- The Seattle Times runs a feature story on Vail Resorts’ operational challenges at Stevens Pass compared with Alterra at Crystal Mountain.
- Ridgeline Executive Group will continue running Granby Ranch following the sale to a new ownership group.
- The unique triangle gondola at Sterling Vineyards remains closed seven months after a wildfire with no estimate for reopening.
- Big Snow renames its quad chair in honor of General Manager Jim Haas and others who died of Covid-19.
- Two employees of the Georgian ski resort where a lift rolled back in 2018 have been charged criminally and face up to five years in prison.
- Visits to New York’s three state-owned ski areas were up 14 percent to 672,000 with revenue up 10 percent and expenses down 8 percent.
- Whiteface will replace the Bear and Mixing Bowl lifts with a $2.5 million Skytrac quad.
- Powder Mountain, Mt. Ashland and West Mountain join the Indy Pass, which topped 96,000 redemptions this season.
- Cherry Peak, Eagle Point, Red River and Snow Valley sign on to the Freedom Pass alliance, Toggenburg leaves.
- Another fire threatens Ski Apache, which is so far unscathed.
- We now know why the Mighty Argo Cable Car project is stalled. Owners have sued lenders, alleging breach of contract and a $4.5 million loss.
- The Routt National Forest approves Steamboat’s Wild Blue Gondola and Sundown Express replacement projects, subject to a customary objection period.
- Japan’s first urban gondola opens.
- Mi Teleferico celebrates seven years as La Paz’s urban gondola system, providing 328 million rides.
- Loon Mountain confirms the former Kancamagus detachable quad will replace Seven Brothers in 2022.
- Loveland closes Lift 8 for the season due to a mechanical issue.
- The only jigback tramway in Texas could make a return.
- Holiday Valley posts tons of photos of its latest lift replacement project.
- The first gondola components arrive in Squaw Valley.
Lift Blog 
Yes! I read the Seattle Times. The thing which I don’t agree about, though, is that they said The Summit at Snoqualmie was a “distant third in a two-horse race.” In my opinion, The Summit at Snoqualmie is equal with Stevens Pass and Crystal is ahead.
LikeLike
I read it as Boyne was a distant third to Vail and Alterra. I’m not sure I agree with that either, since Alterra is not “all of Ikon”.
LikeLike
They were talking about Boyne nationwide, not Snoqualmie as a share of the Seattle market.
LikeLike
Did Steamboat apply for approval on both stages of Wild Blue or just the first?
LikeLike
The lower stage was already approved. The new approval is for the longer upper segment.
LikeLike
It looks like the Argo lift line has already been cut (unless that’s a new fire break or something). Any idea how long that project is stalled?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Red Dog is already done for the season and KT’s last day is today, allowing the gondola to move forward full steam ahead.
LikeLike
Red Dog was spinning briefly today and I saw people on it from the parking lot, but I imagine it was just lift maintenance staff preparing to dismantle it to move the bottom terminal.
LikeLike
Turning. Spinning is something old ladies do with sewing machines.
LikeLike
I don’t know about that. Lifts spinning is very common phrase. At least in Tahoe. Maybe it’s a west coast vs east coast thing like soda vs pop/coke? I’ve heard turning but usually from tourists.
LikeLike
When I call in a lift reopened after a breakdown, I say ‘such-and-such lift is turning’. But in the morning meeting, and on our ski report, we say ‘we’ll have x lifts spinning today. Hadn’t thought about it until you guys brought it up.
LikeLike
Well Its just a pet peeve is all. Just like that girly term “Spinning class” for pedaling on exercise bikes.
LikeLike
What is the access like for building this lift?
Road’s etc?
There must be huge amounts of snow to move for any road opening?
LikeLike
You mean the base to base at Squaw? Most will be built by helicopter. Only road access is the east side road (super sketch) on KT and some road on white wolf property. Permit does not allow for new road construction so sky cranes will be very busy all summer and fall.
LikeLike
That assuming they can get them. During the fire season most heli companies lease the heavies to the forest service and typically aren’t available for lift construction.
LikeLike
my buddy runs Siller Helicopters, with its own fleet of Skycranes located over in nearby Yuba City. He also skis, and the family has a nearby house to Squaw near Tahoe lakefront. I guarantee that weekend overtime for pilots / staff might be on the table if thats what it takes.
LikeLike
Paul,
Once those aircraft are committed to a fire contract, they don’t come home on weekends. Another problem is the maximum number of hours the pilots can fly and mandated rest days.
LikeLike
They cut the service road under KT with snowcats the other day and it’s been groomed and open to the public but I imagine they will try to clear the snow off of it as soon as possible. Which probably won’t take much effort because after skiing it today, it’s obvious that they kept the bare minimum amount of snow on it to safely ski it for a couple days. There were a lot of dirt patches poking through by the afternoon and with temps in the 60s it may melt out in just a few more days.
LikeLike
Kudos to whoever snapped those pictures of the B2B gondola tower heads. I saw them in the lot today and took almost identical pics but someone beat me to it!
LikeLike
Hello! What is the source of your ORDA numbers? From what we saw they certainly look spot on. Great work, as usual.
LikeLike
Go to the 4:00 minute mark in the board meeting video I linked to.
LikeLike
Is there road access to where the top terminals will be? As a former project manager for Doppelmayr I wonder why they are trying to get the project done in one construction season especially with all the snow that is probably not accessible with a snow cat to move or else with a shovel before they start digging and then the daily logistics of getting the workers to work?
I agree with the fellow who mentioned the sky cranes and the increasing need for them during the longer and longer fire season
LikeLike
Roads to all terminals, although no Highway to the top of KT. Not much snow for this time of year at Squaw. Snowpack as low as 25% in some parts of the Sierra.
LikeLike
Agreed, Kevin. One short summer is a stretch for a lift this size. Curious to see how it goes.
LikeLike
The article about Crystal and Stevens is…. interesting. It appears that neither one is at all like what I experienced there growing up, or working (at Crystal, not Stevens). When I was at Baker in the late 90s we had a good relationship with the guys at Stevens, and there was a huge amount of institutional knowledge across departments. Looks like that’s all gone now, and with it the ability to open lifts and terrain in a reasonable fashion. Crystal was the South Puget Sound dirtbag mecca- there were some wealthier folks but the majority of skiers there were average types. Alterra may be going for the ‘skier not guest’ market as Crystal has always done, but they seem to be aiming for the upper income bracket within that demographic. I see that attitude further squeezing people out up there, and I think the four Snoqalmie areas are going to see more crowding as a result. Whether people will make the longer drive to White is an open question. Time for someone to resurrect Mt Pilchuck, no?
LikeLiked by 1 person