Top station with EpicMix readers.Doppelmayr fixed drive.Looking down the line.Lower part of the line.Looking up the line.Offset tower 1A.Tension-return bullwheel.Emptiest of lines.Doppelmayr tower head.Arriving up top.
Heavenly does have the approval to replace Mott’s with a detachable quad ending next to Dipper’s top terminal. This would eliminate this problem. It remains to be seen when (or if) Vail will do this.
in a podcast a few years ago, the now former CEO talked about 2 main lifts after the new north bowl express; 1 was a new connection from CA to NV that could take 3 or 4 routes.
2 was what got me excited. A lift, ideally high speed, from the berry bottom of Mott to the very top of Kilbrew. That really would transform the whole Nevada side, and make it an actual competitive mountain for advanced and expert skiera.
In Tahoe there really isn’t enough true lapable expert terrain for the demand. Inside the actual Tahoe basin, there’s really only Palisades, which does have a ton. Sugar Bowl and Sierra have good advanced terrain, but not a ton of it. Rose and Kirkwood both have more, but one is next to Reno and not on any multi mtn passes, the other is one valley over from Tahoe and is prone to road closures on the best days to ski it.
Heavenly adding more real lift accessed expert terrain would certainly change the landscape of the local market. I’d bet more than it would appear on the surface.
This is a pretty rare modern Doppelmayr double chair. I believe it’s one of only 3 in the US to use the EJ style carriers, the others being Northway at Crystal and Baby Thunder at Snowbird.
Though Vail does not have any interest whatsoever in investing in the California resorts, it will be fun to speculate. Though the Mott Canyon quad is approved in the master plan, it perhaps may be more beneficial to have the top terminal be located where the Skyline Trail meets the California trail? It would allow better access to Killebrew, Mott, and Milky Way Bowl, as well as lessen the crowds at the top of Dipper where three lifts would converge–Dipper, Tamarack, and the proposed Mott Canyon quad. Also, it may offer better wind resistance going my proposed route due to decreased wind exposure at the top. Food for thought.
Skyline Trail never actually connects to California Trail. The trail map is a bit deceiving as the intersection I think you’re referring to above Dipper Woods and Milky Way comes down from the top of Dipper to Skyline Trail. It then wraps around too low to access Tamarack. Although that’s pretty much exactly where the proposed Mott quad would go. Originally there was a chair proposed called Alderman’s which ran from the bottom of Milky Way to Skyline Trail. Eventually that proposal was incorporated into the proposed Mott Canyon quad which would run from the current bottom of Mott to that area at the top so it could actually access all of the Mott and Killebrew gates as it should have when the original chair was built.
@NVSKIER, you are correct. I use it to access Milky Way and Killebrew when I get off Dipper. The California Trail name was the closest reference point for me to explain my alternative location since I could not upload a map indicating the alternate location for Mott that I had proposed, though I do know it does not continue to the east after the Dipper unload.
I have some trail maps from the years after Sky was built (1964) to when the first two chairs were installed in Nevada (1968). During that time, you could ski Skyline Trail to where it currently ends on Big Dipper Run. Skyline then continued across what would become Dipper Bowl, Orion, Cosmic Wave and onto Sand Dunes. This would have provided access to much of the terrain now served by Tamarack, although probably not the upper part of CA Trail. It came to California Trail about 1/3 of the way from the top and then followed the current CA Trail to get back to Sky Chair. An INSANE amount of traversing to ski maybe 500′ of vertical. There were also guided tours available during this time to what would become Boulder base, or down to Kingsbury Grade and/or Foothill Road. With no lifts in NV yet, it was obviously a one-way trip, requiring a shuttle to get back to the only base area in California. I believe all this was done primarily to provide clients with a look into the future when chairs were eventually installed in 1968.
Making the top of Mott chair give easier access to Killebrew and all Mott gates would just send more people in terrain they probably shouldn’t be in. Leave it as it is. Remember when it was cat access only? Yeah don’t Vail that terrain!
except your mountain town has about twice the visitors as the cat era. Rent is 3 times.
Its too late to keep Tahoe a local ski bum hotspot. Especially SLT. Give up the dream and don’t stand in the way of progress.
Such a common problem around Tahoe as a whole, but the nimbys go crazy in south lake. They try to say no to any minimal improvements from all the lake facing resorts. While they all golf and ski and bike and boat, but want to create any rule they can to make sure no one else does.
All while being the busiest year round mountain destination in America.
In Mammoth or Bear Valley the locals embrace new lifts, even ask for them.
Short of a catastrophic failure, Vail will NEVER replace Mott Canyon chair. Mostly because they’re too cheap, but also because the overwhelming majority of Heavenly’s clientele are simply not capable of safely negotiating such challenging terrain. I don’t ski there anymore because I’m too old, but when I did, except for powder days, I rarely saw more than a handful of people riding the chair. I would grudgingly agree with the bean counters on this one, it just would make no financial sense to spend money here anytime soon.
Lift Blog 
Why they built a lift that failed to access all gates to Mott Canyon (without having to use Dipper) is beyond belief.
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I know so stupid!!
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Heavenly does have the approval to replace Mott’s with a detachable quad ending next to Dipper’s top terminal. This would eliminate this problem. It remains to be seen when (or if) Vail will do this.
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I think (if possible) the new Mott Canyon should go to the top of Kilbrew Canyon or even Milky Way
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*Milky Way peak above Milky Way bowl itself
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in a podcast a few years ago, the now former CEO talked about 2 main lifts after the new north bowl express; 1 was a new connection from CA to NV that could take 3 or 4 routes.
2 was what got me excited. A lift, ideally high speed, from the berry bottom of Mott to the very top of Kilbrew. That really would transform the whole Nevada side, and make it an actual competitive mountain for advanced and expert skiera.
In Tahoe there really isn’t enough true lapable expert terrain for the demand. Inside the actual Tahoe basin, there’s really only Palisades, which does have a ton. Sugar Bowl and Sierra have good advanced terrain, but not a ton of it. Rose and Kirkwood both have more, but one is next to Reno and not on any multi mtn passes, the other is one valley over from Tahoe and is prone to road closures on the best days to ski it.
Heavenly adding more real lift accessed expert terrain would certainly change the landscape of the local market. I’d bet more than it would appear on the surface.
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This is a pretty rare modern Doppelmayr double chair. I believe it’s one of only 3 in the US to use the EJ style carriers, the others being Northway at Crystal and Baby Thunder at Snowbird.
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Schlasman’s at Bridger got the double EJ chairs when it was reloacted.
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I also see that Badger at Yosemite (formerly Badger Pass) also uses them so I guess I didn’t check very thoroughly but they’re still uncommon.
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Does the Mittersill Double at cannon have EJ carriers?
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Yes, Mittersill has EJs also Rivers Edge at Loon has EJs as well
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Though Vail does not have any interest whatsoever in investing in the California resorts, it will be fun to speculate. Though the Mott Canyon quad is approved in the master plan, it perhaps may be more beneficial to have the top terminal be located where the Skyline Trail meets the California trail? It would allow better access to Killebrew, Mott, and Milky Way Bowl, as well as lessen the crowds at the top of Dipper where three lifts would converge–Dipper, Tamarack, and the proposed Mott Canyon quad. Also, it may offer better wind resistance going my proposed route due to decreased wind exposure at the top. Food for thought.
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Skyline Trail never actually connects to California Trail. The trail map is a bit deceiving as the intersection I think you’re referring to above Dipper Woods and Milky Way comes down from the top of Dipper to Skyline Trail. It then wraps around too low to access Tamarack. Although that’s pretty much exactly where the proposed Mott quad would go. Originally there was a chair proposed called Alderman’s which ran from the bottom of Milky Way to Skyline Trail. Eventually that proposal was incorporated into the proposed Mott Canyon quad which would run from the current bottom of Mott to that area at the top so it could actually access all of the Mott and Killebrew gates as it should have when the original chair was built.
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@NVSKIER, you are correct. I use it to access Milky Way and Killebrew when I get off Dipper. The California Trail name was the closest reference point for me to explain my alternative location since I could not upload a map indicating the alternate location for Mott that I had proposed, though I do know it does not continue to the east after the Dipper unload.
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I have some trail maps from the years after Sky was built (1964) to when the first two chairs were installed in Nevada (1968). During that time, you could ski Skyline Trail to where it currently ends on Big Dipper Run. Skyline then continued across what would become Dipper Bowl, Orion, Cosmic Wave and onto Sand Dunes. This would have provided access to much of the terrain now served by Tamarack, although probably not the upper part of CA Trail. It came to California Trail about 1/3 of the way from the top and then followed the current CA Trail to get back to Sky Chair. An INSANE amount of traversing to ski maybe 500′ of vertical. There were also guided tours available during this time to what would become Boulder base, or down to Kingsbury Grade and/or Foothill Road. With no lifts in NV yet, it was obviously a one-way trip, requiring a shuttle to get back to the only base area in California. I believe all this was done primarily to provide clients with a look into the future when chairs were eventually installed in 1968.
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Why does the terminal look like a mini CLD 260?
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What’s the point of having an offset tower? I belive chair 1 at Loveland used to have one like that as well
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Making the top of Mott chair give easier access to Killebrew and all Mott gates would just send more people in terrain they probably shouldn’t be in. Leave it as it is. Remember when it was cat access only? Yeah don’t Vail that terrain!
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except your mountain town has about twice the visitors as the cat era. Rent is 3 times.
Its too late to keep Tahoe a local ski bum hotspot. Especially SLT. Give up the dream and don’t stand in the way of progress.
Such a common problem around Tahoe as a whole, but the nimbys go crazy in south lake. They try to say no to any minimal improvements from all the lake facing resorts. While they all golf and ski and bike and boat, but want to create any rule they can to make sure no one else does.
All while being the busiest year round mountain destination in America.
In Mammoth or Bear Valley the locals embrace new lifts, even ask for them.
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Short of a catastrophic failure, Vail will NEVER replace Mott Canyon chair. Mostly because they’re too cheap, but also because the overwhelming majority of Heavenly’s clientele are simply not capable of safely negotiating such challenging terrain. I don’t ski there anymore because I’m too old, but when I did, except for powder days, I rarely saw more than a handful of people riding the chair. I would grudgingly agree with the bean counters on this one, it just would make no financial sense to spend money here anytime soon.
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