Panorama is a mountain that would be awesome with a base to summit gondola (monocable or 3S). It has a ton of terrain and a ridiculous vertical drop, all of which feeds back to the same single base area. Allowing this all to be lapped without having to use three lifts would be fantastic and cheaper than installing infill lifts all over the place where warranted.
A 3S gondi (or any gondola) at Panorama is definitely not happening anytime soon. Tbh, Panorama’s lift system is fine the way it is. The only one that might need an upgrade in the near future would be Sunbird and Mile 1 (potentialy with a 6-pack) but even that lift has aged extremely well. A gondola or 3S would way overcrowd the summit, putting beginners that have no idea how to ski up top. As the lift system is right now, beginners usually stay on Discovery/Mile 1, and all the blue/black skiers go everywhere else.
However, I do think that Sunbird desperately needs a replacement in the near future. The terrain over there is super fun, serviced by a 9-minute lift ride. Also, they need to build the Taynton Bowl Express (as modeled in their master plan) to make the terrain over there easier to lap.
I agree that the likelihood of it occurring is low; I am just saying that it would be nice to exist. I really do not buy the idea that a gondola would overcrowd or throw beginners on the summit, as gondolas work really well at Kicking Horse and Jackson Hole for similar situations. In fact, it was reflecting on those two resorts that made me think of a gondola being a good fit at Panorama.
A Taynton Bowl lift would certainly reduce the need for a gondola. However, areas such as the Extreme Dream Zone and Founder’s Ridge will still require multiple lifts to lap. I guess I feel as though a resort with topography like Panorama, which allows for continuous well-pitched skiing over its entire vertical, should take advantage of this by having a base-to-summit lift to serve leg-burning laps and runs.
Years ago, Panorama talked about servicing an adjacent peak called Mt. Goldie. It is clearly visible from Summit and Champagne and looks to have good snow cover. As it is not in the Master Plan, and Panorama is rarely busy, I can’t see this happening.
Panorama really needs the Taynton Bowl lift. That is the only part of the resort that receives decent snowfall.
The Sun Bowl lift appears to access additional real estate along the golf course.
One correction- there never was a Mile-One Double chair in the 70’s-80’s- the old T-Bar (with wooden T’s and a host of mechanical issues) remained in operation right until the detachable quad was built in 88-89. I probably have some pictures of the old lifts kicking around somewhere.
How come manufacturers stopped making pancake return terminals in North America? They are somewhat common in Europe, but the only pancake terminals you see in North America are older lifts that are considered outdated. I personally really like them and I wish that there were more. As far as i know the only modern pancake terminal in north America is the Tecumseh express at Waterville valley. https://skiliftblog.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/img_0820.jpg
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If there’s any gaps in the lift system to plug, it would be ones like these.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=110d0aGqGHIzUaRlHWm8w2c1aHuZRdxaf&usp=sharing
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Panorama is a mountain that would be awesome with a base to summit gondola (monocable or 3S). It has a ton of terrain and a ridiculous vertical drop, all of which feeds back to the same single base area. Allowing this all to be lapped without having to use three lifts would be fantastic and cheaper than installing infill lifts all over the place where warranted.
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A 3S gondi (or any gondola) at Panorama is definitely not happening anytime soon. Tbh, Panorama’s lift system is fine the way it is. The only one that might need an upgrade in the near future would be Sunbird and Mile 1 (potentialy with a 6-pack) but even that lift has aged extremely well. A gondola or 3S would way overcrowd the summit, putting beginners that have no idea how to ski up top. As the lift system is right now, beginners usually stay on Discovery/Mile 1, and all the blue/black skiers go everywhere else.
However, I do think that Sunbird desperately needs a replacement in the near future. The terrain over there is super fun, serviced by a 9-minute lift ride. Also, they need to build the Taynton Bowl Express (as modeled in their master plan) to make the terrain over there easier to lap.
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Is 4000 feet long enough to warrant a detachable? It doesn’t appear to be in a much of a choke point.
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I think that if your lift serves intermediate terrain and is 4,000 feet or longer, it needs to go detachable.
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As it were, I think the projects that should be done are:
Taynton Bowl Express HSQ
Upgrade Sunbird to a high speed quad
Install a high speed quad running from the top of Discovery to the top of Messerli’s Mile, if not the top of View of 1,000 Peaks.
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Here’s the current master plan.
Click to access 1604783695.pdf
It appears they want to install a “Sun Bowl HSQ”, as well as the “Hopeful Creek” lift, running from where Sun Bowl ends up to the Summit chair.
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I agree that the likelihood of it occurring is low; I am just saying that it would be nice to exist. I really do not buy the idea that a gondola would overcrowd or throw beginners on the summit, as gondolas work really well at Kicking Horse and Jackson Hole for similar situations. In fact, it was reflecting on those two resorts that made me think of a gondola being a good fit at Panorama.
A Taynton Bowl lift would certainly reduce the need for a gondola. However, areas such as the Extreme Dream Zone and Founder’s Ridge will still require multiple lifts to lap. I guess I feel as though a resort with topography like Panorama, which allows for continuous well-pitched skiing over its entire vertical, should take advantage of this by having a base-to-summit lift to serve leg-burning laps and runs.
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Years ago, Panorama talked about servicing an adjacent peak called Mt. Goldie. It is clearly visible from Summit and Champagne and looks to have good snow cover. As it is not in the Master Plan, and Panorama is rarely busy, I can’t see this happening.
Panorama really needs the Taynton Bowl lift. That is the only part of the resort that receives decent snowfall.
The Sun Bowl lift appears to access additional real estate along the golf course.
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One correction- there never was a Mile-One Double chair in the 70’s-80’s- the old T-Bar (with wooden T’s and a host of mechanical issues) remained in operation right until the detachable quad was built in 88-89. I probably have some pictures of the old lifts kicking around somewhere.
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A quick search on ski map.org proves you correct
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How come manufacturers stopped making pancake return terminals in North America? They are somewhat common in Europe, but the only pancake terminals you see in North America are older lifts that are considered outdated. I personally really like them and I wish that there were more. As far as i know the only modern pancake terminal in north America is the Tecumseh express at Waterville valley. https://skiliftblog.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/img_0820.jpg
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Mile 1 will probably be the next replacement at panorama:(
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