Top tension station.Mid-unload station.Top station and counterweight.Looking down the line.Looking down towards the bottom station.Midway up.Base terminal.
Baker’s Chair 1 was actually built in 1952, although by the time it was replaced there was very little original about it. I helped replace entire sheave assemblies and carriers starting in 1997, and the main diesel wasn’t original either.
For nearly 65 years this ski lift has served Kelly Canyons skiers and boarders. Both stony mountain aka Lift 1, and Summit aka Lift 2 have been a great part of my snowboarding life. It’s time for an upgrade though. Summit chair 1957-2021.
This is getting replaced with a triple or quad (7 Brothers at Loon Mountain, NH would do) so I still hope someone would buy it so they could preserve it. 1957, whew!
Utah Lost Ski Area ProjectOctober 14, 2021 / 8:25 am
Upon closer inspection, it appears that Riblet modified the original lift rather than replacing it. The crossarms are a little beefier than other Riblet towers of that year and match the lift in the pictures from the 60s. The bottom terminal doesn’t look like any Riblet I have seen and the top terminal looks more like a modification of the original with only the tension carriage being modified.
For the manufacturer of the original double, the towers look a lot like designs American Cableways/Hunzinger/Hjorth/Western Lift & Crane, but the first installation by these related companies was a t-bar in 1959 (link doesn’t post properly). With the pics from the 60s having original designs without any Riblet modifications at this time, either the lift was modified with a used Riblet, or was modified prior to 1965. The spreadsheet doesn’t list stats from this lift, which could mean that this lift wasn’t installed in 1957 like it says in the spreadsheet. Either way, unless these pics aren’t properly dated, this isn’t a 1957 Riblet.
Utah Lost Ski Area ProjectOctober 14, 2021 / 7:48 pm
1957 was the year that Kelly Canyon opened, so the original lift was built in 1957. Riblet usually lists modifications in their record. Are there any Riblet modifications for Kelly Canyon prior to 1963? It was in 1966 that Riblet changed their tower design and I did not find any Riblet entries from 1963-1966 for Kelly Canyon.
Lift Blog 
1957? Was this one of the first 10 or so lifts Ribbie built?
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It’s early for sure, but probably more in the first 20 or so.
The earliest I know of are:
– Magic Mile (1939 Single) Timberline, OR
– Mt. Disney (1939 Single) Sugar Bowl, CA
– Ski Club Chair (1946 Double) Mt. Spokane, WA
– Green Chair (1948 Double) Hoodoo, OR
– Upper Bowl (1949 Double) Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, OR
– Chair 1 (1949 Single) Ski Acres, WA
– Barrier (1953 Double) Stevens Pass, WA
– C-1 (1954 Double) Mt. Baker, WA
– Majestic (1955 Double) Brighton, UT
And that list is probably not comprehensive.
Their output really took off after ‘55.
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Baker’s Chair 1 was actually built in 1952, although by the time it was replaced there was very little original about it. I helped replace entire sheave assemblies and carriers starting in 1997, and the main diesel wasn’t original either.
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Never knew the single at Ski Acres was a Riblet
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Chair 1 at Mt Spokane, 1956; Blue Jay at Stevens, 1956; Chair 1 at White Pass, 1957.
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Sad to hear about this one going away. Mt. Spokane’s Chair 1 will soon be the only regularly operating Riblet from the 1950s.
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For nearly 65 years this ski lift has served Kelly Canyons skiers and boarders. Both stony mountain aka Lift 1, and Summit aka Lift 2 have been a great part of my snowboarding life. It’s time for an upgrade though. Summit chair 1957-2021.
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This is getting replaced with a triple or quad (7 Brothers at Loon Mountain, NH would do) so I still hope someone would buy it so they could preserve it. 1957, whew!
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Kelly Canyon shared old pictures of this lift. It looks like it might have originally built by Heron?
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That looks like the lift from Taylor Mountain Idaho! Could it be that there was a local lift manufacturer that built these lifts?
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Upon closer inspection, it appears that Riblet modified the original lift rather than replacing it. The crossarms are a little beefier than other Riblet towers of that year and match the lift in the pictures from the 60s. The bottom terminal doesn’t look like any Riblet I have seen and the top terminal looks more like a modification of the original with only the tension carriage being modified.
For the manufacturer of the original double, the towers look a lot like designs American Cableways/Hunzinger/Hjorth/Western Lift & Crane, but the first installation by these related companies was a t-bar in 1959 (link doesn’t post properly). With the pics from the 60s having original designs without any Riblet modifications at this time, either the lift was modified with a used Riblet, or was modified prior to 1965. The spreadsheet doesn’t list stats from this lift, which could mean that this lift wasn’t installed in 1957 like it says in the spreadsheet. Either way, unless these pics aren’t properly dated, this isn’t a 1957 Riblet.
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In the retro pictures, it looks like the chairs might be using Riblet clips, though. Perhaps it was some kind of joint project?
My Riblet book does not list an installation for Kelly Canyon in 1957 either.
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1957 was the year that Kelly Canyon opened, so the original lift was built in 1957. Riblet usually lists modifications in their record. Are there any Riblet modifications for Kelly Canyon prior to 1963? It was in 1966 that Riblet changed their tower design and I did not find any Riblet entries from 1963-1966 for Kelly Canyon.
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Taylor mtn.
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