Snow Journal - Serious About Snowsports!

Home

Forums : NELSAP Discussion : NELSAP Discussion
Moderated by: Chris, nelsap, Betsy, the_hop

Anonymous posts are not allowed in this forum

Most important/irreplacable lift

Page: 1 2

Author	Post
njski Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 17, 2004 Posts: 561 Location:St. John USVI	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 8:19 PM GMT Edited: Jan 30, 2007 - 8:44 PM GMT In a previous thread, the reliability of HS Quads was discussed. It brought me to think, which lift at what area is the most important to their everyday operation. If this lift broke down, a good portion of the mountain would be inaccessable. You would have to say,"without the _____ lift running today, its not even worth skiing here" I guess i would say for starters, the Summit Express at Pico. I do not believe you can access the summit, or >50% of the terrain. Any others?

DrJeff Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 29, 2002 Posts: 906 Location:	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 8:29 PM GMT The quad at Wildcat, with that down, it definately cuts out the top 1/3 and a decent chunk of the right 1/2 of the mtn when looking up from the base.

professor Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 08, 2004 Posts: 229 Location:Vermont	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 8:45 PM GMT The single chair at Mad River Glen! The double chair has some good terrain under it, but it just isn't the same....

ciscokid Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 09, 2006 Posts: 2080 Location:west Mi.	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 8:55 PM GMT I haven't skied Hunter Mtn since their HS Quad was installed in the late eighties(I don't think they have put any others in since)but if that lift were inoperable I can just imagine the verbage going on at the base.(and the lines)There are many small to midsize ski areas who put alot of their eggs in one basket(or in this case chairlift)and when there is a problem with it will have a tough time satisfying the customer.I don't know what would be my worst fear as a manager of one of these areas,lift failure with 100% open terrain inaccessable,or fully operational lifts with few trails open/crowded.Either way it's a lose/lose situation.Like alot of other businesses,the bigger you are with more to offer the customer(open skiable terrain,# of lifts to a ccess)the better chance of them getting the business.(in most cases)Your right NJSki,without the Crystal Clipper(Crystal mt) or the 6 pack at Boyne,I don't know if it would be worth the drive and price of admission. __________

dmc Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Feb 17, 2005 Posts: 376 Location:Hunter, NY	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 9:28 PM GMT Quote: I haven't skied Hunter Mtn since their HS Quad was installed in the late eighties(I don't think they have put any others in since)but if that lift were inoperable I can just imagine the verbage going on at the base.(and the lines) It does get ugly... But we take the D Lift and F Lift to get to the top.. If that fails - But we catch rides over to the west side and ride the Z and Y chairs __________ DMCs Interactive Tuckerman Ravine Map

strato Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 01, 2004 Posts: 379 Location:	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 9:39 PM GMT Too bad this isn't a purely theoretical thread this year! We have seen first hand: - The loss (due to mechanical problems and management issues) of the six-pack has done for Ragged (2 trails open all year until it reopened this week); and - The loss (due to mechanical issues and management decisions) of the Hornet double at Tenney (closed the area down for the year). I guess we can also count the (management issue based) loss until last week of the double chair (which needs a special name, by the way) at Blue Hills, which leaves all but the bunny slope closed.

catamount82 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 573 Location:NJ	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 9:40 PM GMT T-Bar #1 at Bobcat __________ "Always drink upstream...from the herd"

Jonni Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 12, 2001 Posts: 2341 Location:Sunapee, NH & Rutland, VT	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 9:43 PM GMT Edited: Jan 30, 2007 - 9:44 PM GMT A few come to mind for me: Whaleback's Double chair: Kind of screwed if that's not up and running. Sugarbush's GMX: All of the upper mountain is gone at Mount Ellen when that's down, although you do have Lincoln Peak. Willoughby Quad - Burke Mountain: The Poma can service a lot, but half of the terrain does rely heavily on the operation of the Willoughby lift. Six-Pack - Ragged Mountain: This services basically all main mountain terrain. The Northeast Double is still there, but from what I understand is not in proper functioning order. There are others that would be "limping" if their main lift went down, but many ski areas have a rudimentary backup plan to get people up the mountain by using either another lift or series of lifts. __________ Fall Line n. Imaginary line following the most direct path down a slope that skiers continuously traverse on a run, often stopping at other invisible slope features along the way like the Tumble Lane, the Stagger Path and the Topple Zone.

jb66 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jun 24, 2004 Posts: 1585 Location:	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 9:55 PM GMT GMX can be bypassed by Inverness to North Ridge. You lose FIS , Rim Run and Black Diamond, but the rest is reachable. It does make for a long trip, though, and if GMX is down, it is likely due to wind, so NR is also iffy.

HClone Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Feb 19, 2003 Posts: 360 Location:Northern NJ	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 10:17 PM GMT How about that chair that went down at Squaw up in Maine?

riverc0il Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 05, 2002 Posts: 3185 Location:Ashland, NH	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 10:40 PM GMT i was going to second burke's willoughby quad, but the poma goes up 3/4 of the mountain and is faster than the quad. i disagree with wildcat, the triple accesses 2/3 of the mountain which are the better two thirds of the mountain any ways (less wind blown and scraped groomers down low). also disagree with the single, the double is more than enough on a weekend. you don't get paradise, fall line, or chute, but you still have some VERY respectable terrain to pick from. i imagine smuggs shutting down the madonna lift would be a blow but they still have the spruce lift. ragged's six pack is a good nomination. tenney's summit chair is another cripple issue. __________ TheSnowWay.com

going2graceland Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 17, 2005 Posts: 145 Location:The Catskills	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 10:41 PM GMT Quote: T-Bar #1 at Bobcat No joke. I have been there when it went down for an hour or so and it was tragic. Espicially at a mountain that does not sell beer.

wanderingskis Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 10, 2006 Posts: 742 Location:Rindge, NH	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 11:07 PM GMT I remember a few years ago (maybe the 04/05 season?) when Cranmore's HS Quad went down for a week or so. Although no trails were deemed inaccessable becasue of the Summit Triple that was still operating, it sure did slow things down quite a bit.

dangelone Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 26, 2004 Posts: 381 Location:	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 11:21 PM GMT Madonna 1 at Smuggs.

ThatNYguy Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 08, 2001 Posts: 1748 Location:Circling near Albany, NY	Posted: Jan 30, 2007 - 11:55 PM GMT Quote: The single chair at Mad River Glen! The double chair has some good terrain under it, but it just isn't the same.... Amen Russ

jmaul Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 920 Location:Greetings from Toms River, NJ	Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:34 AM GMT Quote: Amen Russ Wow....was expecting a Bearpen plug. Service to Bearpen slopes temporarily suspended due to flat front tire on ATV Quote: Madonna 1 at Smuggs. Was thinking the same thing at first, but Sterling will still offer a good amount of terrain and there's always Madonna II, albeit not to the summit, but still offering decent terrain (still a way to get up 3/4 when Madonna I is on wind hold). Pico's Summit Express as mentioned earlier would definately be a kick in the pants. __________ Jeff You either ski and die --- Or don't ski & die anyway --- Your choice

igneousodc Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 259 Location:	Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 1:53 AM GMT Single at MRG. Collins at Alta Definitely the T Bar at Bobcat, the last two times I've been there its gone down, but riding the beginner T Bar though has some good terrain, there are even some tree shots to be had if you know where to look.

rothski Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jun 05, 2004 Posts: 180 Location:Illinois.........	Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 2:07 AM GMT Edited: Jan 31, 2007 - 2:09 AM GMT Quote: GMX can be bypassed by Inverness to North Ridge. You lose FIS , Rim Run and Black Diamond, but the rest is reachable. It does make for a long trip, though, and if GMX is down, it is likely due to wind, so NR is also iffy. Actually, you don't lose FIS and Rim Run. The Summit Quad is accessible from the Northridge Quad. Sugarbush overall has a great layout from a lift standpoint. We discussed Mt. Ellen. But at Lincoln Peak, if Sugar Bravo is down, you can get to Castlerock and Heavens Gate via the Valley House Double. You can also get to Castlerock from the Gate House Quad and then make your way over to Heavens Gate. Totally agree with the wind hold issue. __________ Stuck in the flatlands

ILOVE2SKI Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Dec 24, 2002 Posts: 669 Location:	Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 2:08 AM GMT Quote: The quad at Wildcat, with that down, it definately cuts out the top 1/3 and a decent chunk of the right 1/2 of the mtn when looking up from the base. It;s really not too much off. Just a few runs. You can still acess some of the best terrain... and one of my best days at Wildcat (conditions) has been with the HSQ not running because the triple isn't as fast so not as many people want to ski... you see where this is going. __________ www.slopemonkey.com

downdraft's last tree Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 02, 2006 Posts: 123 Location:	Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 2:26 AM GMT Edited: Jan 31, 2007 - 2:30 AM GMT Quote: A few come to mind for me: Sugarbush's GMX: All of the upper mountain is gone at Mount Ellen when that's down, although you do have Lincoln Peak. Nope - as noted by others above, but you're on the right path... ....as the Sugar Bravo Express or whatever it's called at Lincoln peak is the only easy access to the Heaven's Gate chair to the summit. Close that lift and it's a real pain to get to anything on the main mountain. As noted abouve, you CAN still get to Heaven's Gate from the Valley House lift on the "Reverse Traverse" but that will include a few significant stretches of shuss/poling/x-country skiing to get over to it. In addition, Valley House is an ancient double, and an enormous circa 1969 line would build on that thing in no time if the Sugar Bravo was down. Sugar Bravo going down is a legitimate nightmare, I'm afraid... By contrast Inverness is a quad, and the run over to Northridge is a basic run-out without any need to pole or skate, and it dumps you out onto the nice hill that ends North Star. You can still access every trail on the lower mountain once you get up to the top of Northridge.

Page: 1 2