North American – Mt. Norquay, AB

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This lift was converted from a traditional fixed grip lift to a pulse version with eight groups of four chairs each running at 800 fpm.
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The bottom station.
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Tower 8.
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Tower 10.
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Top terminal straight out of the 1950s.
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Top bullwheel.
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View down the line with Banff below.
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A pulse headed up from the base.
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Garaventa drive bullwheel.

19 thoughts on “North American – Mt. Norquay, AB

  1. Camnoger August 11, 2018 / 5:10 am

    But why though. What is the purpose of turning a double into a pulse double! This must be the only pulse double in North America! Or even the world! It just makes no sense to me!

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        • Utah Powder Skier September 8, 2022 / 8:27 pm

          According to lift installation surveys, the former North American Poma double/gondola was built in 1966 (listed under Banff lift corp). It’s predecessor looks to be a Constam Single, but I’m not sure when it was built (you would know better than I would, it looks like it was from the 50s). Not sure when this version was installed, it looks like it was reused from the former Cascade Doppelmayr double.

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        • 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝖝 𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖓𝖊𝖙 September 8, 2022 / 9:36 pm

          My bad the dude said it was built in 65

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        • skier72 September 9, 2022 / 8:39 am

          The former Cascade chair operates at a small hill in Manitoba, Canada (Minnedosa Ski Valley). No elements of the old Cascade are re-used on this lift.

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  2. GreatEight January 14, 2019 / 6:48 pm

    Is this North American?

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    • AvocadoAndy January 14, 2019 / 11:09 pm

      Well if you’re being technical it’s a Garaventa lift, which isn’t based in North America. Ironically it’s a lift named North American built by a European company if that’s what you’re asking.

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  3. skier72 March 8, 2020 / 6:10 pm

    This lift replaced a Poma double, which itself, replaced a Poma single chairlift. I believe the drive terminal might re-use some parts of the old double bottom terminal, but I’m not sure about that one.

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    • reaperskier March 8, 2020 / 6:54 pm

      Is that a 60’s poma double?

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      • skier72 March 8, 2020 / 9:32 pm

        Yes. For awhile, Norquay ran the Poma double with gondola cabins in the summer as a “pulse chondola” of sorts. They also had a super cool single chairlift, and have a picture of Marilyn Monroe riding up the lift.

        Liked by 1 person

    • Carson September 16, 2020 / 7:55 pm

      Yes it does reuse the bottom terminal if you notice closely it has a mueller bullwheel too some of the towers were also reused in the replacement also

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  4. skier72 January 23, 2021 / 3:11 pm

    Video:

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  5. iloveribletdoubles March 31, 2021 / 3:59 pm

    I think those are Doppelmayr chairs.

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      • Alex Kennedy March 31, 2021 / 8:02 pm

        That makes no sense to me. Mid-Gad at Snowbird uses the first picture’s design, while Wilbere uses the second picture’s design. The inly difference they have is that the “Doppelmayr” ones have a circle pipe and the “Garaventa” ones use square pipes. I’m 90% sure they are both the same just with different variants.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. bluebottlenose March 20, 2023 / 6:13 am

    This lift reminds me of Europe. The top terminal, the bright yellow bullwheel and even the lifting frames just scream Europe to me.

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