This Doppelmayr eight place replaced a 1990s detachable quad for the 2022-23 ski season.The new alignment is roughly the same as the old quad but wider of course.Rather than a separate chair parking barn, the chairs can be stacked inside the stations.View riding up at tower 4.Middle part of the lift line.A European made tower with combination assemblies.View back down Jordan Bowl.Significant earth work made the top less susceptible for wind than the old quad.Breakover towers 13 and 12.Arriving at the top terminal building.Upper station with enclosure.Upper terminal overview.Another view of the top station.The final two towers next to the top terminal.Eight place chair with heated seats and red bubble.View toward Aurora and North Peak.Towers 12 and 13.Lower part of the lift line.Towers 1, 2 and 3 with the paltry Jordan double in the background.View up the line.Base area overview.Angled hold down towers.The entire lift line.A chair in the bottom terminal.Unloading area up top.Unloading ramp with closeable door.View from the summit.Breakover seen from Aurora Peak.Tower 6.T2.Small grip and chair maintenance bay.Lift overview.Loading conveyor from Chairkit.View riding up near the base station.
That little connector double is certainly a very odd lift, especially now that it feeds into an 8-passenger lift that’s as fancy as anything in New England. It has always barely saved any time in the long schlep from the base areas over to Jordan compared with just taking one of the other mid-mountain lifts and skiing/riding over.
I’ve always wished that, instead, they built a transfer gondola from the Jordan base to South Ridge. Though that would be a pretty big 1.8-mile run and probably not worth the investment unless they really built out the Jordan base.
I also have thought of a gondola connecting Jordan with South Ridge, with the Chondola transformed into being the first stage gondola, and then a second stage from the top of the Chondola down to Jordan base (this would cross over the Aurora Quad). Then a short third stage up to the Jordan Hotel.
That wouldn’t be a bad idea either. The Chondola has always felt like a weird lift to me, wish they would have done this from the very beginning. It would really make it a more useful access lift without adding a ton more length.
They used an outside architecture firm. I do not know how local they are. The enclosures are to provide indoor chair storage for the lift along the tire banks. Surprising with how long they spend building this and with the two week extra delay because of lack of snowmaking windows to get enough terrain open, that they still couldn’t complete the glass work on the top terminal.
Agreed. The colors do not look good, and the buildings at both terminals are ugly. Kanc 8 is a much nicer looking lift. The old Jordan Quad was a much nicer looking lift. I still think they should have left the quad as is, and just build a fixed beginner chair up to the Hotel to solve the issue of how to get to the hotel when the Jordan quad is on windhold.
The terminals aren’t finished, but I agree, they dont look that great now, but neither does any building without most of its siding and windows. I get colour preferences, are just that, personal preferences, but I personally really like those one of a kind red bubbles, from the photos anyways .
I think the long term plan is to build a proper base village at Jordan, so they are going to see how it is laid out before building any lifts. That being said, a cheap old double would suffice while they work it out over the next ten years (I don’t think we’ll see a Western Reserve expansion or base village until the main resort is sorted out)
It feels a lot shorter compared to the old lift, despite being the same length. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that the chairs are spaced farther apart:
I was on this lift on Thursday, I think when Peter was there. It is nice sure, in fact extremely nice. But it seems so overkill, I think it’s probably just a marketing stunt, really. The line did get long here, but the bells and whistles of this lift are not that needed, in my opinion.
It worked for my family and I, obviously the 8 pack isnt the sole reason we’re going to Sunday River over other Northeast resorts like Sugarbush , but being from a family of engineers, ever since I showed them the Ramcharger 8, they’ve wanted to go to a resort with a D-Line, and Sunday River being the closest big mountain to us to have one, combined with the rest of its modern lift fleet and diverse expansive terrain, it certainly influenced us choosing Sunday River. #chairlifttourismdoesexist
Definitely a sharp-looking lift. It does seem like overkill for the area, and I don’t think my eyes will enjoy the red bubble view, but nonetheless I’m happy to see Boyne putting this kind of investment into SR — just have to hop over the state line to see the very grim-looking alternative with some of the mountains in the Conway area. I do hope Barker gets HS6 and Tempest gets HSQ soon too, but no doubt Boyne knows those needs too.
I’m curious to see how the Jordan area evolves, I know SR alluded to further western expansion with this lift but AFAIK, that’s not on any master plans that the public has seen. Nor is a fourth base lodge over there.
Boyne sure does know how to keep a lift fleet looking spiffy, that’s for sure. Vail doesn’t seem to, though. On the other hand, both could perhaps lower ticket prices (for example, this year, Cannon Mountain’s weekend tickets are $99, while Loon’s are $129. But Cannon’s lifts all need coats of paint on the terminals, aside from the Mittersill duo and Cannonball Quad’s return).
I think Cannon is probably more the exception than the rule here. Keep in mind Loon and Sunday River haven’t been inexpensive locals’ hills for decades, if ever. I think Boyne’s investments since taking full ownership have been fitting for resorts of this stature in New England… and certainly preferable to everything that the nearby Vail resorts are facing.
Agree to disagree. This lift gets blasted with wind and the bubble makes for an incredibly more enjoyable ride. If you hate this lift and prefer an old windy non bubble lift, go lap Aurora.
There comes a point where the chairs weigh so much that wind is less of a factor. Ramcharger is the same way. The chairs are so heavy that they’re very difficult for the wind to get behind. Pretty aerodynamic too assuming the bubble is closed.
Been riding this lift the past couple days. The lift itself is awesome and will look better once the terminals are fully finished. I am mostly disappointed at the disaster that is now the iCaramba lift line. The lift line looks like a tornado hit it and will take more snow than Sunday River will ever get to open up due to the jagged rugs unearthed. The side of the trail is just downed trees that were never removed and the entrance to lower Wizard’s Gulch is blocked by downed trees. This is definitely a downgrade from the aesthetic Jordan used to have.
In addition, due to the regrading of the Kansas trial, the tops of the trails Eureka, Poppy Fields, and Flying Monkey are covered in sharp rocks that will never be covered by the amount of snow Sunday River gets. Super disappointed in the impact that this project had on some of the best natural, expert trails at Sunday River. I am hoping this is just temporary and due to not having enough time last summer. If these trails aren’t cleared up this summer, that’s a true hit to the skiing experience because it seems unlikely they will ever be a safe entrance to these great trails with these massive boulders in the way.
This is more of a niche complaint, but I am definitely gonna miss the view of Mt. Washington and the presidential range that you got at the breakover on the Jordan quad. I get the need to lower the peak for wind resistance, but that view was really breathtaking and it’s a shame it’s gone.
The downed trees, rocks, etc. are likely temporary due to the construction window. When a lift’s construction timeline starts slipping into the ski season, minor items, such as the aforementioned clearing, get put on the back burner in an effort to focus on lift completion.
Really nice and fast lift, I can’t wait for the terminals to be finished! I hope more big lifts like this get installed in the future, a 5 minute lift ride right next to expert skiing on a powder day is unREAL!
I noticed during a recent visit during a cold spell that the heated seats weren’t working, while they were on Barker. I also noticed at Loon on the Kanc 8 they weren’t working. Do these heaters just not last?
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That’s a beautiful color scheme. Red is the best color for springs. It looks sharp
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The inspirational quotes / Maine tourism ads on the seatbacks are just delightful. Doubly so with the lumberjack flannel shirt pattern.
“paltry Jordan double”—this is perhaps the strongest judgment I’ve heard Peter pass on a lift.
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That sort of advertising is a lot nicer than the ads on say, Big Sky’s D-Lines.
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That little connector double is certainly a very odd lift, especially now that it feeds into an 8-passenger lift that’s as fancy as anything in New England. It has always barely saved any time in the long schlep from the base areas over to Jordan compared with just taking one of the other mid-mountain lifts and skiing/riding over.
I’ve always wished that, instead, they built a transfer gondola from the Jordan base to South Ridge. Though that would be a pretty big 1.8-mile run and probably not worth the investment unless they really built out the Jordan base.
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I also have thought of a gondola connecting Jordan with South Ridge, with the Chondola transformed into being the first stage gondola, and then a second stage from the top of the Chondola down to Jordan base (this would cross over the Aurora Quad). Then a short third stage up to the Jordan Hotel.
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That wouldn’t be a bad idea either. The Chondola has always felt like a weird lift to me, wish they would have done this from the very beginning. It would really make it a more useful access lift without adding a ton more length.
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Why paltry?
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Does Doppelmayr sell those enclosed glass window enclosures around the terminals? Or are they locally designed and built?
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They used an outside architecture firm. I do not know how local they are. The enclosures are to provide indoor chair storage for the lift along the tire banks. Surprising with how long they spend building this and with the two week extra delay because of lack of snowmaking windows to get enough terrain open, that they still couldn’t complete the glass work on the top terminal.
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Neat! Thanks for the informative answer : )
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That’s an ugly and overbuilt lift, if I’ve ever seen one. I don’t think you’ll ever catch me riding it. Red bubbles are a terrible choice.
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Agreed. The colors do not look good, and the buildings at both terminals are ugly. Kanc 8 is a much nicer looking lift. The old Jordan Quad was a much nicer looking lift. I still think they should have left the quad as is, and just build a fixed beginner chair up to the Hotel to solve the issue of how to get to the hotel when the Jordan quad is on windhold.
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The terminals aren’t finished, but I agree, they dont look that great now, but neither does any building without most of its siding and windows. I get colour preferences, are just that, personal preferences, but I personally really like those one of a kind red bubbles, from the photos anyways .
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I’ve always wondered why they don’t throw in a little double or triple up to the hotel from the Jordan base.
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I think the long term plan is to build a proper base village at Jordan, so they are going to see how it is laid out before building any lifts. That being said, a cheap old double would suffice while they work it out over the next ten years (I don’t think we’ll see a Western Reserve expansion or base village until the main resort is sorted out)
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It feels a lot shorter compared to the old lift, despite being the same length. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that the chairs are spaced farther apart:
New:
Old:
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It looks shorter because they widened the lift line
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It does look a lot shorter from every angle due to the widened (destroyed) lift line and wider chair spacing.
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I was on this lift on Thursday, I think when Peter was there. It is nice sure, in fact extremely nice. But it seems so overkill, I think it’s probably just a marketing stunt, really. The line did get long here, but the bells and whistles of this lift are not that needed, in my opinion.
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All 8 packs are marketing ploys and are no usually no better than a 6 pack. People only want to see them because they are “cool”
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Their capacity is about the same as a sixpack’s, however, these newfangled D-Line 8-seaters are gorgeous.
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The marketing is working. There have been more people at Jordan so far this year than anytime I can remember.
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It worked for my family and I, obviously the 8 pack isnt the sole reason we’re going to Sunday River over other Northeast resorts like Sugarbush , but being from a family of engineers, ever since I showed them the Ramcharger 8, they’ve wanted to go to a resort with a D-Line, and Sunday River being the closest big mountain to us to have one, combined with the rest of its modern lift fleet and diverse expansive terrain, it certainly influenced us choosing Sunday River. #chairlifttourismdoesexist
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Definitely a sharp-looking lift. It does seem like overkill for the area, and I don’t think my eyes will enjoy the red bubble view, but nonetheless I’m happy to see Boyne putting this kind of investment into SR — just have to hop over the state line to see the very grim-looking alternative with some of the mountains in the Conway area. I do hope Barker gets HS6 and Tempest gets HSQ soon too, but no doubt Boyne knows those needs too.
I’m curious to see how the Jordan area evolves, I know SR alluded to further western expansion with this lift but AFAIK, that’s not on any master plans that the public has seen. Nor is a fourth base lodge over there.
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Barker is getting replaced next summer. It’s almost 100% going to happen
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Boyne sure does know how to keep a lift fleet looking spiffy, that’s for sure. Vail doesn’t seem to, though. On the other hand, both could perhaps lower ticket prices (for example, this year, Cannon Mountain’s weekend tickets are $99, while Loon’s are $129. But Cannon’s lifts all need coats of paint on the terminals, aside from the Mittersill duo and Cannonball Quad’s return).
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Cannon is up to $104 for tickets this year ($109 when you add on the RFID).
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Drat. Still down from Loon’s $129. My information on Cannon’s prices is from their trail maps.
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I think Cannon is probably more the exception than the rule here. Keep in mind Loon and Sunday River haven’t been inexpensive locals’ hills for decades, if ever. I think Boyne’s investments since taking full ownership have been fitting for resorts of this stature in New England… and certainly preferable to everything that the nearby Vail resorts are facing.
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Ngl, bubbles AND heated seats seems like waaay overkill on a lift this short.
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Agree to disagree. This lift gets blasted with wind and the bubble makes for an incredibly more enjoyable ride. If you hate this lift and prefer an old windy non bubble lift, go lap Aurora.
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If it’s as windy as you say it is, the bubble decision puzzles me more. If it’s that windy, the bubbles must cause a lot of wind holds.
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They’re engineered to prevent wind holds using new Doppyelmayr technology; the more the chair weighs the harder it is for the wind to move it.
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The technology involved isn’t unique to Doppelmayr. The other guys have a comparable product, at least in my limited experience.
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There comes a point where the chairs weigh so much that wind is less of a factor. Ramcharger is the same way. The chairs are so heavy that they’re very difficult for the wind to get behind. Pretty aerodynamic too assuming the bubble is closed.
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Been riding this lift the past couple days. The lift itself is awesome and will look better once the terminals are fully finished. I am mostly disappointed at the disaster that is now the iCaramba lift line. The lift line looks like a tornado hit it and will take more snow than Sunday River will ever get to open up due to the jagged rugs unearthed. The side of the trail is just downed trees that were never removed and the entrance to lower Wizard’s Gulch is blocked by downed trees. This is definitely a downgrade from the aesthetic Jordan used to have.
In addition, due to the regrading of the Kansas trial, the tops of the trails Eureka, Poppy Fields, and Flying Monkey are covered in sharp rocks that will never be covered by the amount of snow Sunday River gets. Super disappointed in the impact that this project had on some of the best natural, expert trails at Sunday River. I am hoping this is just temporary and due to not having enough time last summer. If these trails aren’t cleared up this summer, that’s a true hit to the skiing experience because it seems unlikely they will ever be a safe entrance to these great trails with these massive boulders in the way.
This is more of a niche complaint, but I am definitely gonna miss the view of Mt. Washington and the presidential range that you got at the breakover on the Jordan quad. I get the need to lower the peak for wind resistance, but that view was really breathtaking and it’s a shame it’s gone.
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The downed trees, rocks, etc. are likely temporary due to the construction window. When a lift’s construction timeline starts slipping into the ski season, minor items, such as the aforementioned clearing, get put on the back burner in an effort to focus on lift completion.
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Hi Peter, on the spreadsheet it lists Jordan 8 as a top drive, which is incorrect. Jordan 8 is a bottom drive.
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Really nice and fast lift, I can’t wait for the terminals to be finished! I hope more big lifts like this get installed in the future, a 5 minute lift ride right next to expert skiing on a powder day is unREAL!
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Sunday River is basing their end of season spring operations on this lift and it has been down for 3 days (so far) with a mechanical issue
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I noticed during a recent visit during a cold spell that the heated seats weren’t working, while they were on Barker. I also noticed at Loon on the Kanc 8 they weren’t working. Do these heaters just not last?
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