252 replies to this topic

[NHskier13]

I really wish Sunnyside at Waterville Valley had (typo) needs at least carrier replacement. The chairs probably have to be some of the least comfortable I've ridden, and it seems like everyone else always can load two and the third needs to squeeze in or not even make it onto the chair...

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This post has been edited by NHskier13: 28 April 2015 - 10:54 AM

[RibStaThiok]

that does look a bit small for a tripple..

[snoloco]

I read Steamboat's master plan recently, and they have a couple lift upgrades in mind. They want to replace Thunderhead and Elkhead with 6-packs, South Peak with a HSQ, relocate Rough Rider and Bashor, add a second Sunshine HSQ to expand terrain, and add a gondola to near the bottom of Thunderhead.

Elkhead is a Yan FGQ that is about 2400 feet long and is currently the only way out of the Sundown/Sunshine area if you're not an advanced skier and from my experience skiing there recently, it gets really crowded in the afternoon, sometimes up to a 30 minute wait. If Sunshine 2 were built, this problem would be even worse than it already is. It also stops a lot since it is fixed grip. Even though it would be a very short detachable, a 6-pack there would be a much needed improvement.

Thunderhead is a Doppelmayr HSQ with a capacity of 2400. When the Christie Express was built in 2007, it significantly reduced traffic at the gondola by providing an alternative route out of the base area via two high speed lifts. However, it increased morning traffic on the Thunderhead Express greatly. Christie has a capacity of 3200, and Thunderhead only 2400. This means that Christie can get more people to Thunderhead than it can handle creating lengthy wait times. If a new beginner area is built near Bashor Bowl, the new gondola would be a route out of the base area, completely overcrowding that lift. They want to replace it with a 6-pack equaling the capacity of Christie.

South Peak is a short Yan Triple that is only 1700 feet long. Currently it works fine as a connector lift from the bottom of the Sunshine Express to the Rendezvous Lodge. However, if the Sunshine 2 HSQ was built, it would be even more crowded and likely not fit for the task. The plan says that it should be replaced with a HSQ. I think this is overkill for a lift only 1700 feet long and a fixed grip quad would do just fine.

Personally what I would do is get new 6-packs to replace Elkhead and Thunderhead. 3,600 pph for both. Elkhead needs as much capacity as it can get, and Thunderhead needs to not only equal the capacity of Christie, but also needs to take even more skiers that came of the proposed gondola. Thunderhead would be relocated to become Sunshine 2, and Elkhead would replace South Peak and have a load carpet added to reduce stops and slows. South Peak could be used for an additional beginner lift in the new learning center.

[Sacdelic_Skier]

superquad......

[Smacpats]

woofydoggie, on 26 August 2014 - 06:01 PM, said:

A HSS would be nice, but where would it unload into.
It would have to have an incredibly ting top terminal, as the gondi is tight next to it. It could go past it, near Mike's way....

Like this? (arrow symbolizes angle loading)
http://postimg.org/image/ym8naffc7/

[julestheshiba]

Hot Wheels at Alpine Meadows needs to be replaced, then Red Dog needs to be replaced. Squaw One shouldn't need to be replaced for a while but I do believe it should have the cadence chain replaced with tires for a more comfortable unloading but nothing else as love that lift.

[julestheshiba]

Liftkid99, on 21 April 2015 - 09:07 PM, said:

Wizard at WB would be a good candidate to be upgraded to a 8MGD gondola , since there is always downloading on it when people skiing the glacier in the summer come down and especially this year where there was only a few weeks of ski out. I do love the wizard and solar coaster chairs but I think atleast a one stage gondola to cover wizard and maybe a 2nd stage to cover solar coaster sounds like a good idea.

Whistler plans to extend Excalibur to take crowds of Wizard.

[julestheshiba]

liftmech, on 24 April 2015 - 11:59 AM, said:

Look at it this way-- a detach quad operates at twice the speed with twice the load of a fixed double. Therefore, typical wear items such as grips, bearings, sheave and bullwheel liners, und so weiter will probably wear out twice as fast. The individual parts may cost the same but you're replacing them more often. There are other considerations, such as structural fatigue (the Flyer's drive bullwheel was replaced in 2007, only 21 years into the lift's life, and I've found other parts in need of replacement altogether like running rails) that you don't see on fixed-grips. Detach terminals have a huge amount of moving parts that fixed-grips don't have, adding more worn-out parts to maintenance costs. Does this make sense?

Jeff-- I agree but I don't write the checks. I don't, however, see the parallel between a fixed, non-moving structure and what is essentially a vehicle. You can keep a car running indefinitely too, but you'll throw more and more money at it as it ages. Lifts are no different.

I know you work on the Flyer but it sounds like you want her gone? I mean its a really cool old lift? I don't want a icon in lift technology to just be scrapped?

[julestheshiba]

Deer Valley should replace homestake with a FG six or back it up with an adjacent FG quad

[SkiDaBird]

julestheshiba, on 27 February 2016 - 07:42 PM, said:

Hot Wheels at Alpine Meadows needs to be replaced, then Red Dog needs to be replaced. Squaw One shouldn't need to be replaced for a while but I do believe it should have the cadence chain replaced with tires for a more comfortable unloading but nothing else as love that lift.

Red Dog HSS could potentially be this year.

[julestheshiba]

Yes Red Dog needs to be replaced! But I believe Hot Wheels is more necessary.

[alexboesen]

I do not work for Squaw/Alpine but ski there all the time and what I continue to hear is that Red Dog HSS is going in this summer (Summer 2016), and next summer (Summer 2017) they are going to install the interconnect Gondola. The Hot Wheels upgrade to a HSQ is still planned but they may be rethinking the lift type (I recently heard a Chondola is possible) and exact location of the base terminal so that it interfaces well with the interconnect gondola. Also I have heard that Granite Chief upgrade is likely to no longer happen, at least in the short term.

[trj820]

At Mammoth, Chairs 1, 2, 10, and 16 need upgrades to HSS to deal with crowds. I think that all of them except 10 are on the master plan.

[boardski]

Sunnyside at Mary Jane (at Winter Park) still needs an upgrade. On days when Pano is closed, the line is so long and the $%^% thing is stopped for misloads more than it runs. However, I would rather see it relocated to the cirque so one can make laps once they put forth the effort to get over there. Also a low capacity (same capacity as a FGQ) detatchable quad would be nice to replace Pony Express and Iron Horse originating at the bottom of the current Pony Express, angle mid station at the top of current Pony Express and top at top of current Iron Horse. Unfortunately, I don't think WP will splurge for this but it is nice to dream.

This post has been edited by boardski: 29 February 2016 - 06:38 PM

[SkiDaBird]

http://www.snowsbest...uride-colorado/

If you don't want to watch the video, the lift upgrades mentioned are 7,8,9 and 10. That's spot on for what Telluride needs, especially 9. The terrain in that part of the mountain is amazing, but 13 minutes is a long lift.

[snoloco]

I haven't skied Attitash, NH, but their Summit Triple is over 6,000 feet long which means a 12-15 minute ride on a fixed grip. That lift should be upgraded to a high speed quad. Not sure where the triple could be relocated to that is under their parent company Peak Resorts. Maybe sell it to Killington to build a new South Ridge Triple

[RibStaThiok]

I'll be sad to see the 2 SLI's at Telluride go :( But it is a beautiful resort. I appreciate BIll Jensen's candor and calm demeanor and professionalism. He's a classy guy.

[julestheshiba]

Every single one of those lifts are (in my opinion) the coolest looking ones there

[RibStaThiok]

Coonskin (lift 7) SLI Double is a very beautiful lift, but is a 10 min ride..
http://www.skilifts....in/coonskin.htm

Plunge (Lift-9 ) Old CTEC Tripple- is a 12+ min ride.
http://www.skilifts....unge/plunge.htm

[Mike12164]

Interesting how many people here are giving ride time as a reason for replacement, really there are only a handful of reasons to replace an older lift:

1. Needs more capacity (ie triple->quad or quad->six pack)
2. Old lift has reached the end of its useful life and is too costly to maintain
3. Lift is on a beginner slope and needs to be made more user friendly.

Personally I think if lines are short and the thing still works just go with it, spending million of dollars to get maybe one more run in a day just doesn't seem worth it.