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.
Completely agree with the Taynton lift is desperately needed to make Panorama a solid competitor. Panorama already is great for beginners and intermediates with the Mile one, Champagne and Discovery serving those abilities. Pano does have solid advanced terrain, however, it suffers in logistical complexities, much like the West Bowl at Lake Louise before 2024, requiring to go to the base and ride three lifts to lap. Another problem that Panorama also shares with nearby Fernie is its lack of detachable service, which is why the Sunbird chair needs upgrading. I’ve skied the terrain there, and it’s awesome, but the slow ride up is a detractor. Of course, there are also many areas that require two lifts, like Founder’s Ridge, Extreme Dream and Sun Bowl, so they require a few infill lifts there. Overall, there is a lot of potential for this resort, but I would definitely comb back after the Taynton lift is built.
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
Lift Blog 
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
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
Is 4000 feet long enough to warrant a detachable? It doesn’t appear to be in a much of a choke point.
LikeLike
I think that if your lift serves intermediate terrain and is 4,000 feet or longer, it needs to go detachable.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
Completely agree with the Taynton lift is desperately needed to make Panorama a solid competitor. Panorama already is great for beginners and intermediates with the Mile one, Champagne and Discovery serving those abilities. Pano does have solid advanced terrain, however, it suffers in logistical complexities, much like the West Bowl at Lake Louise before 2024, requiring to go to the base and ride three lifts to lap. Another problem that Panorama also shares with nearby Fernie is its lack of detachable service, which is why the Sunbird chair needs upgrading. I’ve skied the terrain there, and it’s awesome, but the slow ride up is a detractor. Of course, there are also many areas that require two lifts, like Founder’s Ridge, Extreme Dream and Sun Bowl, so they require a few infill lifts there. Overall, there is a lot of potential for this resort, but I would definitely comb back after the Taynton lift is built.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
A quick search on ski map.org proves you correct
LikeLike
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
LikeLike
Pancake terminals make maintenance access much harder.
LikeLike
Mile 1 will probably be the next replacement at panorama:(
LikeLike
A Mile One Express replacement lift is the priority and is likely to be a Sixpack together with a gondola (a chondola).
Additional lifts are also specified. The next, after Mile 1, is a new one in Sun Bowl. Then a new one in the Founders area.
The CEO outlines it in the final 15 minutes of this podcast:
https://www.stormskiing.com/p/podcast-169-panorama-mountain-president
LikeLiked by 2 people