Yan bottom terminal which was added in 1979.Height adjustable tower and lift line.Bottom drive-tension station.Top unload ramp and bullwheel.Unload area.Looking down from the top.Breakover towers.The same towers seen from the Mount Hood Express.Looking down the variable-pitched line.Middle section of the line.Another mellower part of the lift.Looking up at T7.The first pitch out of the base area.Yan bottom terminal and counterweight.
I believe this was a pretty common practice back in the ’60s (when Blue was built). This becomes especially apparent when looking at Riblet lifts of a similar vintage. I can’t say for sure why they used so few sheaves on each tower, but I would be willing to bet that they were attempting to distribute the force over each of the break-over towers (as longer sheave trains would place more force on each of the towers). The topography below these towers is pretty nasty, which could potentially make it more difficult to pour a foundation large enough to support more force on less towers. Also notable is how windy this ridge gets; that could also explain the need to distribute the force of the cable and chairs over more towers (I can speak from personal experience, as I have been stuck on this lift, sitting under these breakover towers in far too many windstorms).
Riblet had a theory taht they could put a tower with 4 sheaves almost everywhere, in every angle. They had a theory that they could put towers inclined at a 90 degrees if they had 4 sheaves !
Riblet did not build assemblies larger than 4 sheaves until the 80s; thus, the large amount of towers. Their sheaves and assemblies also weren’t built as heavily until later.
There’s a part of me that thinks that in 1994, the MHX should’ve replaced this instead of Jacob’s Ladder. But at the same time, realizes that Blue’s loading area is a bit less accessible than the MHX’s starting location.
I wonder how much use this lift will get in the future, seeing that Mt. Hood Express is going to be replaced with an LPA detachable six pack with a 3,600 people per hour capacity in the next year or two. Although once again, Blue outlives the newer lifts next to it!
That terminal looks pretty height-adjustable to me, given the height of the supports, the power that runs to the top of support first, the arrangement of the counterweight, and the additional structure/mechanism on the terminal legs.
Just yeaterday I wash skiing Mt hood Meadows for a ski trip and im from Alaska and grew up skiing alyeska for 18 years. Well the snow was fantastic at Meadows the past couple of days. So Mt Hood Express took a dump. And I see a bunch of lifties making their way towards Blue. I happened to be there at the right place yah the right time. Was taking a leg rest from skiing hip deep powder for three days now. Was chatting with the lifties about MTX and said we’re firing up ol reliable which is blue. A lot of resorts don’t have a backup chair ready to rumble like Blue. I got first chair on blue and what a ride. Yes it’s slower, the towers hun along and you got all the familiar rattles but I love them old Riblets. Such a beautiful lift. And yes reaching the top your going straight up then reach that massive 7 tower break over and once you clear that you see the most imposing well overbuilt, and built like a tank unloading ramp that man will ever know. Don’t fall in the net that would suck.
Sad, but not surprising. I haven’t seen it running at all this season, and last season capacity was reduced on the days it was open (lift ops kept every third chair empty).
I can only assume the maintenance cost to keep Blue running isn’t worth it anymore. The extra capacity and redundancy just isn’t needed with a new, high capacity HSS (Mt. Hood Express) right next to it. Many longtime Meadows skiers (myself included) will be crushed to see it go.
I see Blue marked as “removed” now on the blog’s main page for Mt. Hood Meadows. Was there official confirmation of this, beyond what a few commenters said here?
I contacted out to MT Hood, they said the lift is not planning to be removed. Granted the person who said it might not have known. But I’m willing to trust the person who wrote back to me rather than some rumors.
A while after I commented this, I reached out to Meadows as well and they said its removal was being discussed, but not yet finalized. Will be interesting to see what ends up happening this summer.
It now has been officially confirmed by Meadows that this will be decommissioned Summer 2025. According to Meadows, the lift would “need to be overhauled for it to be available next season”.
They were running it today and snowblowing the bottom terminal to get ready for Saturday. I’m contemplating riding for one last chance at a rope rescue😜
Still can’t believe this is its final season. Makes sense, but doesn’t mean I believe it. Have to wonder what they did to get it running for the final day…!
These are really, really great photos. I wasn’t able to make it to Meadows for Blue’s last day so looking through them was a fun trip down memory lane. Thanks very much for sharing them with this community.
If you look closely at the chairs, you can see an extra piece of metal bolted to the bottom. The only other lift I’ve seen with this is the Texas chair here at Meadows. My best guess as to why they did this was wind resistance but I’d love for someone with more knowledge to explain more.
I have a couple questions about Riblets in general but relate to Blue that I was hoping someone could answer for me.
What is the difference between a short and long hanger on a Riblet Center Pole? I have heard it before but do not know the differences. Is it an angled hanger verse that straight hanger?
I have noticed that some center pole Riblets have a hanger with a consistent diameter for the center pole where some others I see have a larger diameter for the top 3/4 of the hanger tube and it is welded onto a smaller diameter tube that is attached to the crossbar to attach the chair. A couple examples would be like Blue and Cascade at Mt. Hood Skibowl.
Are these conversions from the old style angled hanger to the straight hanger? If so did the original center poles have a smaller diameter tube than the newer ones?
If someone can help with these questions I would appreciate it.
Older centre-pole carriers were shorter, yes. They also had the angled upper bend you mentioned. I’m not sure when they lengthened the bails but it was sometime in the mid-sixties. The angled upper bend and ‘short-shank’ clips were superseded by the straight bails with ‘long-shank’ clips to account for cable catchers on the sheave assemblies (which the earlier models did not have). I hadn’t seen the differing-diameter bails until you pointed them out but it’s entirely possible you’re correct about them being conversions.
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It’s weird how riblet used so many Breakover towers and wasted them all and only put about 4 sheaves on each
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I believe this was a pretty common practice back in the ’60s (when Blue was built). This becomes especially apparent when looking at Riblet lifts of a similar vintage. I can’t say for sure why they used so few sheaves on each tower, but I would be willing to bet that they were attempting to distribute the force over each of the break-over towers (as longer sheave trains would place more force on each of the towers). The topography below these towers is pretty nasty, which could potentially make it more difficult to pour a foundation large enough to support more force on less towers. Also notable is how windy this ridge gets; that could also explain the need to distribute the force of the cable and chairs over more towers (I can speak from personal experience, as I have been stuck on this lift, sitting under these breakover towers in far too many windstorms).
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Yeah, but it seems all riblet lifts have a lot of Breakover towers, no matter where it is. Maybe they are just playing it safe
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Riblet had a theory taht they could put a tower with 4 sheaves almost everywhere, in every angle. They had a theory that they could put towers inclined at a 90 degrees if they had 4 sheaves !
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Riblet did not build assemblies larger than 4 sheaves until the 80s; thus, the large amount of towers. Their sheaves and assemblies also weren’t built as heavily until later.
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More on that here, for those interested:
http://www.skilifts.org/old/tech_facts_ribletsheaveloads.htm
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Jackass at Silver Mountain has basically the same ordeal as Blue.
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i love this lift, but it never runs
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I can tell by your username!
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There’s a part of me that thinks that in 1994, the MHX should’ve replaced this instead of Jacob’s Ladder. But at the same time, realizes that Blue’s loading area is a bit less accessible than the MHX’s starting location.
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I wonder how much use this lift will get in the future, seeing that Mt. Hood Express is going to be replaced with an LPA detachable six pack with a 3,600 people per hour capacity in the next year or two. Although once again, Blue outlives the newer lifts next to it!
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Not surprising. It seems like Riblets are usually replaced to increase capacity rather than because the lift is worn out.
Helps that it has a newer drive, too!
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Not surprising. It seems like Riblets are usually replaced to increase capacity rather than because the lift is worn out.
Helps that it has a newer drive, too!
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What is the benefit of having a height adjustable tower, if the terminal is not height adjustable?
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Probably for clearance. They can dig out the terminal, but having to dig out the whole line up to the first tower could be a whole different animal
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That terminal looks pretty height-adjustable to me, given the height of the supports, the power that runs to the top of support first, the arrangement of the counterweight, and the additional structure/mechanism on the terminal legs.
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Just yeaterday I wash skiing Mt hood Meadows for a ski trip and im from Alaska and grew up skiing alyeska for 18 years. Well the snow was fantastic at Meadows the past couple of days. So Mt Hood Express took a dump. And I see a bunch of lifties making their way towards Blue. I happened to be there at the right place yah the right time. Was taking a leg rest from skiing hip deep powder for three days now. Was chatting with the lifties about MTX and said we’re firing up ol reliable which is blue. A lot of resorts don’t have a backup chair ready to rumble like Blue. I got first chair on blue and what a ride. Yes it’s slower, the towers hun along and you got all the familiar rattles but I love them old Riblets. Such a beautiful lift. And yes reaching the top your going straight up then reach that massive 7 tower break over and once you clear that you see the most imposing well overbuilt, and built like a tank unloading ramp that man will ever know. Don’t fall in the net that would suck.
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I fell into the net once ……. Not fun
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Now THIS is an impressive lift!
The breakover exceeds that.
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Also a great chair to drink an ice cold Coors Banquet riding up man I’ll tell you what. What else are ya supposed to do?
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Are they going to remove this now that the six-pack is in?
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It’s needed as a backup for the MHX.
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Heard it through the grapevine that this lift is going to be pulled down summer 2025. Not sure if it’s true but definitely sad if it is.
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Now confirmed by people with inside knowledge, the rope and chairs are coming off summer 2025 with chairs likely being sold.
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Sad, but not surprising. I haven’t seen it running at all this season, and last season capacity was reduced on the days it was open (lift ops kept every third chair empty).
I can only assume the maintenance cost to keep Blue running isn’t worth it anymore. The extra capacity and redundancy just isn’t needed with a new, high capacity HSS (Mt. Hood Express) right next to it. Many longtime Meadows skiers (myself included) will be crushed to see it go.
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From what I heard, the drive has gone bad and it’s not financially justifiable to replace it.
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I see Blue marked as “removed” now on the blog’s main page for Mt. Hood Meadows. Was there official confirmation of this, beyond what a few commenters said here?
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I contacted out to MT Hood, they said the lift is not planning to be removed. Granted the person who said it might not have known. But I’m willing to trust the person who wrote back to me rather than some rumors.
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A while after I commented this, I reached out to Meadows as well and they said its removal was being discussed, but not yet finalized. Will be interesting to see what ends up happening this summer.
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Was running empty at reduced speed Friday 4/4/25.
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It now has been officially confirmed by Meadows that this will be decommissioned Summer 2025. According to Meadows, the lift would “need to be overhauled for it to be available next season”.
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This chair will open one last time on Saturday 4/19 for the retirement celebration according to Meadows social media.
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They were running it today and snowblowing the bottom terminal to get ready for Saturday. I’m contemplating riding for one last chance at a rope rescue😜
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Still can’t believe this is its final season. Makes sense, but doesn’t mean I believe it. Have to wonder what they did to get it running for the final day…!
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Goodbye Blue!
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Some great pictures of this lift from it’s last day here:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/339c9orfp8sg953jacb7m/AIRyT6KUmIrLrrjDRKN5urE?dl=0&e=1&rlkey=wocork21j1qt1bintjar5m7xh&st=ja5feh9z
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These are really, really great photos. I wasn’t able to make it to Meadows for Blue’s last day so looking through them was a fun trip down memory lane. Thanks very much for sharing them with this community.
-J
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Was able to record this lift on it’s last day
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If you look closely at the chairs, you can see an extra piece of metal bolted to the bottom. The only other lift I’ve seen with this is the Texas chair here at Meadows. My best guess as to why they did this was wind resistance but I’d love for someone with more knowledge to explain more.
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That’s a counterweight to help the chair hang straight. Many manufacturers used this method, others designed their carriers to adjust for this.
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I have a couple questions about Riblets in general but relate to Blue that I was hoping someone could answer for me.
What is the difference between a short and long hanger on a Riblet Center Pole? I have heard it before but do not know the differences. Is it an angled hanger verse that straight hanger?
I have noticed that some center pole Riblets have a hanger with a consistent diameter for the center pole where some others I see have a larger diameter for the top 3/4 of the hanger tube and it is welded onto a smaller diameter tube that is attached to the crossbar to attach the chair. A couple examples would be like Blue and Cascade at Mt. Hood Skibowl.
Are these conversions from the old style angled hanger to the straight hanger? If so did the original center poles have a smaller diameter tube than the newer ones?
If someone can help with these questions I would appreciate it.
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Older centre-pole carriers were shorter, yes. They also had the angled upper bend you mentioned. I’m not sure when they lengthened the bails but it was sometime in the mid-sixties. The angled upper bend and ‘short-shank’ clips were superseded by the straight bails with ‘long-shank’ clips to account for cable catchers on the sheave assemblies (which the earlier models did not have). I hadn’t seen the differing-diameter bails until you pointed them out but it’s entirely possible you’re correct about them being conversions.
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