Crystal Ridge Express – Whistler Blackcomb, BC

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Bottom return terminal.
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Most towers were re-used from Harmony Express.
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Looking down the lift line.
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Tower2.
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Lower station with parking rail.
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Bottom station overview.
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The combo towers got new Leitner-Poma crossarms and lifting frames.
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Top drive station.
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Top and breakover towers.
One of two new Leitner-Poma towers.
View down the long lift line.
Middle part of the line.
Another view down.
Looking up the line.
View up at tower 9.

19 thoughts on “Crystal Ridge Express – Whistler Blackcomb, BC

  1. alex December 3, 2018 / 10:30 pm

    Rob – Do you know what the length and vertical of this chair is?

    Like

    • Andrew Jannsen January 4, 2019 / 6:26 pm

      The tourism whistler site lists it as 5604 ft length with 1755 ft vertical.

      Like

      • Donald Reif October 31, 2019 / 7:50 pm

        It still has the same number of chairs as it did on Harmony.

        Like

  2. Lewis Dot Diagram February 6, 2019 / 7:19 pm

    Was this lift relocated from somewhere else?

    Like

    • AvocadoAndy February 6, 2019 / 10:59 pm

      Yes, the former Harmony Express high-speed quad that was replaced by a high-speed 6 pack the same year. I believe Leitner Poma did do a bit of work on this lift when they relocated it as well, such as the wooden undercover and replacing some of the sheave assemblies.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Donald Reif January 27, 2020 / 9:13 pm

        Towers 9 and 18 are the ones with new lifting frames.

        Like

  3. Donald M. Reif March 29, 2019 / 8:53 am

    This lift was a bottom-drive lift in its original location as Harmony Express. Now it’s a top-drive lift. I doubt the parking rail sees as much use as it used to in the Harmony configuration, given the lesser amounts of exposure in the Crystal Ridge area.

    Like

  4. Donald Reif December 17, 2019 / 2:43 pm

    Like

  5. Raj Thorp January 27, 2020 / 8:47 pm

    I find these Poma alpha models to be really rough and uncomfortable, while the new Leitner-Poma models are really smooth!

    Like

    • Donald Reif January 27, 2020 / 9:11 pm

      On the other hand, the TB-41s have this nice whooshing sound when entering and exiting the terminals.

      Like

    • pbropetech December 3, 2020 / 11:01 am

      This isn’t an Alpha. That’s the terminal model for all their fixed-grip lifts.

      Like

  6. Raj Thorp March 2, 2020 / 9:28 pm

    Did Leitner-Poma supply whistler with new wood Underskin for the terminals?

    Like

    • Donald Reif March 2, 2020 / 11:05 pm

      You also see the wood underskins on Flat Top Flyer and TGV, also lifts with refurbished Challenger terminals..

      Like

  7. Matthew Toy February 6, 2021 / 8:56 pm

    Any reason why Whistler went with Poma for the original Harmony Express? It’s the only non-dopp detach chair at the resort and I’ve always wondered why, I don’t think they purchased it used from somewhere else.

    Like

    • Alex February 6, 2021 / 10:13 pm

      Harmony HSQ was installed by Whistler prior to merger with Blackcomb. Pre merger Whistler was partial to Yan and Poma detachables. Today creekside and Whistler Village gondolas are Pomas.

      Like

  8. Max February 6, 2021 / 10:16 pm

    Whistler was already familiar with Poma (Village Gondola) and Poma’s detachable lifts proved to be more reliable than the YAN detachable lifts that Whistler already had in place from previous projects, so Whistler went with Poma when building Harmony- which was built brand new where it existed until moved to Blackcomb.

    Like

  9. Ryan June 11, 2021 / 4:29 pm

    Dual tensioning? how does that work? Sounds interesting!

    Like

    • pbropetech June 14, 2021 / 8:35 am

      Same as normal tension, for all intents and purposes. The passive tensioning is to allow for rope stretch, as these terminals don’t have as much carriage travel as a normal detach. When the active end is near the back stop, we can pull the passive end back and reposition the active end for another round of rope stretch. When both terminals are maxed out we’ll shorten the rope.

      Like

  10. Myles Svec August 6, 2021 / 7:18 pm

    I saw somewhere that it costed 18 million Canadian Dollars to reinstall this lift from Harmony. That seems like a little much for a reinstall. What do you guys think?

    Like

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