- Powdr sells SilverStar, BC to Pacific Group Resorts.
- Excavation begins for the Okanagan Gondola in interior BC.
- A study finds the proposed Zincton project in BC could disrupt grizzly and wolverine corridors.
- Little Switzerland, Wisconsin plans to replace the up-and-over 1-2 lift with two quads in 2026.
- Fall Line Construction’s new website showcases several cool lift projects from the past few years.
- Mad River Glen may acquire 1,100 acres of surrounding land.
- Telluride and its unionized ski patrol remain far apart with a strike possible.
- Compagnie des Montagnes de Ski du Quebec (CMSQ) would like to own ten ski areas in five years.
- Nearly a year since the province of Quebec and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies announced a CA$50 million joint investment at Mont-Sainte-Anne, the deal still hasn’t been signed.
- The Canadian Ski Museum highlights community ski area history in every province.
Lift Blog 
Speaking of innovations on ski lifts; are there any innovations concerning ice buildup on ropes for the lifts?
In my home resort of Åre Sweden, our highest lifts often have issues of ice build up when there is a storm coming from the Atlantic. Often times helicopters have to go up with a swinging log bashing against the rope to clear the ice.
Shouldn’t it be able to have some electricity going through the rope? Not always of course, but in the morning before the lift starts.
Feels like it shouldn’t be impossible to clear a rope with something more sophisticated than a swinging log.
Thanks.
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Not sure about innovations, but here is a cool video from mount hood showing how they De-ice the lifts.
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Nice, yeah same issues in Åre.
One thinks that surely, there must be some way to run some electricity through that to melt of the ice?
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It would probably take ALOT of energy to heat up an entire lift cable enough so it doesn’t freeze, and im not really sure how splicing a rope works but i would assume running some sort of heated wire through the rope would mess with it.
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I can’t remember where exactly I heard it, but I believe the doppelmayr d-line lifts can keep the line moving at a speed of 1 m/s while the carriers are parked to prevent most ice buildup on moving components.
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Interesting, that sounds like a possible solution.
Doing that or, heating it up via electricity would probably take alot of energy, but it would only be necessary on certain occasions.
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If I remember correctly, modern lift cables have a plastic core, so I would have to ask if heating up the cable would cause melting of the core. I am not a lift cable expert. Just asking.
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I’ve worked places that claim their lift can do it, and I’ve never seen it implemented.
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This is called a “night drive” and it is an option on most detachable chairs. Mt. Hood Meadows has it on two of their lifts – Cascade (a 90s Poma), and Mt. Hood Express (a 2020s Leitner-Poma 6-pack.
It works, but not perfectly. If too severe a storm rolls in the haul rope and sheaves will still ice over. If a sheave freezes while the line is still moving, the line can burn through the sheave liners. I believe night drive systems will turn themselves off if this or something similar happens.
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Interesting, thanks!
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I just saw on FB today that Holiday Mountain of NY loaded up the bullwheel and gearbox of their 1968 Heron-Poma (Turkey Trot) and is sending it off to Whaleback with the hopes of getting theirs (Summit?) up and running
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1MhdQL1Mzx/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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Thats super cool of them, hopefully whaleback can get up and running in good time
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Also seen in a Facebook post (City of Utica) the city run Val Bialas ski area may open this season after many years of being closed. They are currently working on updating their snowmaking system and mentioned the double chair they planned to replace has been repaired by an auto repair shop!
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Not sure repairs made by an auto repair shop would be acceptable to any state tramway board… I sure wouldn’t ride it. I want someone who knows lifts to work on them, unless the issue was with a gas powered backup or primary drive engine?
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depends if its a gearbox rebuild by a heavy repair shop or something similar. A lot of lift equipment is basically the same as a lot of heavy construction equipment
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