This lift was one of two installed in 1984 when Azu Ski Village became Powder King.This lift runs on diesel fuel 100 percent of the time.Upper station overview.View down near the summit.About half way up, 36 power lines cross over the lift line.Lower lift line.View up the line.Lift line overview.Side view of the tension return station in the base area.Loading area.View riding up the line.Doppelmayr tower head.Riding under the power lines.Upper lift line.View back down.Tower 13.T15.Side view of the top terminal.Lift overview.
I’m guessing they haul fuel barrels up to the top via snowcat and sled. That or they have a huge tank up there that they fill every year when the snow is gone and a big fuel truck can work its way up there.
Just a guess by looking at the photos, but it looks like the transmission line crossing this lift is very high voltage and Powder King would need a large Hydro Substation, than a transformer or series of transformers to bring the voltage of the Transmission Line Power (the big one crossing the Ski Lift) down to a level that can be used by the equipment that would run the chairlift. Lots of dollars to do that.
Your second idea is most likely correct. That’s how we did it at Baker- midseason refuelling wasn’t exactly easy so we had a tank farm at the bottom of each lift.
Lift Blog 
how do you refuel this lift, wheres the fuel tank, is it like fernies Polar Peak Chair way of refueling
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I’m guessing they haul fuel barrels up to the top via snowcat and sled. That or they have a huge tank up there that they fill every year when the snow is gone and a big fuel truck can work its way up there.
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Why dont they just tap into that transmission line that crosses the lift? :)
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Just a guess by looking at the photos, but it looks like the transmission line crossing this lift is very high voltage and Powder King would need a large Hydro Substation, than a transformer or series of transformers to bring the voltage of the Transmission Line Power (the big one crossing the Ski Lift) down to a level that can be used by the equipment that would run the chairlift. Lots of dollars to do that.
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I was about to point all that out. Nic, it’s much more difficult to ‘tap into’ a major cross-country transmission line than you might think :)
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Your second idea is most likely correct. That’s how we did it at Baker- midseason refuelling wasn’t exactly easy so we had a tank farm at the bottom of each lift.
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