- Searchmont, Ontario sells to Wisconsin Resorts, the firm behind Pine Knob, Mt. Holly and Ski Bittersweet in Michigan as well as Alpine Valley, Wisconsin.
- Mike Solimano of Killington reveals what three lifts he would upgrade if given $100 million to spend at The Beast.
- The new Winter Park gondola is creatively named Gondola.
- Grand Junction’s NBC affiliate takes viewers inside the factory where Leitner-Poma lifts are created.
- The two stage Blackcomb Gondola is almost finished; thanks Max for these pictures.
- Next up for Ramcharger 8 at Big Sky: installation of an in-terminal video wall and the haul rope, which is going up right now.
- Beech Mountain commissions its twin fixed grip quads.
- Freeskier looks at Alterra’s whirlwind growth and future trajectory.
- Rope pulling commences tonight at Walt Disney World, 24 years to the day since the Disneyland Skyway cable was taken down for good.
- This week’s new trail map comes from Hunter Mountain.
- In an act of sabotage, someone cuts into three haul ropes at a Pyrenees ski resort.
- Construction of Montana Snowbowl’s TV Mountain lift may stretch into a fourth construction season.
- Sun Peaks wins my vote for the best new lift color scheme of 2018.
- SnowBrains shines a light on the lift maintenance profession.
- Mountain Creek looks to exit bankruptcy with SNOW Operating as a controlling partner.
- Westside Six comes together at Windham Mountain.
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The new gondola on blackcomb creates a rare gondola crossing another separate gondola. I’m guessing Europe has a few examples but I can’t think of any others in North America. Thoughts?
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There are no other places in North America where two gondolas cross.
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Hey Peter, I was wondering how expensive you would guess Ramcharger 8 was for Big Sky? Do you have any estimate?
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Putting me on the spot Henry! I’m going to guess $13-17 million including the parking facility. Ramcharger isn’t that long but there are a lot of upgrades compared with a normal detachable. Doppelmayr could have sacrificed its typical margin to get the technology into the US market. While I’d love to know the answer, Boyne made a classy move to advertise the lift and features rather than how much it cost.
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I’m surprised it was that cheap. I remember reading about Kitzbuhel getting an 8-pack that cost ~$20 million.
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Does Max have any more wb gondola pics?
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Hey Ben, Depends what you’re after- I could only get pictures of the bottom station.
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According to a FB post on Mammoth snowman chair 16 could possibly be an 8 seater.
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Did they shorten the towers on Excalibur so the gondola could cross over? It’s hard to tell from the picture, but I do recall them being pretty tall to get over Wizard, and I’d imagine they’d have to in order to get a lift over them.
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Didn’t catch that until now but yes. Looks like they lowered both towers 8 and 9 as well as added combo assemblies to Tower 9. Pre Wizard Removal: https://skiliftblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/img_77821.jpg
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“Without ski mechanics to keep the lifts running, you wouldn’t have a ski resort… “
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