This is the original lift here, though it came from elsewhere and received new chairs at some point.Arriving at the top drive terminal.Upper terminal overview.View down the line.Breakover towers.Return terminal.Lift line.Unloading area.
11 thoughts on “Milky Way – Andes Tower Hills, MN”
Utah Powder SkierFebruary 26, 2021 / 7:51 pm
This lift appears to be a Telecar with some Riblet modifications. These towers show up on some Telecar installations, but I have seen them referred to as American Cableways. The tension terminal of these lifts has also shown up on some Thiokol lifts, like Timberline at Powder Mountain. Does anyone know the history here?
The chairs were most likely modified to fit on a lift designed as a double. It is not often that you find American Cableways, Hunzinger, Hjorth or Cosmos lifts that need a chair replacement.
Aspen Hills is not a Hunziker Lift, it’s a Hjorth. It came used from Frontier Land near Jackson, Wyoming. It first had bail-style chairs. Not sure where they got the centerpole chairs from, but they are not matching Hunziker’s design.
Mandan was running clockwise, Skiers it not. Not sure if they had the chairs changed or installed new ones, but at least the safety bars are now missing.
Lift Blog 
This lift appears to be a Telecar with some Riblet modifications. These towers show up on some Telecar installations, but I have seen them referred to as American Cableways. The tension terminal of these lifts has also shown up on some Thiokol lifts, like Timberline at Powder Mountain. Does anyone know the history here?
LikeLike
Timberline’s tension terminal has a similar shape but is not the same design: https://skiliftblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_6352.jpg?w=994&h=746
LikeLike
This looks like a telecar lift
LikeLike
Oddity lift for sure….the unload guide sheave don’t look real happy
LikeLiked by 1 person
American Cableways?
Cosmos
I was wondering why that front steel beam on top protudes a little to one side on both (and the other AC related) lifts? Just a conincidence?
LikeLike
I’m pretty sure those are fake Riblet chairs.
LikeLike
The chairs were most likely modified to fit on a lift designed as a double. It is not often that you find American Cableways, Hunzinger, Hjorth or Cosmos lifts that need a chair replacement.
LikeLike
I mean the majority of those lifts from those manufacturers do not have their original chairs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can you name one that still has?
LikeLike
The Hjorth lift at Kelly Canyon and the Hunzinger at Aspen Hills development near Fairview, UT are a few that still have their original chairs.
LikeLike
Aspen Hills is not a Hunziker Lift, it’s a Hjorth. It came used from Frontier Land near Jackson, Wyoming. It first had bail-style chairs. Not sure where they got the centerpole chairs from, but they are not matching Hunziker’s design.
Mandan was running clockwise, Skiers it not. Not sure if they had the chairs changed or installed new ones, but at least the safety bars are now missing.
LikeLike