This is one of the last remaining Carlevaro-Savio lifts in the United States.The bottom terminal with tensioning.Lift overview.This lift probably did not have bullwheel unloading when it was built.Drive bullwheel.Lattice tower 17.T15 with an extension probably added after original construction.The steepest part of the lift line.Middle part of the lift line.Tower 7.Side view of the very long bottom terminal.
The drive terminal looks original. I believe that this lift originally started at the base, but was shortened at some point. The 4300 foot length is definitely longer than the lift is now. It was the first chairlift built at Greek Peak. Before it, they only had t-bars.
There is a cutout in the woods directly across unload. I believe the bullwheel was originally back there.
Also note when riding this lift, the towers are all out of order, and there are several “A” towers. Massive profile change when the lift was shortened. I believe this is also when the tower extensions were added.
Originally you could ski the middle part of the lift line (trail was “Middle Atlas” and went from Epicurious down to the depression tower and then veered off to skier’s right to where “Lower Atlas” is. Today with the modifications it’s more or less not skiable.
Bullwheel loading and unloading is prominent now but slingshot/side load and unload was on this lift originally. Looking at the side profile of the bottom terminal setup, and when you load, the chair runs flat for some time before hitting the first hold-down tower, which is telltale for a former slingshot loading spot.
I do not believe this lift was shortened at the bottom, as the lodge directly behind it is the mountain’s original lodge, built at the same time as this lift, now called the “A-frame” and only used as an auxiliary lodge. The current lodge and base area was an expansion downhill when the Hall lifts were all constructed, probably around 1970
I rode this lift for many years when it ran out of the bottom at the base of the ski area. Like the other old lifts, the base terminal was housed in a barn structure and it was a bottom drive in its original form. I think the odd tube structures used for the current base are actually the old top structure for the upper bull wheel which was far across the flat up top from the unload ramp; definitely not a bull wheel unload in it’s original form. The location of the top station for skier unload is in the same spot, though changed significantly for the new unload and top drive. It had been a tallish wooden unload ramp. All of the changes to the lift occurred at the same time – base moved uphill, new upper unload/drive, new chairs/hangers, the tower extensions such as on tower 15 pictured (too droopy and nearly hit the ground at a couple of towers by the time the lift was rehabbed) and also, finally more than one speed operation for the electronics. Full speed starts in the 70’s and 80’s were, um, interesting – especially in the droopy sections. I seem to recall the rehab/reinstall occurred in the ~late 90’s and no idea why a rehab with so, so many changes instead of just a new double lift. A new lift probably wouldn’t have been too much more by the time they did all the changes.
A few other notes on this lift. The very low under/tension tower (see “steepest part of the pitch” picture) just before the upper pitch was a favorite spot for teens to jump off in big snow years (I’m not naming names!). Originally there were almost no night lights along the lift line (still only about half the lift line today, if they are all on) making for a very dark lift ride for night skiing. Way back in the 70’s there was a small cabin (shack?) not far from the snowmaking pond under this lift. It served limited food and especially adult beverages that my father liked and quite the party spot (I think I was maybe 7 or 8 when it was removed and never replaced). Finally, this lift for a couple of decades was painted yellow (wooden tower protectors and the original chairs) and was referred to as the “yellow chair” by locals well into the 90’s despite being repainted somewhere in the 80’s.
Glad to see Peter finally adding upstate NY to his repertoire. and that he got some resort assistance in covering all the lifts including this one which was not yet open for the season when he was there.
This lift is still popular for teens/college kids to jump off when there is snow. There are a couple of spots towards the top of the lift where it is low enough to the ground and the terrain is good.
Castlerock and Valley House at SB, the Bousquet Yellow Chair, the doubles at Butternut, and many others are long gone. What’s left for C&S lifts in North America? This one, Ego Alley at Mt. Snow and Outpost and Bonanza at Pico?
This lift has barely run all year and is now officially shut down for the season with a maintenance issue. I believe Greek Peak plans to repair the lift instead of replacing it, but it really should be replaced. It is old, unreliable, sits too low to the ground, and could use a modern fixed-grip.
I would rather Greek Peak refurbish it than replace it- it’s from another era yes but it has been pretty reliable over the years in my opinion- I started skiing at Greek Peak in 1967
I’ve experience more stops and starts on the newer quad
It’s a magnificent lift, no doubt about it, but at this point the cost to overhaul and restore and upgrade is likely going to be far more vs replacing it for the long run.
From my perspective as an instructor at Greek, Chair 2, with its variable speed loading and unloading really has been a favorite, esp with novice skiers. But if parts can’t be had it’s in trouble. The lift that also needs a replacement/overhaul is the Alpha slope’s Chair 3: a one speed double Hall with long lift lines every weekend. Novice skiers have always had trouble loading a chair running at full speed. FYI, The bottom of Chair 2 was cut off so the two carpet lifts were installed for never – ever level beginners. IMO, the magic carpets should have gone over on East Alpha, but tubing was there at the time. At the same time the road to the A-Frame was taken out for additional beginner area, making it difficult to supply the cafeteria, which has since closed.
I would have to guess when the rest of the modifications were done, circa 96 according to maps. That lines up with what is said in another comment on here. The chairs are of an old Borvig style so they must have come used from somewhere else, but where..? The chairs do have a mix of two different style safety bar; the old Borvig tube style, and a later Borvig? style
I do remember seeing one or two other people say that they think the chairs came from 1A.. I can dismiss this theory since the first year I skied greek peak as a kid was the last year that 1A stood, although it never ran. That year the Borvig chairs did exist on this lift still, so it cannot be the same chairs. Borvig was and still is common in NY so there’s many possibilities where the chairs came from, but we may never know
Lift 2 was definitely shortened by the time of the 96-97 ski season, which was my first (at age three!). I started on the magic carpet, for which there wouldn’t have been room with 2’s former alignment. I actually think the lift was shortened a few years before then, though, because I remember being in day care at age two (95-96) upstairs in the youth ski school building nearby, for which there also wouldn’t have been room with lift 2’s old alignment.
Either way, the chairs definitely did not come from 1A upon its deinstallation or from its former home. Lift 2’s current chairs were there at least from 1996 onward, and 1A didn’t arrive onsite until 1998. They’re not a “normal” Borvig design, though — which could help real sleuths figure out from whence they came. Who has a handle on Borvig deinstallations circa the early to mid-90s?
I was so freakin stoked that I got to ride this lift on MLK Day last year. One of the last of its kind. Definitely need a cushion for the back rest. I love the lattice towers. Love the speed of the lift. At the top you can see a canopy of evergreens. Good for beginners!
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The drive terminal looks original. I believe that this lift originally started at the base, but was shortened at some point. The 4300 foot length is definitely longer than the lift is now. It was the first chairlift built at Greek Peak. Before it, they only had t-bars.
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There is a cutout in the woods directly across unload. I believe the bullwheel was originally back there.
Also note when riding this lift, the towers are all out of order, and there are several “A” towers. Massive profile change when the lift was shortened. I believe this is also when the tower extensions were added.
Originally you could ski the middle part of the lift line (trail was “Middle Atlas” and went from Epicurious down to the depression tower and then veered off to skier’s right to where “Lower Atlas” is. Today with the modifications it’s more or less not skiable.
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Bullwheel loading and unloading is prominent now but slingshot/side load and unload was on this lift originally. Looking at the side profile of the bottom terminal setup, and when you load, the chair runs flat for some time before hitting the first hold-down tower, which is telltale for a former slingshot loading spot.
I do not believe this lift was shortened at the bottom, as the lodge directly behind it is the mountain’s original lodge, built at the same time as this lift, now called the “A-frame” and only used as an auxiliary lodge. The current lodge and base area was an expansion downhill when the Hall lifts were all constructed, probably around 1970
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1963 trail map, which is an annotated aerial photograph, shows Chair 2 going all the way down to the creek.
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I rode this lift for many years when it ran out of the bottom at the base of the ski area. Like the other old lifts, the base terminal was housed in a barn structure and it was a bottom drive in its original form. I think the odd tube structures used for the current base are actually the old top structure for the upper bull wheel which was far across the flat up top from the unload ramp; definitely not a bull wheel unload in it’s original form. The location of the top station for skier unload is in the same spot, though changed significantly for the new unload and top drive. It had been a tallish wooden unload ramp. All of the changes to the lift occurred at the same time – base moved uphill, new upper unload/drive, new chairs/hangers, the tower extensions such as on tower 15 pictured (too droopy and nearly hit the ground at a couple of towers by the time the lift was rehabbed) and also, finally more than one speed operation for the electronics. Full speed starts in the 70’s and 80’s were, um, interesting – especially in the droopy sections. I seem to recall the rehab/reinstall occurred in the ~late 90’s and no idea why a rehab with so, so many changes instead of just a new double lift. A new lift probably wouldn’t have been too much more by the time they did all the changes.
A few other notes on this lift. The very low under/tension tower (see “steepest part of the pitch” picture) just before the upper pitch was a favorite spot for teens to jump off in big snow years (I’m not naming names!). Originally there were almost no night lights along the lift line (still only about half the lift line today, if they are all on) making for a very dark lift ride for night skiing. Way back in the 70’s there was a small cabin (shack?) not far from the snowmaking pond under this lift. It served limited food and especially adult beverages that my father liked and quite the party spot (I think I was maybe 7 or 8 when it was removed and never replaced). Finally, this lift for a couple of decades was painted yellow (wooden tower protectors and the original chairs) and was referred to as the “yellow chair” by locals well into the 90’s despite being repainted somewhere in the 80’s.
Glad to see Peter finally adding upstate NY to his repertoire. and that he got some resort assistance in covering all the lifts including this one which was not yet open for the season when he was there.
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This lift is still popular for teens/college kids to jump off when there is snow. There are a couple of spots towards the top of the lift where it is low enough to the ground and the terrain is good.
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Castlerock and Valley House at SB, the Bousquet Yellow Chair, the doubles at Butternut, and many others are long gone. What’s left for C&S lifts in North America? This one, Ego Alley at Mt. Snow and Outpost and Bonanza at Pico?
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There’s also the Snowdance Double at Nashoba Valley, MA. It’s a relocated Carlevaro-Savio with tubular towers, CTEC chairs and a few Hall sheaves.
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This lift has barely run all year and is now officially shut down for the season with a maintenance issue. I believe Greek Peak plans to repair the lift instead of replacing it, but it really should be replaced. It is old, unreliable, sits too low to the ground, and could use a modern fixed-grip.
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I would rather Greek Peak refurbish it than replace it- it’s from another era yes but it has been pretty reliable over the years in my opinion- I started skiing at Greek Peak in 1967
I’ve experience more stops and starts on the newer quad
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It’s a magnificent lift, no doubt about it, but at this point the cost to overhaul and restore and upgrade is likely going to be far more vs replacing it for the long run.
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From my perspective as an instructor at Greek, Chair 2, with its variable speed loading and unloading really has been a favorite, esp with novice skiers. But if parts can’t be had it’s in trouble. The lift that also needs a replacement/overhaul is the Alpha slope’s Chair 3: a one speed double Hall with long lift lines every weekend. Novice skiers have always had trouble loading a chair running at full speed. FYI, The bottom of Chair 2 was cut off so the two carpet lifts were installed for never – ever level beginners. IMO, the magic carpets should have gone over on East Alpha, but tubing was there at the time. At the same time the road to the A-Frame was taken out for additional beginner area, making it difficult to supply the cafeteria, which has since closed.
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When were the chairs replaced?
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I would have to guess when the rest of the modifications were done, circa 96 according to maps. That lines up with what is said in another comment on here. The chairs are of an old Borvig style so they must have come used from somewhere else, but where..? The chairs do have a mix of two different style safety bar; the old Borvig tube style, and a later Borvig? style
I do remember seeing one or two other people say that they think the chairs came from 1A.. I can dismiss this theory since the first year I skied greek peak as a kid was the last year that 1A stood, although it never ran. That year the Borvig chairs did exist on this lift still, so it cannot be the same chairs. Borvig was and still is common in NY so there’s many possibilities where the chairs came from, but we may never know
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Lift 2 was definitely shortened by the time of the 96-97 ski season, which was my first (at age three!). I started on the magic carpet, for which there wouldn’t have been room with 2’s former alignment. I actually think the lift was shortened a few years before then, though, because I remember being in day care at age two (95-96) upstairs in the youth ski school building nearby, for which there also wouldn’t have been room with lift 2’s old alignment.
Either way, the chairs definitely did not come from 1A upon its deinstallation or from its former home. Lift 2’s current chairs were there at least from 1996 onward, and 1A didn’t arrive onsite until 1998. They’re not a “normal” Borvig design, though — which could help real sleuths figure out from whence they came. Who has a handle on Borvig deinstallations circa the early to mid-90s?
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1A came from Mountain Creek
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1996 would be accurate. I have one of the actual chairs from that timeframe as they were giving them away at the time.
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I was so freakin stoked that I got to ride this lift on MLK Day last year. One of the last of its kind. Definitely need a cushion for the back rest. I love the lattice towers. Love the speed of the lift. At the top you can see a canopy of evergreens. Good for beginners!
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