This lift was one of the oldest operating lifts in New England when it was retired in 2018.First few towers.Bottom bullwheel on concrete base.Lower station overview.Unloading area well below the top bullwheel.The top tension station.View down the lift line.Sheave assembly.
I was at Sunapee on 3-31-2021 and the lift is gone. All that is left is the lower stanchion where the wheel but the pulleys, towers, motors, cables, and chairs are all gone.
I grew up on this lift. When we were kids Pete Kavanaugh would let us down in the engine room to start it up in the morning and we would get the first chair up. Great memories… anyone know what happened to the chairs? I’m sure they must’ve been snatched up.
I wonder how many Roebling and Hopkins are left on ski hills.. there are a good number at fairs/amusement parks.. thankfully.. (I grew up riding the one at Lagoon in Utah) https://liftblog.com/sky-ride-lagoon-ut/
Before its removal recently, the double at bousquet was the oldest chairlift. Currently, it’s probably the hornet chair at Tenney(64) or the South Double at Powder Ridge(63). The South Double was modified into a triple, but most of the chair was re-used when the triple was put in place. The North Double at the same mountain was also a ’64 installation. The South Double (again) at Maple Valley VT is a ’63 install, I would call this the oldest legitimate installation.
New England Chairlifts & SkiingNovember 2, 2020 / 7:15 pm
Madonna I at Smugglers Notch, VT is a 1963 Hall install and still runs (it has received some Doppelmayr CTEC upgrades however, but most of it is still original).
That is probably the most legitimate oldest lift. If you wanted to say original, then South Double at Maple would take the cake, but the ski area doesn’t operate anymore, and it would likely need upgrades to run anyways.
Usual suspect would be Magic, I could see them buying it if this occurred say 5 years later. They’re already installing a new quad and are on slightly shaky ground due to Covid
I do not know where it is, I was told that the surplus department was the place to look. I now know that it’s at the ever-amazing Skytrans Manufacturing.
The last few years before the Vail sale the Mueller’s had to rent grips from a fairground in the Midwest that owned a compatible Roebling ride/lift. They didn’t need them in the winter. The existing grips had been NDT’d and condemned. The story I always heard from the oldtimers was that the State put that lift in at Sunapee, liked it and then installed the same lift at Cannon – Peabody Chair – of course longer and with a much bigger drive.
As a patroller in the state days I remember riding the Duck in the dark a few times to be “sweeper” for the ski instructors doing a torchlight parade down the Eggbeater.
Vail is auctioning off a dozen of the 56 chairs that were on that line for their EPICPromise charity today, 3/19.
SunapeeInsider, look closely at the grips in these photos. They are unusual in that they fit all the way around the rope and are tightened from above with multiple screws.
Never got to ride or drive the Duck but I worked at Sunapee on and off growing up and I heard a lot of stories and banter from the lifties about driving this thing – lots of stories about dead rats, flooding, getting shocked…
The Duck’s drive was in a vault under the bullwheel, IIRC. Below grade, so prone to flooding, vermin and the dampness probably contributed to electrical shorts.
And there are at least 3 St. Lawrence chairlifts remaining:
Blue, Mt. Holiday, MI (https://liftblog.com/blue-mt-holiday-mi/)
And two from Brighton in storage with the Duck. A tension carriage from one of them and a drive terminal tub from the other, complete with bullwheels and hydraulic motor, were sold to Mt. Holiday, because the bullwheels on that lift are toast.
Also, Yellow at Mt. Holiday, a vintage 1950s Poma-Telecar, has St. Lawrence chairs: (https://liftblog.com/yellow-mt-holiday-mi/)
Lift Blog 
I think they removed this lift recently because it no longer appears on the trail map on their website.
LikeLike
As of two weeks ago, it was still standing. But it would not surprise me at all if Vail has axed it from the operation. I will try and find out more.
LikeLike
It may remain standing, just out of service. Similar to The Devils Fiddle Quad At Kaillington, how it wasn’t taken down entirley
LikeLike
A year later this lift is still standing.
LikeLike
According to NewEnglandSkiHistory.com, it stands dormant.
LikeLike
It was before Vail bought it.
LikeLike
I was at Sunapee on 3-31-2021 and the lift is gone. All that is left is the lower stanchion where the wheel but the pulleys, towers, motors, cables, and chairs are all gone.
LikeLike
I grew up on this lift. When we were kids Pete Kavanaugh would let us down in the engine room to start it up in the morning and we would get the first chair up. Great memories… anyone know what happened to the chairs? I’m sure they must’ve been snatched up.
LikeLike
See my 3.19.21 post below. Pete’s still living in Sunapee, BTW.
LikeLike
I wonder how many Roebling and Hopkins are left on ski hills.. there are a good number at fairs/amusement parks.. thankfully.. (I grew up riding the one at Lagoon in Utah) https://liftblog.com/sky-ride-lagoon-ut/
LikeLike
There’s a Hopkins double at Saddleback, ME.
LikeLike
Not anymore, sadly:
https://www.newenglandskihistory.com/lifts/viewlift.php?id=329&limit1=40
LikeLike
Great little lift. Sunapee kept it fairly pristine. The pace was slow but pleasant and it put you right where you needed to be for kids’ races.
LikeLike
Whats the oldest lift in New England?
LikeLike
The J-bar at Black Mountain NH dates back to the mid 1930s.
LikeLike
I believe it to be North America’s oldest overhead-cable ski lift.
LikeLike
Before its removal recently, the double at bousquet was the oldest chairlift. Currently, it’s probably the hornet chair at Tenney(64) or the South Double at Powder Ridge(63). The South Double was modified into a triple, but most of the chair was re-used when the triple was put in place. The North Double at the same mountain was also a ’64 installation. The South Double (again) at Maple Valley VT is a ’63 install, I would call this the oldest legitimate installation.
LikeLike
Madonna I at Smugglers Notch, VT is a 1963 Hall install and still runs (it has received some Doppelmayr CTEC upgrades however, but most of it is still original).
LikeLike
That is probably the most legitimate oldest lift. If you wanted to say original, then South Double at Maple would take the cake, but the ski area doesn’t operate anymore, and it would likely need upgrades to run anyways.
LikeLike
MRG’s single chair (’48) might also count, although its been modified. I’ve probably missed others.
LikeLike
Whitney’s J-Bar at Black Mountain.
LikeLike
I’ve never seen a chairlift with such short lift towers. How high off the ground did this lift run?
LikeLike
The chairs were about 8-10 feet off the ground on average, however it would get to as high as 15 feet at some points
LikeLike
They were removing the towers today when I went over to ski the inch of snow we got (November 2nd). So sad to see it go :(
LikeLike
Indeed a sad day hopefully you can ask if you can get a sheeve or some other parts to remember it by
LikeLike
I wonder if this lift could possibly see a new home. It seems to have been maintained well.
LikeLike
Yes, but the real question is who would need such a short fixed grip double chair. It could go to SkyTrans maybe.
LikeLike
Usual suspect would be Magic, I could see them buying it if this occurred say 5 years later. They’re already installing a new quad and are on slightly shaky ground due to Covid
LikeLike
Maybe if Cannon wanted a new Banshee lift.
LikeLike
It was auctioned off by the state.
LikeLike
Were did you find the auction?
LikeLike
I do not know where it is, I was told that the surplus department was the place to look. I now know that it’s at the ever-amazing Skytrans Manufacturing.
Their Web site:
http://skytrans-mfg.com/
LikeLike
It may be the last worldwide!
https://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/bdd/liste-6-141-roebling.html
LikeLike
The lift was removed in November 2020. It was bought and removed by Sky Trans.
LikeLike
My guess is that it’ll be reinstalled as a skyride somewhere, it seems to be in good enough structural condition.
LikeLike
Their general manager says that they “still have some of it” as of spring 2022.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting that it is still on the trail map
LikeLike
The last few years before the Vail sale the Mueller’s had to rent grips from a fairground in the Midwest that owned a compatible Roebling ride/lift. They didn’t need them in the winter. The existing grips had been NDT’d and condemned. The story I always heard from the oldtimers was that the State put that lift in at Sunapee, liked it and then installed the same lift at Cannon – Peabody Chair – of course longer and with a much bigger drive.
As a patroller in the state days I remember riding the Duck in the dark a few times to be “sweeper” for the ski instructors doing a torchlight parade down the Eggbeater.
Vail is auctioning off a dozen of the 56 chairs that were on that line for their EPICPromise charity today, 3/19.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Where is this Roebling out west? It would be one of, if not the, last Roebling in original condition.
LikeLike
Where are the rest of the chairs going? Skytrans?
LikeLiked by 1 person
SunapeeInsider, look closely at the grips in these photos. They are unusual in that they fit all the way around the rope and are tightened from above with multiple screws.
LikeLike
Nevermind, this machine has a different variety of grip. My apologies for the misinformation.
LikeLike
Never got to ride or drive the Duck but I worked at Sunapee on and off growing up and I heard a lot of stories and banter from the lifties about driving this thing – lots of stories about dead rats, flooding, getting shocked…
LikeLike
The Duck’s drive was in a vault under the bullwheel, IIRC. Below grade, so prone to flooding, vermin and the dampness probably contributed to electrical shorts.
LikeLike
The vault is intact today.
LikeLike
Why did they take this out?
LikeLike
Too expensive to maintain, but was a nice backup when the less than dependable Spruce “Riblemyer” triple would go down.
See my 3.19.21 post above.
LikeLiked by 1 person
there is still a Roebling double at the Calgary stampede, AB
LikeLike
LikeLike
That’s a Hopkins.
LikeLike
Today, there are at least 7 Roebling chairlifts in existence:
Duckling (in storage) (https://liftnerd.wordpress.com/duck/)
High Hopes, Blue Knob, PA (https://liftblog.com/high-hopes-blue-knob-pa/)
North, Snow Ridge, NY (https://liftblog.com/north-snow-ridge-ny/)
This one is an early ’60s Roebling that was modified by Hall. There is no Murray-Latta on this lift.
the Cherokee Skyride (http://www.chairlift.org/cherokee.html)
the chairlift at Rainbow Basin, MO (https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=292e527dce65be8d&sca_upv=1&rlz=1CAEOEW_enUS1052&q=rainbow+basin+mo+ski+area&uds=AMwkrPuHg33dywq06rO2P3P076cYh_zjVwzD_2umYWd_rDJQSMGTk1IYYKwwNnfTVh70RMHqEYJJ9ae2qRn4EN71CdHwu4IWZk_SXf6NA28j51yIp5XdFUQ4D7pjFd9meWWRphVIAji27VEWXT0UWiUx8zxjiFZQS-hZKoquWmt3KuElAw3YHM3X389uRbpphoHRcycYhwrw6ozTMMKnn3VdIJrv02fgU7t4R61Kljjc2ctg6lKpdqzJNxAbDBu-s8kaQVnPtCLKukwwqazbVA8LYWv8g0mkDvaGUEHHEHKJtfcOKxH4aOGgKR1sF1pqihxImoN2TUF3&udm=2&prmd=imvsnbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2krrN27WFAxUXKFkFHSIrCK0QtKgLegQIChAB&biw=1366&bih=599&dpr=1&safe=active&ssui=on)
And the two SkyGliders (yes, there are two) at the Iowa State Fair (https://liftblog.com/iowa-state-fair-ia/)
These two are reinstallations of Zoomer and Peabody from Cannon Mountain.
And there are at least 3 St. Lawrence chairlifts remaining:
Blue, Mt. Holiday, MI (https://liftblog.com/blue-mt-holiday-mi/)
And two from Brighton in storage with the Duck. A tension carriage from one of them and a drive terminal tub from the other, complete with bullwheels and hydraulic motor, were sold to Mt. Holiday, because the bullwheels on that lift are toast.
Also, Yellow at Mt. Holiday, a vintage 1950s Poma-Telecar, has St. Lawrence chairs: (https://liftblog.com/yellow-mt-holiday-mi/)
There may be more that I don’t know about.
LikeLike
The Duck today:
LikeLiked by 1 person