This lift rarely operates as you can reach the top via a short hike from High Camp.Yan drive terminal.Short lift line with the Funitel overhead.Lift overview with Big Blue and Siberia in the foreground.Yan tri-leg return.Unload ramp.Counterweight tensioning.View down the line near the summit.
This must’ve been installed earlier than 1989 or else it would have the yan newer bail chairs instead of the older square ones. That or it was Likley relocated.
From what I’ve seen in the last week, it doesn’t operate. The hike to the top of it is honestly not that bad, and the demand for this lift is just not there. They should relocate this somewhere, another back bowl lift at Alpine meadows (perhaps on the backside starting from near the top of Sherwood and ending up at the peak) could work, or moved to another alterra mountain. The Olympic Lady chair is the same boat, even when KT had 20 minute lines on Saturday, they refused to spin it. Then again, these chairs are ancient at this point and have little value, but having them sit around isn’t doing Squaw any good.
Why don’t they remove it from the trail map then? And also, won’t they have to just ditch it eventually? Seems to me like kicking the can down the road 10 years for no reason.
I would love to see Squaw One and Broken Arrow replaced with a single detachable quad doing from the base of Squaw One to the top terminal of Broken Arrow. All of the best terrain from Broken Arrow cannot be lapped with the existing lift anyway, and Squaw One has been underutilized ever since the Funitel was installed. It would definitely be geared more towards experts, but this is Squaw Valley, so that would be okay. Plus, intermediates could still use the lift as a secondary way to the upper portion of the mountain via Malibu.
Broken Arrow is on the schedule tomorrow and Olympic Lady ran today. Both classic doubles still serve a purpose in periods of peak demand and high snow years.
If you look at that tension station everything looks super similar to that on Belmont. I wonder if it came from an early model Yan chair because this tension station does not seem too common.
I don’t understand why Broken Arrow is never open. It looks perfectly fine to me and it’s kind of annoying to keep hiking from High Camp. The black diamonds there are sick. I’ve never taken Broken Arrow before and it’s frustrating to the fact that it’s never open. :(
Agree. It’s sad how all the good lifts are closed when I come to Palisades – I’ve only been able to ride on Resort Chair, Red Dog, Siberia, Gold Coast, Granite Chief, Shirley Lake, Solitude, Belmont, Bailey’s Beach, Funitel. Literally not even 50% of the entire lifts I think. My luck. Pretty sure it’s because I come there mostly for Spring skiing.
I went spring 2019, in April. I believe I was only there for a week but somehow got to experience Silverado and Olympic lady lifts. Broken arrow didn’t run but I’m amazed that they could open Silverado, that terrain was truly beautiful.
Wow… um… Broken Arrow actually OPENED today. I can’t believe this. I’m going back to Palisades in 4-5 weeks (Presidents Day), fingers crossed Silverado and Broken Arrow will stay open…
Yessss it’s really amazing. I’ve never seen Broken Arrow run before, but the snow conditions this year are phenomenal! The lift is still open and running today. Happy Presidents Day everyone :)
Lift Blog 
This must’ve been installed earlier than 1989 or else it would have the yan newer bail chairs instead of the older square ones. That or it was Likley relocated.
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It was relocated from Shirley Lake before that lift was upgraded to a HSQ in 1986.
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Ironic considering the quad got scrapped yet this lift still remains.
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When does this lift operate? Is there a certain schedule?
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From what I’ve seen in the last week, it doesn’t operate. The hike to the top of it is honestly not that bad, and the demand for this lift is just not there. They should relocate this somewhere, another back bowl lift at Alpine meadows (perhaps on the backside starting from near the top of Sherwood and ending up at the peak) could work, or moved to another alterra mountain. The Olympic Lady chair is the same boat, even when KT had 20 minute lines on Saturday, they refused to spin it. Then again, these chairs are ancient at this point and have little value, but having them sit around isn’t doing Squaw any good.
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It’s called “vertical storage”. It’s cheaper to leave it standing than to remove it.
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Why don’t they remove it from the trail map then? And also, won’t they have to just ditch it eventually? Seems to me like kicking the can down the road 10 years for no reason.
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I would love to see Squaw One and Broken Arrow replaced with a single detachable quad doing from the base of Squaw One to the top terminal of Broken Arrow. All of the best terrain from Broken Arrow cannot be lapped with the existing lift anyway, and Squaw One has been underutilized ever since the Funitel was installed. It would definitely be geared more towards experts, but this is Squaw Valley, so that would be okay. Plus, intermediates could still use the lift as a secondary way to the upper portion of the mountain via Malibu.
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It runs like three days a year, but you can traverse over from Big Blue and hike up in 2-4 minutes.
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Broken Arrow is on the schedule tomorrow and Olympic Lady ran today. Both classic doubles still serve a purpose in periods of peak demand and high snow years.
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This lift is truly beutiful
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If you look at that tension station everything looks super similar to that on Belmont. I wonder if it came from an early model Yan chair because this tension station does not seem too common.
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It’s the old Shirley Lake double which was installed at the same time as Belmont.
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Wasn’t Shirley Lake a Miner-Denver/Telecar?
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it was first then it was replaced with a yan double, at the bottom of Shirley Lake you can see an old yan counterweight tube
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I don’t understand why Broken Arrow is never open. It looks perfectly fine to me and it’s kind of annoying to keep hiking from High Camp. The black diamonds there are sick. I’ve never taken Broken Arrow before and it’s frustrating to the fact that it’s never open. :(
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Yeah it sucks, I’ve always wanted to ride broken arrow, same with olympic lady, emigrant and Silverado
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Agree. It’s sad how all the good lifts are closed when I come to Palisades – I’ve only been able to ride on Resort Chair, Red Dog, Siberia, Gold Coast, Granite Chief, Shirley Lake, Solitude, Belmont, Bailey’s Beach, Funitel. Literally not even 50% of the entire lifts I think. My luck. Pretty sure it’s because I come there mostly for Spring skiing.
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I went spring 2019, in April. I believe I was only there for a week but somehow got to experience Silverado and Olympic lady lifts. Broken arrow didn’t run but I’m amazed that they could open Silverado, that terrain was truly beautiful.
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Broken Arrow was open today, I was able to ride it
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It’s the most useless chair at the mountain. The terrain is accessible with a 2 minute walk.
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Wow… um… Broken Arrow actually OPENED today. I can’t believe this. I’m going back to Palisades in 4-5 weeks (Presidents Day), fingers crossed Silverado and Broken Arrow will stay open…
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This lift has ran at least 20 days this season so far, probably more. Pretty cool to see.
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Yessss it’s really amazing. I’ve never seen Broken Arrow run before, but the snow conditions this year are phenomenal! The lift is still open and running today. Happy Presidents Day everyone :)
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