Bottom drive terminal next to the Sunshine Gondola.Top return terminal.View of the top with Continental Divide Express above.Looking down the line.Poma built only three lifts in North America with this terminal model, all in 1988.The bottom station from above.Lower station and lift line.Tower 16.Another look up the line.Drive terminal.
White Peaks bears the distinction of being the only one of these three to be a top-drive. Angel Express and Rainier Express are both bottom-drive lifts.
You know LPA needs to hire new terminal designers, when a Poma detachable from the mid 80s, looks more modern and well designed, than LPA terminals from 2022, that are just flat out ugly. Leitner and Poma have beautiful terminal designs outside of North America, so im not sure if the Leitner group just looks down on the North American market, and think were all blind, or just incompetent. I would understand if LPA lifts significantly less than Doppelmayr lifts, since comparing the LPA terminal to the D-Line terminals on appearance, is like comparing a Toyota Corolla, to the Cadillac AT5, but from what ive read, both companies charge roughly the same for detachable lifts, so I just dont get it
I think what color is used on the lift terminals also can do a lot. I feel LPA terminals look better with the wood skin (as places like Breck, Copper, and Okemo have gone for), IMO:
Poma Detachables from the mid 80’s were very open and provided little to no protection from the elements as seen in the Alpha Evolution and Performant. The modern-day LPA terminals are much nicer.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that this may be just your opinion. While the ’88 model looked pretty modern, it was a transition and still had the same machinery housed inside. The North American ‘LPA’ terminals are light-years better in terms of machinery access and design. They also do a much better job of protecting the machinery from the elements. As for the European models, Leitner-Poma of America designs their own. Unless things have changed I don’t think you can get a European terminal in North America. It’s not that the Seeber Group ‘thinks we’re all blind’.
In all honesty, while this terminal certainly has a more modern appearance, it likely won’t outperform the previous version in terms of function. Detachable lift technology evolves quickly, but it also tends to wear out more rapidly. That said, the LPA design does look somewhat decent in wood, though the flat-fronted shape feels a bit off. From the side, it resembles an Omega terminal, and the flat windows give it a somewhat awkward look. A slight angle at the end of the terminal could really improve its overall aesthetic.
I sort of agree with all of the last 4 comments, especially with the Breck wood LPA terminal cladding looking nice, on a meh structure. I agree Dopp terminals look more streamlined and modern, but LPA lifting towers and chairs on most modern lifts look nicer than Dopp’s equivalents in North America.
Wawa only has access to around 10-15% of the mountain, Angel is one of the main lifts relied on by skiers here. Angel access more terrain and is older and could do with being replaced as it is breaking down more and more every year. I am not saying Wawa couldn’t do with being replaced but Parks Canada won’t allow it as we saw with Tee Pee town LX and they simply don’t want to spend 10million for a lift that doesn’t access any remarkable terrain and this lift is just fine for beginners for the next 10 years atleast
I feel like even if this is a 6 next year, Parks Canada will do the same as with TP, so 2 times less chairs, which negates the additional capacity a 6 brings. When I go to Sunshine, this always has a quite long line, but it moved fast at least. Good thing you can use Strawberry to access Divide.
Here are a few from last weekend and the week before. I think these are the first all white LPA terminals? From the Divide webcam it looks like the top station supports are up now.
Summer season at the hill starts at the end of June so should be able to get more photos then.
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What other lifts in North America were built with this terminal? I know Rainier Express at Crystal has this design too.
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There’s only one more on this side of the Atlantic…White Peaks Express at Waterville Valley, NH.
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White Peaks bears the distinction of being the only one of these three to be a top-drive. Angel Express and Rainier Express are both bottom-drive lifts.
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It’s surprising that this is the oldest lift at Sunshine! All the tech here is so new.
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Angel Express is in great shape. In no way does it feel like an old life
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I found, in France, a very interesting Poma detachable. The bottom station has a separate Poma drive station, but the top very closely resembles this Poma terminal. It was built in 1987.
https://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/bdd/reportage-tsd4-de-l-ideal-poma-3101.html
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This is the Alpha Evolution terminal. It was built during the 80’s. There are a few still operating in notrh america.
Doppelmayr built terminals like these but with Doppelmayr components only in North America.
:)
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Video:
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They’ve given this wood underskirt, I see.
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*underskins
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now only 2 of these left
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White Peaks Express is getting replaced by a 6 pack from MND ropeways.
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You know LPA needs to hire new terminal designers, when a Poma detachable from the mid 80s, looks more modern and well designed, than LPA terminals from 2022, that are just flat out ugly. Leitner and Poma have beautiful terminal designs outside of North America, so im not sure if the Leitner group just looks down on the North American market, and think were all blind, or just incompetent. I would understand if LPA lifts significantly less than Doppelmayr lifts, since comparing the LPA terminal to the D-Line terminals on appearance, is like comparing a Toyota Corolla, to the Cadillac AT5, but from what ive read, both companies charge roughly the same for detachable lifts, so I just dont get it
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I think what color is used on the lift terminals also can do a lot. I feel LPA terminals look better with the wood skin (as places like Breck, Copper, and Okemo have gone for), IMO:
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I just realized that this kind of terminal kind of resembles the Uni-GS detachable terminal.
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Poma Detachables from the mid 80’s were very open and provided little to no protection from the elements as seen in the Alpha Evolution and Performant. The modern-day LPA terminals are much nicer.
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I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that this may be just your opinion. While the ’88 model looked pretty modern, it was a transition and still had the same machinery housed inside. The North American ‘LPA’ terminals are light-years better in terms of machinery access and design. They also do a much better job of protecting the machinery from the elements. As for the European models, Leitner-Poma of America designs their own. Unless things have changed I don’t think you can get a European terminal in North America. It’s not that the Seeber Group ‘thinks we’re all blind’.
LikeLike
In all honesty, while this terminal certainly has a more modern appearance, it likely won’t outperform the previous version in terms of function. Detachable lift technology evolves quickly, but it also tends to wear out more rapidly. That said, the LPA design does look somewhat decent in wood, though the flat-fronted shape feels a bit off. From the side, it resembles an Omega terminal, and the flat windows give it a somewhat awkward look. A slight angle at the end of the terminal could really improve its overall aesthetic.
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I sort of agree with all of the last 4 comments, especially with the Breck wood LPA terminal cladding looking nice, on a meh structure. I agree Dopp terminals look more streamlined and modern, but LPA lifting towers and chairs on most modern lifts look nicer than Dopp’s equivalents in North America.
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I feel like that Wawa should be the one getting replaced, not Angel.
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Wawa only has access to around 10-15% of the mountain, Angel is one of the main lifts relied on by skiers here. Angel access more terrain and is older and could do with being replaced as it is breaking down more and more every year. I am not saying Wawa couldn’t do with being replaced but Parks Canada won’t allow it as we saw with Tee Pee town LX and they simply don’t want to spend 10million for a lift that doesn’t access any remarkable terrain and this lift is just fine for beginners for the next 10 years atleast
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Wawa is also quite new to be replaced
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Since this is going to have bubbles, they need a covered parking rail like on TP.
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I feel like even if this is a 6 next year, Parks Canada will do the same as with TP, so 2 times less chairs, which negates the additional capacity a 6 brings. When I go to Sunshine, this always has a quite long line, but it moved fast at least. Good thing you can use Strawberry to access Divide.
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Chairs have now been removed :(
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construction will ramp up now that they are closed…..too bad they didn’t place a camera on the project for lift geeks to watch.
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The divide cam is still on, so at least you can see the top terminal…
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Any pics of deconstruction?
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Here are a few from last weekend and the week before. I think these are the first all white LPA terminals? From the Divide webcam it looks like the top station supports are up now.
Summer season at the hill starts at the end of June so should be able to get more photos then.
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Well that didn’t work… see them here https://imgur.com/a/angel-progress-FIkwEd9
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Great pics! will be fun to follow along the progress.
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The top terminal is now completly gone, the new one looks almost complete.
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The bottom terminal and all towers are now gone as well
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New towers are in and the haul rope has been spliced.
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By far my most favorite terminal. Such a shame they didn’t make more!!
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I hope they can preserve the terminal skin when this gets rebuilt this summer at Castle.
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I feel like Boyne is the only one doing the whole terminal skin refurbishing thing
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