For the 2022 season, this lift opened a third link out of the base area.The lift line travels through the woods along most of its length.Bottom terminal on the north end of the base area.This lift utilizes an even mix of Canadian and European style towers.The lower station features 90 degree loading.Base area overview.Loading zone.A Canadian tower.Euro tower.The line undulates along its length with flat and steeper sections.View back down the line.Upper part of the line.Nearing the summit.The final tower.Uni-G return station.Upper station turnaround area.Eventually this will be the transfer point between two detachable quads.Unloading area.A beginner area with a view.Side view of the top terminal.Terminal under skin.View up towards the eventual Upper Juniper lift line.Tower 12.T11.Middle part of the lift line.View down the line.Upper lift line.Looking toward Lake Louise.Tower 7.Lower part of the line.View up the line.Tower 1.Side view of the bottom terminal.Most of the lift line seen from below.
Tower 10 is the only DCTEC style tower head on line the other towers just have different lifting frame constructions based on the size of the assemblies on the tower itself; if you look closely the tie off points, walkways and latter configurations are the same. I would assume that next summer all the quads will be this “European” style towerhead and the walk through DCTEC towerhead design will be phased out.
These towers have so much stuff bolted to them these days that they look a little bit insane, like someone with a Jeep Wrangler that couldn’t stop buying the unnecessary bolt-on cosmetic accessories haha. No wonder a new lift is so expensive now. Just that comm line setup looks more expensive and complicated than a fixed grip chair.
I’m no engineer but it seems like towers are way overbuilt now than even just a few years ago. Has something changed that requires them to be like this? There’s tons of examples of detachable quads using much less complicated tower designs with fewer parts, and even ones using old double chair tower tubes (Sugarloaf) that have been running for decades on much less complicated structures. Why aren’t they still built on simpler designs that get the job done?
Very interesting tower setup indeed. Doppelmayr use less tower at a wider spacing. These also use 500mm not the 400mm of older generations so the whole tower is beefier. (these look like 400’s to me though) Other changes, the lifting gantry is clamped on to the cross-arm, not welded, and this lift has brittle bars on all assemblies on the lead in and lead out. The comm line assembly is totally new. Looks like they’ve gone back to a single comm line lashed to a messenger instead of using figure 8 cable. They have also abandoned the comm line mounted connection box and gone to one on the tower head, with the messenger looking to be continuous and clamped to the tower head, not cut and anchored. As this lift is in a national park, there may be some design criteria that is not applicable to other lifts.
Do you know what purpose the spiky W-shaped assemblies serve on the depression towers? That are connecting each sheave pair together, that stick out way above each sheave?
You can see the difference side-by-side on Peter’s pics of the combo assemblies on Outlaw at Sundance. The sheaves above the rope have the W shape, the sheaves below have a less aggressive assembly shape.
“Do you know what purpose the spiky W-shaped assemblies serve on the depression towers? That are connecting each sheave pair together, that stick out way above each sheave?”
Answer from Doppelmayr
“It’s not for drop sheave action, the thick metal deflectors at each end and in the middle of the sheave assembly serve as drop sheaves.
It’s something that is required by European standards. In case a sheave falls of the assembly, the chair’s grip must be able to go through… So this mustache shaped piece of metal will serve as a “bridge” so the grip can go over the empty space. “
They’re not transformers, they appear to be where either extra tower wiring is wrapped or the comline itself. Rob, got any ideas? We still have comline boots on our late-model Doppelmayrs so I’m not totally sure.
I knw we are getting the junction boxes mounted on the lifting gantry. Other than that I’m not sure. Pretty sure you’re correct about the round “bobbin” for the extra wire to wind onto. I’ll ask.
There’s not really much of a difference per se. Doppelmayr is an Austrian company so, new designs and code compliance requirements are introduced there first and then then make their way here as the standardized design. There are some small differences between the Canadian Z98 code and the European CEN norm, so there may be some other differences.
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Is it top-drive or bottom-drive? I see conflicting information.
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Bottom drive.
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Until the upper lift is built, this is essentially going to be a bit of a lift to nowhere.
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Tower 10 is the only DCTEC style tower head on line the other towers just have different lifting frame constructions based on the size of the assemblies on the tower itself; if you look closely the tie off points, walkways and latter configurations are the same. I would assume that next summer all the quads will be this “European” style towerhead and the walk through DCTEC towerhead design will be phased out.
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These towers have so much stuff bolted to them these days that they look a little bit insane, like someone with a Jeep Wrangler that couldn’t stop buying the unnecessary bolt-on cosmetic accessories haha. No wonder a new lift is so expensive now. Just that comm line setup looks more expensive and complicated than a fixed grip chair.
I’m no engineer but it seems like towers are way overbuilt now than even just a few years ago. Has something changed that requires them to be like this? There’s tons of examples of detachable quads using much less complicated tower designs with fewer parts, and even ones using old double chair tower tubes (Sugarloaf) that have been running for decades on much less complicated structures. Why aren’t they still built on simpler designs that get the job done?
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Very interesting tower setup indeed. Doppelmayr use less tower at a wider spacing. These also use 500mm not the 400mm of older generations so the whole tower is beefier. (these look like 400’s to me though) Other changes, the lifting gantry is clamped on to the cross-arm, not welded, and this lift has brittle bars on all assemblies on the lead in and lead out. The comm line assembly is totally new. Looks like they’ve gone back to a single comm line lashed to a messenger instead of using figure 8 cable. They have also abandoned the comm line mounted connection box and gone to one on the tower head, with the messenger looking to be continuous and clamped to the tower head, not cut and anchored. As this lift is in a national park, there may be some design criteria that is not applicable to other lifts.
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The 500mm and 400mm refer to the sheave diameter above. Can we add an editing function Peter?
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Do you know what purpose the spiky W-shaped assemblies serve on the depression towers? That are connecting each sheave pair together, that stick out way above each sheave?
You can see the difference side-by-side on Peter’s pics of the combo assemblies on Outlaw at Sundance. The sheaves above the rope have the W shape, the sheaves below have a less aggressive assembly shape.
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Those are the sheave pair bars. I’m not sure why they’re shaped as they are, but Poma built depression assemblies like that as well.
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“Do you know what purpose the spiky W-shaped assemblies serve on the depression towers? That are connecting each sheave pair together, that stick out way above each sheave?”
Answer from Doppelmayr
“It’s not for drop sheave action, the thick metal deflectors at each end and in the middle of the sheave assembly serve as drop sheaves.
It’s something that is required by European standards. In case a sheave falls of the assembly, the chair’s grip must be able to go through… So this mustache shaped piece of metal will serve as a “bridge” so the grip can go over the empty space. “
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What are those circle like transformers for on the top of the lifting frame on new doppelmayr detachables?
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They’re not transformers, they appear to be where either extra tower wiring is wrapped or the comline itself. Rob, got any ideas? We still have comline boots on our late-model Doppelmayrs so I’m not totally sure.
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I knw we are getting the junction boxes mounted on the lifting gantry. Other than that I’m not sure. Pretty sure you’re correct about the round “bobbin” for the extra wire to wind onto. I’ll ask.
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According to Doppelmayr, what is on Juniper is the new standard so I guess we will be seeing the same here this year.
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Video:
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i was on the first public chair ever
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What is the difference between a euro tower and a canadian one?
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There’s not really much of a difference per se. Doppelmayr is an Austrian company so, new designs and code compliance requirements are introduced there first and then then make their way here as the standardized design. There are some small differences between the Canadian Z98 code and the European CEN norm, so there may be some other differences.
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