Skyride – Wildlife World, AZ

This skyride apparently came from a ski resort in Vermont and operates as a round trip only.
A tower in the middle of an animal exhibit.
Near the loading station.
View down the lift line.
Towers 1 and 2.
The alignment is completely flat.
Loading area.
The Skyride is an added charge on top of zoo admission.
Riding the lift.
Riders get to go around the bullwheel.
This is the only tower with a lifting frame.
There are a total of 40 carriers.
The work chair remains on the line during normal operation.
Arriving at the drive station.
Drive bullwheel.
View up from the loading zone.
This station also has the tensioning system.
Middle of the lift line.
The return bullwheel.
Another look at the turnaround station.

14 thoughts on “Skyride – Wildlife World, AZ

  1. reaperskier's avatar reaperskier June 15, 2019 / 6:05 pm

    This lift was relocated from Stratton in vermont. I’m thinking this was the tyrolienne double and was manufactured by heron.

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    • Collin Parsons's avatar Collin Parsons June 15, 2019 / 7:17 pm

      Depends on when this was installed. Tyrolienne was removed in 2001. Suntanner and Standard were removed in 1995. Standard was newer than Suntanner or Tyrolienne which were both original lifts.

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  2. liftnerd's avatar liftnerd July 5, 2024 / 3:02 pm

    When it was still at Stratton, it must have been one of the last Herons with old-style Heron grips. It now has Hopkins grips.

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    • WH2Oshredder's avatar WH2Oshredder July 5, 2024 / 3:04 pm

      What were “old-style Heron grips” ?

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        • liftnerd's avatar liftnerd July 5, 2024 / 3:11 pm

          Apparently they’re really difficult to install and remove, I believe that one pulse gondola out west – I have forgotten its name – is the last lift to use them.

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        • WH2Oshredder's avatar WH2Oshredder July 5, 2024 / 3:16 pm

          Are they like Riblet insert clips or a different mechanisme?

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        • liftnerd's avatar liftnerd July 5, 2024 / 3:20 pm

          A rubber sleeve goes over the haul rope. Then the two halves of the grip are bolted together over that. I know where to find one of these, I’ll take a picture of it as soon as I can. Please note that I’ve never seen one in use except in photographs, only sitting on a shelf. In the photograph, it looks as if there are cable clamps over the sleeve. I will verify this.

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        • WH2Oshredder's avatar WH2Oshredder July 5, 2024 / 3:23 pm

          It would make sense how that would be difficult to remove. You’d have to unscrew the whole thing.

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        • liftnerd's avatar liftnerd July 8, 2024 / 7:16 pm

          This should give you a better idea:






          These are from Tyrolienne. They have been sitting on a shelf for twenty years.

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