This Leitner-Poma detachable quad services an expert expansion known as Mahogany Ridge.The first LPA quad chairs at Steamboat.View down at tower 15.The top of the 650 acre expansion is quite steep while the lower half skis mellower.Middle section of the lift line.Tower 7.View up the expansive expansion, which has no groomed trails.View up at tower 6.Tower 4.View up at tower 5 with older detachable quad Pony Express in the background.Climb out from the base station.The lift is the only way out other than backcountry skiing.Side view of the return terminal.View up the long lift alignment.Riding up the line.View back down.Upper station at about the same elevation as Pony Express.Unloading ramp.Side view of the drive terminal.View from the summit.Upper station at the top of Mahogany Ridge.Lower station overview.This station required a major retaining wall to create a flat area.Tower 1.Arrival side of the bottom terminal.LPA station end.View leaving the canyon.Tower 4.View riding up the line.Chair 33.The steepest part of the line above tower 15.View back down the steep face.Nearing the summit.Arriving at the drive terminal.Lift line with no cut trails seen from town.
11 thoughts on “Mahogany Ridge Express – Steamboat, CO”
Aidan ReillyMarch 1, 2024 / 7:27 pm
One thing I noticed about this lift while riding it last week, is that the bottom terminal is fixed (bolted) into the pylons, and has what I assume is the island tension carriage, while the top terminal isn’t fixed into the pylons and the whole terminal is passive and moves. Is there a specific reason why for this?
Another thing I was told from the mechanic for this lift is that it was supposed to get a maintenance shop at the top this year, but that didn’t happen and they are hopefully going to have it built next summer.
There are actually two cut trails on Mahogany Ridge. There’s the lift line itself, but there’s also Edge of the World, which does get groomed from time to time.
KidStops were added to the safety bars on this lift for the 2024-2025 season. Not sure what the logic is behind their presence given that this lift doesn’t serve any terrain that beginners would be on.
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One thing I noticed about this lift while riding it last week, is that the bottom terminal is fixed (bolted) into the pylons, and has what I assume is the island tension carriage, while the top terminal isn’t fixed into the pylons and the whole terminal is passive and moves. Is there a specific reason why for this?
Another thing I was told from the mechanic for this lift is that it was supposed to get a maintenance shop at the top this year, but that didn’t happen and they are hopefully going to have it built next summer.
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it is not dual tension unlike a lot of LPAs out there
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This lift has double the capacity of Pony Express, the sole means of getting to Mahogany by chairlift.
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you can traverse through the trees to get to mahogany from four points. It’s not obvious but it’s possible without riding pony
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Short hike up the backside of Pony or up Lariat works too but I guess that does not count as skiing.
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I don’t see how you do that. Frankly, I think just entering via the Pony Express and skiing down Middle Rib is the way to go.
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There are actually two cut trails on Mahogany Ridge. There’s the lift line itself, but there’s also Edge of the World, which does get groomed from time to time.
This video has a few clips on Edge of the World:
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You can also see Edge of the World on the ridgeline in this photo.
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There was plans of putting in a egress route out of Mahogany Ridge that included a bridge over Burgess Creek. Have those plans been scraped?
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KidStops were added to the safety bars on this lift for the 2024-2025 season. Not sure what the logic is behind their presence given that this lift doesn’t serve any terrain that beginners would be on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEfCX4oBGY
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