Squaw Valley has removed ten of its lifts since 2007 while building only four new lifts in the same period. What’s going on? Squaw is strategically removing redundant/older fixed grips like Cornice II and replacing first-generation detachable quads with newer technology. This summer’s project replaces the Siberia Express (a 1985 Poma) with an all-new Leitner-Poma six-pack. The new Siberia will be Squaw’s second lift with LPA grips and terminals. The first was the Big Blue six-pack, which replaced not one but three Yan lifts in 2012. The LPA grip is now used worldwide by both Leitner and Poma but terminals used in North America are designed and built in Grand Junction, Colorado.
The original Siberia was a workhorse at Squaw for thirty years, operating in a harsh above-treeline environment. It had an old-school Alpha drive building and chain-driven contours. In addition to upgraded technology, the new Siberia should be less subject to wind closures with heavier chairs. In a press release announcing the project, Squaw Valley CEO Andy Wirth noted, “upgrading the Siberia Express lift to a high-speed six-passenger chairlift is guaranteed to have a positive impact on the skier experience on the upper mountain at Squaw. In addition, the lift has been designed in a way that will improve its ability to operate during inclement weather.” Because its line is so exposed, the new lift has parking for all 56 chairs at the drive terminal.
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