This Leitner-Poma Alpha quad replaced a Riblet/CTEC double.View leaving the bottom station.Middle part of the lift line.Tower 6 is the tallest on the line.Looking back down.Nearing the summit.The top terminal is located higher up the mountain than the previous lift.Upper lift line.Top bullwheel.Towers are short near the summit for wind purposes.Upper lift line.View down.Leitner-Poma towers and chairs.An unskiable section of the lift line.Tower 6.View up the steepest part of the line.Drive terminal overview.Loading area.Tower 2.Omega style chair.Arriving up top.
This lift was met with severe backlash by locals because the steepest part of the line now requires more snow for it to be skiable. There was also fear of the trails becoming overcrowded, and discontent with the widening of the Cloud trail at the top. I however think it is a great upgrade over the double. Since it goes all the way to the top, it improves the connectivity of the resort, and also gives you a longer run. The double could have a significant line, particularly on powder days, and when the gondola was down and it was the only way to the summit. The higher capacity ensures that lines stay short. Lastly, the upper portion of the lift has incredible views and is very photogenic on a sunny day.
I agree that moving the top of the lift to the top was a good move, it was nice to access the complete summit from both HP and straight brook lifts. How does the line now require more snow to be skiable now? I skied it a few times this year with quite a bit of snow still tho.
LPA didn’t do sufficient cleaning of the worksite when they were complete. They left numerous stumps, logs, and boulders strewn about. Prior the lift line was skiable. It needed to be widened with the upgauging to a quad and all that debris was just left behind.
Generally, clearing of the lift line of trees, stumps, boulders and logs is the responsibility of the customer or their contractor, not the lift manufacturer or their installation crew. Distribution of spoils from foundation excavation is. You’re blame is misplaced.
At least with Whiteface’s bid docs for this summer’s bidding process, the clearing is on the responsibility of the primary bidding contractor. Yes they may designate one or more subcontractors to do it, but clearly in this case it was not completed.
Unrelated to the above, does anyone know how big the footing for this style of fixed return is? It’s been around Poma’s oeuvre for, what, 35 or more years? I know it’s not identical to a bolt, but it is the same overall shape. It seems underbuilt in relation to the Alpha drive and the towers. Obviously it does the job because, well, the aforementioned 35+ years with no Spruce Peak type issues that I’ve heard of.
Gore posted some pictures of the footing forms before it was poured. You can’t see most of the footing once the lift is complete. I believe it was done in two pours, and the first pour covered as much surface area as the mound they built on top. The second pour is the vertical portion of the footing, and where the structure is actually mounted.
You’re correct. The spread footer is poured first, and it’s considerably wider and longer than ay concrete you can see. It has rebar embedded but sticking out the top that the mast footer is then tied to when they form it. The mast footer is poured with the bolt cage aligned on top of the forms.
Lift Blog 
This lift was met with severe backlash by locals because the steepest part of the line now requires more snow for it to be skiable. There was also fear of the trails becoming overcrowded, and discontent with the widening of the Cloud trail at the top. I however think it is a great upgrade over the double. Since it goes all the way to the top, it improves the connectivity of the resort, and also gives you a longer run. The double could have a significant line, particularly on powder days, and when the gondola was down and it was the only way to the summit. The higher capacity ensures that lines stay short. Lastly, the upper portion of the lift has incredible views and is very photogenic on a sunny day.
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I agree that moving the top of the lift to the top was a good move, it was nice to access the complete summit from both HP and straight brook lifts. How does the line now require more snow to be skiable now? I skied it a few times this year with quite a bit of snow still tho.
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LPA didn’t do sufficient cleaning of the worksite when they were complete. They left numerous stumps, logs, and boulders strewn about. Prior the lift line was skiable. It needed to be widened with the upgauging to a quad and all that debris was just left behind.
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Generally, clearing of the lift line of trees, stumps, boulders and logs is the responsibility of the customer or their contractor, not the lift manufacturer or their installation crew. Distribution of spoils from foundation excavation is. You’re blame is misplaced.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Michael,
At least with Whiteface’s bid docs for this summer’s bidding process, the clearing is on the responsibility of the primary bidding contractor. Yes they may designate one or more subcontractors to do it, but clearly in this case it was not completed.
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I wonder how it does during wind.
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Unrelated to the above, does anyone know how big the footing for this style of fixed return is? It’s been around Poma’s oeuvre for, what, 35 or more years? I know it’s not identical to a bolt, but it is the same overall shape. It seems underbuilt in relation to the Alpha drive and the towers. Obviously it does the job because, well, the aforementioned 35+ years with no Spruce Peak type issues that I’ve heard of.
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Gore posted some pictures of the footing forms before it was poured. You can’t see most of the footing once the lift is complete. I believe it was done in two pours, and the first pour covered as much surface area as the mound they built on top. The second pour is the vertical portion of the footing, and where the structure is actually mounted.
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You’re correct. The spread footer is poured first, and it’s considerably wider and longer than ay concrete you can see. It has rebar embedded but sticking out the top that the mast footer is then tied to when they form it. The mast footer is poured with the bolt cage aligned on top of the forms.
LikeLike