Broken Arrow – Palisades Tahoe, CA

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.

30 thoughts on “Broken Arrow – Palisades Tahoe, CA

  1. alex's avatar alex April 7, 2018 / 3:52 am

    It was relocated from Shirley Lake before that lift was upgraded to a HSQ in 1986.

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    • Somebody's avatar Somebody February 17, 2020 / 7:00 pm

      Ironic considering the quad got scrapped yet this lift still remains.

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    • Somebody's avatar Somebody February 11, 2019 / 7:19 pm

      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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      • Michael's avatar Michael February 11, 2019 / 7:35 pm

        It’s called “vertical storage”. It’s cheaper to leave it standing than to remove it.

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        • Somebody's avatar Somebody February 11, 2019 / 8:18 pm

          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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      • skitheeast's avatar skitheeast May 6, 2021 / 1:29 am

        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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        • Anders's avatar Anders February 1, 2024 / 11:05 am

          Just thought of this idea too and came here to post it. You beat me to it! I’ll take the defeat, knowing that I’ll eventually be able to be the champion of posting lift ideas on a forum website. Maybe….. Someday… Ahh no. Donald Reif is. *sighs*

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    • Bryan's avatar Bryan July 1, 2022 / 11:29 am

      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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  2. Tommy Boy's avatar Tommy Boy February 11, 2019 / 10:08 pm

    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.

    Liked by 4 people

  3. A.J. Durzy's avatar A.J. Durzy February 14, 2019 / 3:19 pm

    This lift is truly beutiful

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  4. SilverSubaru's avatar julestheshiba March 3, 2021 / 2:24 pm

    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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    • nvskier's avatar nvskier March 6, 2021 / 11:58 pm

      It’s the old Shirley Lake double which was installed at the same time as Belmont.

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      • Utah Lost Ski Area Project's avatar Utah Powder Skier March 7, 2021 / 9:33 am

        Wasn’t Shirley Lake a Miner-Denver/Telecar?

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        • SilverSubaru's avatar julestheshiba March 7, 2021 / 10:58 am

          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

          Liked by 1 person

      • Bluebottlenose's avatar Bluebottlenose January 3, 2025 / 12:49 pm

        Wasn’t Shirley lake installed in 1974? Belmont was installed in 1968.

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  5. SkiingIsTheBest's avatar SkiingIsTheBest April 28, 2022 / 6:35 pm

    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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    • Henry T's avatar Henry T April 28, 2022 / 7:33 pm

      Yeah it sucks, I’ve always wanted to ride broken arrow, same with olympic lady, emigrant and Silverado

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      • SkiingIsTheBest's avatar SkiingIsTheBest May 3, 2022 / 4:41 pm

        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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        • colter100's avatar colter100 December 18, 2022 / 9:58 pm

          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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      • Henry T's avatar Henry T January 26, 2023 / 7:18 pm

        Broken Arrow was open today, I was able to ride it

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    • buzz's avatar buzz February 14, 2023 / 11:17 pm

      It’s the most useless chair at the mountain. The terrain is accessible with a 2 minute walk.

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  6. SkiingIsTheBest's avatar SkiingIsTheBest January 21, 2023 / 12:14 pm

    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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  7. Skierdude's avatar mrbob101 February 14, 2023 / 4:41 pm

    This lift has ran at least 20 days this season so far, probably more. Pretty cool to see.

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    • SkiingIsTheBest's avatar SkiingIsTheBest February 20, 2023 / 12:13 pm

      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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  8. ski's avatar ski February 10, 2024 / 12:35 pm

    They spun the lift today (rare!) and it had quite the line too (even rarer!). Good to see it still used.

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  9. Sawyer Montag's avatar Sawyer Montag January 4, 2025 / 4:50 pm

    this lift has been running for the past couple of days, which is rare.

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  10. Coloradoskilifts's avatar Coloradoskilifts April 5, 2025 / 11:46 am

    They would rather have guests hike than ride a lift. Shame. It looks like it services some good terrain

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    • SilverSubaru's avatar SilverSubaru April 5, 2025 / 6:41 pm

      the lift isn’t quite lappable and not crazy popular. It also can only be opened when snow permits, which on the southern exposure side isn’t often. a lift that goes from the bottom of silverado or maybe partially down to silverado would service the terrain much better.

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