When Tremblant expanded onto the Soleil side, it re-used this high speed quad which formerly ran where the gondola does now.Doppelmayr CLD-260 style station.Side view of the top terminal.The top two towers.View down the lift line, much of which is not ski under.Upper part of the line.The bottom terminal seen from above.Towers 1 and 2 above the lower station.Lift overview.Loading area and turnaround. You can tell this was once a bubble chair.
These terminals slightly resemble the western CLD-260. Interestingly, Doppelmayr constructed a lot of unique detachable lifts in Quebec until the introduction of the standard UNI terminal in 1991.
I thought the UNI came out in 1989. The former Atomic Express at Horseshoe Resort used that model. The main difference between this lift and the western CLD-260 is that it has windows on the back of the terminal. Same basic shape though. I bet Tremblant wished they waited a year to get the UNI since it is so much more reliable and easier to maintain.
You’re right! If I recall correctly, Blue Mountain in Ontario also built a UNI in 1989, as did Bretton in New Hampshire. Blue Mountain’s lift operates at Owl’s Head here in Quebec now.
1991 was the first appearance of the UNI in Quebec, which is admittedly inaccurate for a “global” launch year, since 3 eastern resorts installed one in 1989, and it began appearing in the west in 1990.
Interestingly, the windows were a new addition when it was reinstalled in 1999. The interior components of Le Soleil are nearly identical to the standard CLD-260 line. Its reliability is poor and we sometimes delay the opening due to technical problems starting it up in the morning, either due to wind, temperature, or just mechanical issues. There have been days where it doesn’t run at all. The UNI is better, but the Duncan Express isn’t the best example.
What sort of issues are you having with this? I’ve not worked on older Doppelmayrs (our oldest is a ’94 Uni with DS grips) but I’ve definitely put in time on older Pomas and I’m curious. Our oldest detaches were built in ’86 and ’89, respectively, and were our workhorse lifts their entire lives, until 2018.
Even though this lift is old and arguably in need of a detachable six replacement (especially with the hotel and proposed Soleil mini-village), it is not shown to be replaced in Tremblant’s master plan. It instead calls for an additional detachable quad going to a different peak south of Tremblant’s existing main peak named “Timber”. I still wish a bubble detachable six would go here anyway because it is a long ride and this mountain is cold.
That plan was from the 90’s when they had only just moved the Tremblant Express over here. I think the Timber expansion will happen soon. The hotel and upgraded Algonquin snowmaking are obvious clues. The newer master plan has the Timber lift starting off that last sharp turn on Algonquin as it starts going back to the base.
I think a bubble-6 will come here before long. They will need additional capacity with Timber and the additional base development.
Can you post the pictures please
I was Mt Manager then and was responsible for taking down all the old lifts and coordination with Doppelmayr for thé re installations but do not have any pictures?
Could you forward them to me please Kevin.tremblant@gmail.com
Having now skied Tremblant I can say that this lift skis the worst of the detachables here and it’s really a shame since I feel like the terrain is under-utilized. The top half is fun but nothing special and the bottom half all funnels into 2-3 groomed runs that are just flat (which then makes the lift feel too long for the short amount of good skiing you get). I understand that rockiness and topography are a problem, but this pod would ski a lot better with 1-2 trails/glades closer to the lift where the terrain is a lot more interesting. As of now it’s kind of a waste. I hope Timbers isn’t similar.
For Doppelmayrs, you can look at the side armrest, if there’s a solid white piece there, the lift once had bubbles or at least was designed for them, if its the usually empty space with no white plastic, the lift has never had bubbles. Fitzsimmons at Whistler and old Vista at Vail are/were prime examples of lifts that had their bubbles removed but kept that characteristic piece.
Lift Blog 
These terminals slightly resemble the western CLD-260. Interestingly, Doppelmayr constructed a lot of unique detachable lifts in Quebec until the introduction of the standard UNI terminal in 1991.
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I thought the UNI came out in 1989. The former Atomic Express at Horseshoe Resort used that model. The main difference between this lift and the western CLD-260 is that it has windows on the back of the terminal. Same basic shape though. I bet Tremblant wished they waited a year to get the UNI since it is so much more reliable and easier to maintain.
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You’re right! If I recall correctly, Blue Mountain in Ontario also built a UNI in 1989, as did Bretton in New Hampshire. Blue Mountain’s lift operates at Owl’s Head here in Quebec now.
1991 was the first appearance of the UNI in Quebec, which is admittedly inaccurate for a “global” launch year, since 3 eastern resorts installed one in 1989, and it began appearing in the west in 1990.
Interestingly, the windows were a new addition when it was reinstalled in 1999. The interior components of Le Soleil are nearly identical to the standard CLD-260 line. Its reliability is poor and we sometimes delay the opening due to technical problems starting it up in the morning, either due to wind, temperature, or just mechanical issues. There have been days where it doesn’t run at all. The UNI is better, but the Duncan Express isn’t the best example.
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What sort of issues are you having with this? I’ve not worked on older Doppelmayrs (our oldest is a ’94 Uni with DS grips) but I’ve definitely put in time on older Pomas and I’m curious. Our oldest detaches were built in ’86 and ’89, respectively, and were our workhorse lifts their entire lives, until 2018.
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A picture I found of the base terminal when it was Tremblant Express https://www.alamy.com/major-ski-lift-at-the-mont-tremblant-ski-resort-in-quebeccanada-image9252950.html
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And another picture https://www.fotosearch.com/UNS082/u11150425/. You can see the Tremblant Express in the background.
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Even though this lift is old and arguably in need of a detachable six replacement (especially with the hotel and proposed Soleil mini-village), it is not shown to be replaced in Tremblant’s master plan. It instead calls for an additional detachable quad going to a different peak south of Tremblant’s existing main peak named “Timber”. I still wish a bubble detachable six would go here anyway because it is a long ride and this mountain is cold.
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That plan was from the 90’s when they had only just moved the Tremblant Express over here. I think the Timber expansion will happen soon. The hotel and upgraded Algonquin snowmaking are obvious clues. The newer master plan has the Timber lift starting off that last sharp turn on Algonquin as it starts going back to the base.
I think a bubble-6 will come here before long. They will need additional capacity with Timber and the additional base development.
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I have a ton of pics from when they dismantled the tremblant express (Le Soleil), when they built the gondola and when they installed le soleil.
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Can you post the pictures please
I was Mt Manager then and was responsible for taking down all the old lifts and coordination with Doppelmayr for thé re installations but do not have any pictures?
Could you forward them to me please
Kevin.tremblant@gmail.com
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Having now skied Tremblant I can say that this lift skis the worst of the detachables here and it’s really a shame since I feel like the terrain is under-utilized. The top half is fun but nothing special and the bottom half all funnels into 2-3 groomed runs that are just flat (which then makes the lift feel too long for the short amount of good skiing you get). I understand that rockiness and topography are a problem, but this pod would ski a lot better with 1-2 trails/glades closer to the lift where the terrain is a lot more interesting. As of now it’s kind of a waste. I hope Timbers isn’t similar.
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Do you know what the capacity of the versant Soleil quad Tremblant is ?
What was it initially when it was first installed?
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How does one tell whether a lift once had bubbles or not?
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For Doppelmayrs, you can look at the side armrest, if there’s a solid white piece there, the lift once had bubbles or at least was designed for them, if its the usually empty space with no white plastic, the lift has never had bubbles. Fitzsimmons at Whistler and old Vista at Vail are/were prime examples of lifts that had their bubbles removed but kept that characteristic piece.
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Yesterday at Soleil a chair fell at at the bottom terminal. After 30 minutes the lift was reopened.
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