I still like to refer to this lift as Lift 7, its original name.
The bottom drive station underwent some slight relocation in 2008 when One Ski Hill Place was constructed, and they added a few extra towers at that time. (Eventually the rest of the towers were repainted so they could be renumbered)
I believe the extra towers that came in when Lift 7’s bottom terminal was moved were old tubes that were recycled from Lift 4 (the Riblet double that was replaced by the Peak 8 SuperConnect in 2002).
Given the lift line is only 1,800 feet long, this will I think be the shortest high speed quad in Summit County as of next year, as it’ll be even shorter than Imperial.
I know there was some talk on here about the new high speed quad and how it will feel disconnected from from the rest of the Peak 8 lifts. I was wondering if it would make much sense to build the new quad in a new alignment that started right next the base of Lift 5 and ending at the top of the current lift? It would prevent the uphill hike to the base of the lift and it would be easier to access, having a larger effect on pulling traffic off the Colorado SuperChair. The only potential problem I see is the lift crosses over the mountain coaster. The area near the base of Lift 5 seems relatively flat and there would still be enough room for the lift maze. Any thoughts on this?
The problem with that is that that there’s not enough room there, what with the presence of a few buildings, the GoldRunner Coaster, and the alpine slide.
Last scheduled day for this chair is Sunday 4/24.
While I am partial to Riblets, this will create a nice beginner experience on Peak 8 with the HSQ replacement.
Hopefully the parts from this lift go to good use to keep the existing fleet of Riblets at Breck running for several more years.
When Breck says in their Facebook post, “As a bonus, with a little adjustment to the location of the upper terminal, the new lift will also provide easier access to Peak 9,” I wonder what they mean.
I mean, sure, it is possible to reach Peak 9 from Lift 7. At the top, you go to the left, and you can take a cutoff through the trees to reach Four O’Clock, and ski down that to Crosscut, after which you can take Lift C (if that’s open) or traverse Sawmill over to the Beaver Run SuperChair and Quicksilver Super6.
I feel like this could entail extending the lift slightly to drop people off just below Snowflake’s unload area, possibly, so that people can ski down the Snowflake lift line onto Four O’Clock. Or it’s a more significant realignment, but not too significant.
So i can’t figure out how to upload a picture on here for proof. Yesterday I hiked up to the peak 8 summit and on my way I passed the new Rip’s Ride base.
The concrete foundations for the new top terminal look complete.
The new top terminal goes as close to the snowflake as it can without touching. There is a break in the trees that has always been there and they have dug down to create a 10ish foot cliff to prevent people who are skiing underneath the snowflake from turning into the unloading zone of the new chair.
There has also been a lot of grading and tree removal for people to easily ski from the new chair to 4 O’clock.
Chair 7 / Rips Ride was already pretty easy to traverse and ski down Crosscut to Peak 9, it just wasn’t that publicized as a route. Just some minor pushing at the top but it was easy.
No way its that significant a realignment like the pink line since the main intent of the upgrade of this lift was to install a HSQ on a true beginneer area on Peak 8 for the Trygves run. Its upper terminus is going to be below Snbwflake, and probably slightly south of the current terminal. but nothing that significant.
The bottom terminal seems the same, while the top terminal is much closer to the snowflake lift and more to the East. There has also been a lot of grading and tree clearing for skiers to easily ski from the unload zone to the 4 O’clock run.
Lift Blog 
I still like to refer to this lift as Lift 7, its original name.
The bottom drive station underwent some slight relocation in 2008 when One Ski Hill Place was constructed, and they added a few extra towers at that time. (Eventually the rest of the towers were repainted so they could be renumbered)
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Loading area during the pre-2008 days:
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Ahh, the good old days before the name change, and installation of the treadmill.
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I believe the extra towers that came in when Lift 7’s bottom terminal was moved were old tubes that were recycled from Lift 4 (the Riblet double that was replaced by the Peak 8 SuperConnect in 2002).
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Given the lift line is only 1,800 feet long, this will I think be the shortest high speed quad in Summit County as of next year, as it’ll be even shorter than Imperial.
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Won’t it also be Breck’s second HSQ under a mile long?
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Yeah it will, the other being Imperial.
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Imperial’s only 2,714 feet long and the next-shortest is the Rocky Mountain SuperChair at 5,455 feet long.
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I know there was some talk on here about the new high speed quad and how it will feel disconnected from from the rest of the Peak 8 lifts. I was wondering if it would make much sense to build the new quad in a new alignment that started right next the base of Lift 5 and ending at the top of the current lift? It would prevent the uphill hike to the base of the lift and it would be easier to access, having a larger effect on pulling traffic off the Colorado SuperChair. The only potential problem I see is the lift crosses over the mountain coaster. The area near the base of Lift 5 seems relatively flat and there would still be enough room for the lift maze. Any thoughts on this?
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The problem with that is that that there’s not enough room there, what with the presence of a few buildings, the GoldRunner Coaster, and the alpine slide.
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It’s also possible that Breck will be taking out the zipline and that’ll create room for them to start the new lift closer to Lift 5.
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Last scheduled day for this chair is Sunday 4/24.
While I am partial to Riblets, this will create a nice beginner experience on Peak 8 with the HSQ replacement.
Hopefully the parts from this lift go to good use to keep the existing fleet of Riblets at Breck running for several more years.
LikeLike
When Breck says in their Facebook post, “As a bonus, with a little adjustment to the location of the upper terminal, the new lift will also provide easier access to Peak 9,” I wonder what they mean.
I mean, sure, it is possible to reach Peak 9 from Lift 7. At the top, you go to the left, and you can take a cutoff through the trees to reach Four O’Clock, and ski down that to Crosscut, after which you can take Lift C (if that’s open) or traverse Sawmill over to the Beaver Run SuperChair and Quicksilver Super6.
I feel like this could entail extending the lift slightly to drop people off just below Snowflake’s unload area, possibly, so that people can ski down the Snowflake lift line onto Four O’Clock. Or it’s a more significant realignment, but not too significant.
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So i can’t figure out how to upload a picture on here for proof. Yesterday I hiked up to the peak 8 summit and on my way I passed the new Rip’s Ride base.
The concrete foundations for the new top terminal look complete.
The new top terminal goes as close to the snowflake as it can without touching. There is a break in the trees that has always been there and they have dug down to create a 10ish foot cliff to prevent people who are skiing underneath the snowflake from turning into the unloading zone of the new chair.
There has also been a lot of grading and tree removal for people to easily ski from the new chair to 4 O’clock.
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Chair 7 / Rips Ride was already pretty easy to traverse and ski down Crosscut to Peak 9, it just wasn’t that publicized as a route. Just some minor pushing at the top but it was easy.
No way its that significant a realignment like the pink line since the main intent of the upgrade of this lift was to install a HSQ on a true beginneer area on Peak 8 for the Trygves run. Its upper terminus is going to be below Snbwflake, and probably slightly south of the current terminal. but nothing that significant.
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The new lift for 2022-2023 will have 6 towers.
The bottom terminal seems the same, while the top terminal is much closer to the snowflake lift and more to the East. There has also been a lot of grading and tree clearing for skiers to easily ski from the unload zone to the 4 O’clock run.
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