The Backside Express is a very long high speed quad now with backup from the Promised Land Express.Doppelmayr Uni return terminal.Riding up the line.Both terminals are height adjustable.Top drive station next to Comstock.Another view of the top terminal.Lift line.Looking up the line from near the bottom terminal.Return station.Loading area and turnaround.Top unload.Doppelmayr Worldbook entry.
I find it interesting how the lifting frame on the integrated breakover at the top is of the older vintage, rather than the more modern lifting frame design that’s used on all of the towers.
Is there a reason Northstar chose to add a second detachable quad to the Backside (Promised Land) instead of upgrading this lift to a detachable six-pack (or eight)? It would probably not have cost any more initially, and there would be much lower operating costs with one lift instead of two.
I think part of the idea was to spread traffic out on that side of the mountain, because the trails get pretty crowded, since they’re accessible from both Backside and Comstock. The problem is that you can only get to one “black” and two underwhelming blues from Promised Land, not the Backside runs. So in my experience it’s mostly useful if you’re trying to leave the Backside for the Zephyr or Martis areas.
No mention of the best feature of this chairlift. Which is that every chair has a trail map to look at when you put down the foot rest/safety bar. Great distraction while you’re on the lift.
No one pays attention to the displays probably because they’re on every other high speed quad on Northstar but for the Village Express, and in fact the majority of detachables at Vail-owned resorts have received them since 2010. They’re on pretty much every out-of-base area detachable, as well as many of the ones in high-traffic areas.
Lift Blog 
Out of curiosity, if this lift is “very long” (no argument there), what should we call JP or either big-name Flyer at 1 to almost 3 grand longer?
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“Extremely long” would work.
Also what’s the second flyer chair?
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I think “second flyer” is referring to American Flyer at Copper.
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I find it interesting how the lifting frame on the integrated breakover at the top is of the older vintage, rather than the more modern lifting frame design that’s used on all of the towers.
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Is there a reason Northstar chose to add a second detachable quad to the Backside (Promised Land) instead of upgrading this lift to a detachable six-pack (or eight)? It would probably not have cost any more initially, and there would be much lower operating costs with one lift instead of two.
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Likely as a backup for mechanical issues or wind.
Ironically enough, Promised Land ended up having a catastrophic mechanical problem before backside did.
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I think part of the idea was to spread traffic out on that side of the mountain, because the trails get pretty crowded, since they’re accessible from both Backside and Comstock. The problem is that you can only get to one “black” and two underwhelming blues from Promised Land, not the Backside runs. So in my experience it’s mostly useful if you’re trying to leave the Backside for the Zephyr or Martis areas.
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Incidentally, the trail the lift was named for was there before the lift was built.
The new trails actually served to fill in some empty land between Drifter and the Promised Land trail.
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No mention of the best feature of this chairlift. Which is that every chair has a trail map to look at when you put down the foot rest/safety bar. Great distraction while you’re on the lift.
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No one pays attention to the displays probably because they’re on every other high speed quad on Northstar but for the Village Express, and in fact the majority of detachables at Vail-owned resorts have received them since 2010. They’re on pretty much every out-of-base area detachable, as well as many of the ones in high-traffic areas.
LikeLiked by 1 person