Upper part of the lift line.View down the lift line.Lower terminal with tensioning.Yan half tower.Loading area and lift line.Riding up.Arriving up top.Top drive station and unloading ramp.
Before the Storm Peak Express lift was built, BAR-UE operated in conjunction with another double chairlift, WJW, which ran from where the Storm Peak Express starts today up to where the Wapiti cattrack off Pioneer Ridge splits from Longhorn.
I think this lift should be replaced with a detachable with the top terminal being located at the top of Morningside. It gives easier access to the front side terrain off of Morningside, which currently requires a trip down into Morningside Park and a ride up the lift, and therefore maintains the same balance of hike-to and lift-serviced terrain. Also, this is lift is over forty years old and a secondary lift in its current alignment.
Actually, yeah, that would make BAR-UE more useful. Although I do see some powder hounds would be complaining about some of the chutes now being easier to lap without having to do the Storm Peak Express to Morningside Park after each trip. The end result of such a change is that Buddy’s Run and the upper Storm Peak face trails would become exclusively serviced by the Storm Peak Express, while Buddy’s Run would now be lappable from a detachable without the need to take the runout of Tornado Lane back to the Storm Peak Express.
That’s a no for me. Not so much about gate keeping the powder but man I just love these older lifts. Prefer terrain expansions-with the fastest newest lifts- to replacing old school ones.
The thing is I could see a problem with wind since the top would be quite exposed plus I’m not sure if there is enough space on the ridge between the chutes and morning side where the lift would unload to have that many people. I like your idea though and I think it’s a good idea. In my idea it would be a 1,600 or 1,800 ph HSQ with wind protected sheaves and slatted backrest chairs.
I completely agree! Maybe the top could even be up at the top of Christmas Tree bowl. The only issue is it would be harder to get to the runs below storm peak and the Sunshine/Sundown areas as well as mid-mountain.
After spending a weekend here, big fan of both Bar-UE and Four Points as a way to avoid Storm Peak lines. Great to see an unmodified Yan (complete with original 1970s name plates) in all its glory
What’s the story behind the name of this one? How are you supposed to say it? Some old ranching reference?
Bar-AchooE shut down this week. Not sure if it is due to mechanical failure, or end of season for this area. Steamboat is still open for another week or two. All other lifts, except C3 and Priest Creek (secondary lifts) are still open.
Steamboat lift status today shows she’s open and I’ve seen it open for a number of days when checking over the past week or so but she was closed quite a bit earlier in the season.
“Bar-UE is the place to be!” It’s my favorite lift on the mountain. It’s an old reliable often run by a veteran crew. It’s a scenic eleven-minute ride that offers access to a variety of runs. It’s seldom very busy and one is spared going down to the Storm Peak Express to face the crowds there. The trees protect it from wind that can sometimes shut down the Storm Peak Express. The snow that piles up under it at the summit is the last to melt in summer. And yes, Bar-UE and WJW are former Werner ranch brands. The bump run Triangle 3 also has a connection with the Werner family.
Bill Fetcher
Steamboat Springs
Thanks Mr. Bill for your description of the Bar-UE lift. Although not born here, I have lived in Steamboat for 43 years now and all the things you have stated are true, most importantly, the beauty of riding through the trees serving the terrain that arguably may be the best on the mountain. As I tend to ski more off piste, the Bar-UE seems to service an area that likely has the best conditions on the mountain. Some, like Buddy’s, are always groomed but I tend to favor the bumps of Flying Zee and then the perfect pitch on Meadows to hold the great snow surface.
But we are talking lifts here. I don’t want to spill any secrets here, but time spent on Bar UE versus skiing down from the Bar UE base and then congestion at Storm Peak Express to ride back up, I seriously doubt you lose much time riding Bar UE. But each to his/her own. And the ride up is almost spiritual. At this point the Steamboat marketing geniuses should promote this as the one historical icon remaining on the mountain. The pictures on this website could certainly be used to attract more customers (not that we need more). Many would come to ride it maybe one time. But on powder days, that is where you will find me until exhaustion. And yes, it is the only lift running when the winds are howling on Storm Peak.
The idea to “replace” it with a Dquad to top of morningside is not a bad one and you could certainly add it for more lift capacity. But don’t take my Bar UE away from me. It just has too many tangible as well as intangible benefits. I think it is the one lift remaining that gives you the feeling of a less crowded experience, especially weekdays. The addition of a Morningside “West DQuad” could also be debatable with respect to the increased uphill lift capacity without a commensurate increase in terrain to accomodate it. I know the mountain is planning 650 more acres in that area but not sure of its access. Thank you.
Scott MacFarland
Having spent a couple days at Steamboat last week, I wouldn’t ever want BarUE to be replaced with a lift to the top of Morningside. We lapped the Chutes, but it took two lifts to get back to the top, which kept the snow pretty fresh. I think a lot of the magic of Steamboat would be lost if you could lap the Chutes.
Bar-UE is slowly moving into its own attraction for Steamboat the older it gets. New lifts are great, cool, and epic, but lifts from this era are timeless.
It appears the bean counters at Ski Corp have decided this lift has less importance and so, they have decided to only run it on Thursdays to Sundays. I am sure they will use the age old excuse that they are limited on staff. I find this rather convenient for them. The reality is you can get all the staff you want if you pay/incentivize them well enough. But this costs money and so, to protect Alterra bottom line, you no longer get to ride what arguably is the best lift on the mountain Monday to Wednesday. And this, after they boast $200MM investment in the mountain.
The lift has its advantages on busy days to avoid congestion on the way down to and at Storm Peak Express. It is also protected from wind unlike Storm Peak Express which can be shut down on big windy days.
They are doing the same thing with Bashor. It’s a few years older, but at 1500 ft, not really much of a lift. In fact, I’m not sure what good Bashor really does now. Is it still useful?
Oh no, Monday thru Wednesday are the best days to go skiing too. Good to know, Alterra did something similar at Mary Jane last year and stopped running Challenger leaving Super Gauge as the only option out of the base. It is annoying going skiing mid-week and encountering lines because ski ares are cutting back on lift operations, in the case of Steamboat, those runs down to bottom of Storm Peak get very icy also. Much more fun to lap Bar UE
Lift Blog 
Before the Storm Peak Express lift was built, BAR-UE operated in conjunction with another double chairlift, WJW, which ran from where the Storm Peak Express starts today up to where the Wapiti cattrack off Pioneer Ridge splits from Longhorn.
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I think this lift should be replaced with a detachable with the top terminal being located at the top of Morningside. It gives easier access to the front side terrain off of Morningside, which currently requires a trip down into Morningside Park and a ride up the lift, and therefore maintains the same balance of hike-to and lift-serviced terrain. Also, this is lift is over forty years old and a secondary lift in its current alignment.
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I think that would make logical sense, since the entrance trails into Morningside Park from the Storm Peak Express are rather flat.
I believe such a lift would be called the Christmas Express.
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Actually, yeah, that would make BAR-UE more useful. Although I do see some powder hounds would be complaining about some of the chutes now being easier to lap without having to do the Storm Peak Express to Morningside Park after each trip. The end result of such a change is that Buddy’s Run and the upper Storm Peak face trails would become exclusively serviced by the Storm Peak Express, while Buddy’s Run would now be lappable from a detachable without the need to take the runout of Tornado Lane back to the Storm Peak Express.
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That’s a no for me. Not so much about gate keeping the powder but man I just love these older lifts. Prefer terrain expansions-with the fastest newest lifts- to replacing old school ones.
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The thing is I could see a problem with wind since the top would be quite exposed plus I’m not sure if there is enough space on the ridge between the chutes and morning side where the lift would unload to have that many people. I like your idea though and I think it’s a good idea. In my idea it would be a 1,600 or 1,800 ph HSQ with wind protected sheaves and slatted backrest chairs.
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Here is my idea for a Bar UE replacement
It would be replaced with a 5,192 ft long High Speed Quad starting at the base of the existing Bar UE lift to the top of the Morning Side lift.
Ideas for names would be Christmas Express or Ridge Express.
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I completely agree! Maybe the top could even be up at the top of Christmas Tree bowl. The only issue is it would be harder to get to the runs below storm peak and the Sunshine/Sundown areas as well as mid-mountain.
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After spending a weekend here, big fan of both Bar-UE and Four Points as a way to avoid Storm Peak lines. Great to see an unmodified Yan (complete with original 1970s name plates) in all its glory
What’s the story behind the name of this one? How are you supposed to say it? Some old ranching reference?
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The name is an old brand. It would have been either a dash before the letters or a line over them. Bar-You-Ee.
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Bar-AchooE shut down this week. Not sure if it is due to mechanical failure, or end of season for this area. Steamboat is still open for another week or two. All other lifts, except C3 and Priest Creek (secondary lifts) are still open.
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This lift hasn’t ran all year. Wonder why?
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Steamboat lift status today shows she’s open and I’ve seen it open for a number of days when checking over the past week or so but she was closed quite a bit earlier in the season.
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“Bar-UE is the place to be!” It’s my favorite lift on the mountain. It’s an old reliable often run by a veteran crew. It’s a scenic eleven-minute ride that offers access to a variety of runs. It’s seldom very busy and one is spared going down to the Storm Peak Express to face the crowds there. The trees protect it from wind that can sometimes shut down the Storm Peak Express. The snow that piles up under it at the summit is the last to melt in summer. And yes, Bar-UE and WJW are former Werner ranch brands. The bump run Triangle 3 also has a connection with the Werner family.
Bill Fetcher
Steamboat Springs
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Thanks Mr. Bill for your description of the Bar-UE lift. Although not born here, I have lived in Steamboat for 43 years now and all the things you have stated are true, most importantly, the beauty of riding through the trees serving the terrain that arguably may be the best on the mountain. As I tend to ski more off piste, the Bar-UE seems to service an area that likely has the best conditions on the mountain. Some, like Buddy’s, are always groomed but I tend to favor the bumps of Flying Zee and then the perfect pitch on Meadows to hold the great snow surface.
But we are talking lifts here. I don’t want to spill any secrets here, but time spent on Bar UE versus skiing down from the Bar UE base and then congestion at Storm Peak Express to ride back up, I seriously doubt you lose much time riding Bar UE. But each to his/her own. And the ride up is almost spiritual. At this point the Steamboat marketing geniuses should promote this as the one historical icon remaining on the mountain. The pictures on this website could certainly be used to attract more customers (not that we need more). Many would come to ride it maybe one time. But on powder days, that is where you will find me until exhaustion. And yes, it is the only lift running when the winds are howling on Storm Peak.
The idea to “replace” it with a Dquad to top of morningside is not a bad one and you could certainly add it for more lift capacity. But don’t take my Bar UE away from me. It just has too many tangible as well as intangible benefits. I think it is the one lift remaining that gives you the feeling of a less crowded experience, especially weekdays. The addition of a Morningside “West DQuad” could also be debatable with respect to the increased uphill lift capacity without a commensurate increase in terrain to accomodate it. I know the mountain is planning 650 more acres in that area but not sure of its access. Thank you.
Scott MacFarland
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Bar UE is one of my favorite lifts at Steamboat. It also has great views of the valley and is never crowded.
Sad to see untracked powder runs in fish creek to be gone with the new expansion.
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Having spent a couple days at Steamboat last week, I wouldn’t ever want BarUE to be replaced with a lift to the top of Morningside. We lapped the Chutes, but it took two lifts to get back to the top, which kept the snow pretty fresh. I think a lot of the magic of Steamboat would be lost if you could lap the Chutes.
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Bar-UE is slowly moving into its own attraction for Steamboat the older it gets. New lifts are great, cool, and epic, but lifts from this era are timeless.
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Its a good lift. It tends to be one of the last ones on the mountain to open but it is great to have. They got it open a few days ago for this season.
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Good afternoon fellow Bar-U-E fans,
It appears the bean counters at Ski Corp have decided this lift has less importance and so, they have decided to only run it on Thursdays to Sundays. I am sure they will use the age old excuse that they are limited on staff. I find this rather convenient for them. The reality is you can get all the staff you want if you pay/incentivize them well enough. But this costs money and so, to protect Alterra bottom line, you no longer get to ride what arguably is the best lift on the mountain Monday to Wednesday. And this, after they boast $200MM investment in the mountain.
The lift has its advantages on busy days to avoid congestion on the way down to and at Storm Peak Express. It is also protected from wind unlike Storm Peak Express which can be shut down on big windy days.
But what do I know.
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They are doing the same thing with Bashor. It’s a few years older, but at 1500 ft, not really much of a lift. In fact, I’m not sure what good Bashor really does now. Is it still useful?
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Oh no, Monday thru Wednesday are the best days to go skiing too. Good to know, Alterra did something similar at Mary Jane last year and stopped running Challenger leaving Super Gauge as the only option out of the base. It is annoying going skiing mid-week and encountering lines because ski ares are cutting back on lift operations, in the case of Steamboat, those runs down to bottom of Storm Peak get very icy also. Much more fun to lap Bar UE
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We’re doing that again this year. Only super gauge and galloping goose during the week.
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Bummer!…thanks for the heads up.
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