This was the second of three Doppelmayr quads built at Devil’s Head in the early 2010s.Despite having both quick and express in its name, this lift is neither of those things.Tower 2 was modified into a split tower after construction.Riding up the line.This lift services the middle part of the mountain.View up the line.Return terminal with tensioning.Unloading ramp.View from the summit.The final tower and top terminal.Middle part of the line.Upper lift line.Uni-G style fixed grip terminal.
Why would any ski area do a bottom drive and top tension so recently? It’s the least efficient system and If it was power that prompted the lift to be bottom drive, couldn’t they have done a combined drive tension? I’m not seeing any reason for the tension to be on the top.
Different resorts have their reasons. See for instance Fernie’s secondhand triple they got from Nakiska that has this bottom drive/top tension combo because the lift in question was originally a top drive/bottom tension when it operated at Nakiska.
Or Keystone having a bottom drive/top tension high speed quad on account of the Outback Express’s remoteness.
With Devil’s Head, the reasons are a little less clear.
Lift Blog 
BTW the new Crystal at Sun Peaks has a top drive of this.
LikeLike
Any idea why Tower 2 was modified like that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Less wear and tear for the sheaves on tower 1?
LikeLike
Why would any ski area do a bottom drive and top tension so recently? It’s the least efficient system and If it was power that prompted the lift to be bottom drive, couldn’t they have done a combined drive tension? I’m not seeing any reason for the tension to be on the top.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Different resorts have their reasons. See for instance Fernie’s secondhand triple they got from Nakiska that has this bottom drive/top tension combo because the lift in question was originally a top drive/bottom tension when it operated at Nakiska.
Or Keystone having a bottom drive/top tension high speed quad on account of the Outback Express’s remoteness.
With Devil’s Head, the reasons are a little less clear.
LikeLike
Fernie mechanics really regrets having top tension on Polar, but it’s better than top drive…
LikeLike
You have this lift as 833 feet long. Looks as long as the other 2 Dopp Quads that you list as over 2500 feet long.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, these stats can’t be correct for this lift. Should be over 400′ of rise, too.
LikeLike
Yet another fixed grip Uni-g style terminal.
LikeLike