the latest type of tower that was used until riblet went out of business.

I now have pictures that will show the conditions from the last two weeks.

The first one was taken December 23rd, and the second one was taken on December 28th. I am going again tomorrow, and will update this again later.

 IMG01768-20101223-1544.jpg (284.04K)
Number of downloads: 49


 IMG01788-20101228-1644.jpg (304.49K)
Number of downloads: 51

We received about 4 inches of snow on Christmas Eve, and that is why the second picture is so much snowier. After the 28th, it warmed up, to 60 degrees, and then rained so I am not sure how the snow will be tomorrow. It has gotten cold again, and they made snow the past two nights.

At the very bottom of the run pictured (alond the Lewis and Clark lift) you can see a clearing going up the hill on the opposite side. That is supposed to be a new ski run opening sometime soon, but I think that will still be a couple of years.

This picture of Hidden Valley was taken on January 4th, 2011. I am going again today. It has snowed 3 inches or so in the last 24 hours. I will try to get more pictures today because of the snow.

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Number of downloads: 21
This post has been edited by missouriskier: 11 January 2011 - 12:14 PM

This is the picture I took today at Hidden Valley. I could not get any more bacause the temperature was in the upper teens, and the wind was blowing hard at the top. In addition, as you can see at the bottom of the trail in the photo, they were making snow with about six snowguns. As you might guess this stuff is real fun to have hit your face when you are skiing.

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Number of downloads: 37

This other picture is of the trail Eureka, which goes from the top to the lodge.

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Number of downloads: 52

Finally, here is the trail map from 2003-2004, the year the backside was new.

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Number of downloads: 46

This picture is from after dark on January, 18.

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Number of downloads: 20

Here are some more lift stats:
Gateway has 10 towers
Ozark has 8 towers, and 63 chairs
Lewis and Clark has 6 towers, and 52 chairs

Here is a picture of the Magic Carpet, which is located just above the lodge.

 HPIM0582.JPG (947.7K)
Number of downloads: 19

This picture was taken on January 26th, 2011. It was the best conditions so far this year because we had received 5.75 inches of new snow since last week.

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Number of downloads: 27

Now, some more lift pictures.

The return bullwheel on Gateway.

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Number of downloads: 38

The returm bullwheel on Ozark.

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Number of downloads: 43

The top station on Lewis and Clark.

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Number of downloads: 36

Looking up the Lower Betty's Butte Rope Tow.

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Number of downloads: 38

Looking down the Skid Row Rope Tow.

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Number of downloads: 28

Season 2011-2012 here at Hidden Valley didn't get off to a very good start. First of all, they completely missed the 2011 part of the season, thanks to the weather allowing only one night in the teens, 13.6 at my house, to be exact. That would be the one cold night that they didn't make snow except on the snow tubing area. The other nights that were somewhat cold were all 22-23 or even warmer. Finally it got cold in early January, and after a night in the 20s, and the teens, and the dry air that allowed them to make snow through the day even as it got to 40 degrees, Hidden Valley opened on January 4th, with 60% of the terrain. I went that day, and one day the next week, and on Wednesday this week. It wasn't until just before MLK weekend that it got cold enough to make snow again, and so by that Saturday, they were 100% open.

Some Pictures:

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Number of downloads: 26

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Number of downloads: 37

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Number of downloads: 36

 IMG03475-20120110-2007.jpg (383.47K)
Number of downloads: 31

 IMG03477-20120110-2009.jpg (363.88K)
Number of downloads: 31

The next two pictures are of the West Mountain expansion area, which should be opening next year.

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Number of downloads: 38

On the left is the liftline, and the right is the intermediate trail which will follow the ridge, and then drop into the valley

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Number of downloads: 36

This shorter run will be rated advanced and drop straight into the valley from the top of the new chairlift

 IMG03417-20120104-1604.jpg (304.6K)
Number of downloads: 27

The snowmaking pond