Arizona Snowbowl – Lift Blog

News Roundup: Chinook

September 12, 2025September 14, 2025Peter Landsman10 Comments

Kicking Horse’s gondola reopens after a six month closure with new hanger arms.
Vail Resorts might announce new lift projects on Monday, September 29th with fiscal year end earnings.
Arizona Snowbowl to use gondola cabins as dining rooms for five course dinners on select nights.
Colorado Mountain College in Leadville to reinstall Steamboat’s former Rough Rider platter as a training lift.
Purgatory postpones construction of the Gelande lift to next summer, citing permit delays.
Mt. Bachelor will upgrade the Northwest Express next summer with new operator houses, controls, a night drive system and expanded parking.
Alterra outlines $400 million in improvements for this season.
A Doppelmayr gondola station is set on fire in Nepal as part of widespread protests.
Doppelmayr’s first vertical RopeCon material ropeway to be built somehwere in the Americas.
The bottom terminal for Alpental’s new Chair 2 is set by Chinook helicopter.
Aspen receives county approval to build the Nell Bell detachable quad next summer.
America’s first Bike Cab gondolas arrive in Colorado.
Two people are killed when a chairlift de-ropes on Russia’s Mt. Elbrus. Videos show challenging conditions for a rope evacuation.
Lake Louise’s Richardson’s Ridge expansion to open early spring 2026, eventually will include a surface lift from Temple Lodge.
Doppelmayr reports a 13 percent increase in revenue for fiscal 2024-25, completing 93 ropeways in 25 countries. Approximately 24 percent of €1.2 billion in turnover came from the US and Canada.
Doppelmayr also reveals a contract to replace a Poma-Otis automated people mover at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
The new gondola at Hawks Nest State Park in West Virginia nears completion.

News Roundup: Split Decision

November 8, 2024Peter Landsman17 Comments

Voters green light funding for continued operations of the Telluride-Mountain Village gondola and an eventual replacement.
Casper, Wyoming voters say no to a new chairlift for Hogadon.
Hunter Mountain shows off a brand new trail map showing two new lift alignments.
Arizona Snowbowl’s latest map shows the new Aspen quad.
Big Sky’s new map includes the paths of the new One&Only Gondola and Madison 8.
Ober Mountain’s three chairlifts gain new names.
Snowbird’s 24-25 map illustrates Wilbere’s new alignment.
The longest gondola in the world progresses toward completion in the Caribbean.
Closed Big Tupper, New York sells for $650,000 to investors hoping to reopen it.
The nonprofit that runs Anthony Lakes, Oregon is interested in resurrecting Spout Springs.
Leitner opens a new global logistics center in Italy.
A 162 foot tall wind turbine is installed at Skytrac’s new facility in Utah.

News Roundup: Exploration

July 19, 2024Peter Landsman7 Comments

Arizona Snowbowl will replace the Aspen double with a Skytrac quad beginning next week.
Eaglecrest may eliminate features such as restrooms to get its used gondola project off the ground.
Red Deer, Alberta considers building a river crossing urban gondola.
A gondola is one option for connecting two parts of Snowmass Village.
Twin VonRoll gondolas disappear from the map and list of attractions at Six Flags Great Adventure.
The urban gondola in Medellín that suffered a fatal cabin detachment last month reopened today.
Public hearings on the proposed Shadow Mountain Bike Park in Conifer, Colorado are set for September.

News Roundup: Too Expensive

February 23, 2024February 24, 2024Peter Landsman6 Comments

Bromont, Quebec joins the Mountain Collective, Arapahoe Basin will remain for 24-25.
Steamboat’s Pony Express goes down, temporarily cutting off lift access to the new Mahogany Ridge Express as well.
The main beginner chair goes down at Big Powderhorn.
Arizona Snowbowl nears an agreement with tribes and land managers to resume development of the resort.
New owners of Alyeska float a base area pulse gondola.
Staff at Rabbit Hill, Alberta successfully catch a falling chairlift rider.
Middlebury Snowbowl announces the Bailey Falls triple won’t operate this season due to “unprecedented challenges.”
Powder Mountain will pause lift-served mountain biking this summer while it constructs four new chairlifts.
Alta tests new, cushier chairs on Supreme to possibly alleviate the bumpiness of the bend.
A day in the life of Beaver Creek Lift Maintenance.
The beautiful new 3S between Switzerland and Italy proves unpopular at $250 per ride.
A father who jumped from a Park City chair after his daughter fell from a lift sues Vail Resorts over their injuries.
A number of British Columbia ski areas report a disastrous season so far.
McCauley Mountain is set to acquire Gore Mountain’s outgoing Hudson triple.
The Forest Service indicates it will approve Monarch Mountain’s proposed expansion into No Name Basin.
Perfect North will hold a chair auction.
The owner of the Chicago Cubs to acquire White Pine, Wyoming.
Deer Valley is working with both major lift manufacturers on potential Expanded Excellence lifts.
Big Sky plans to name the new Moonlight lift Madison 8, seeks wildlife photography for D-Line chair backs.
Sunday River evacuates more than 200 riders from the Aurora Quad following a deropement yesterday.
A 3S gondola proposal in Los Angeles notches another approval.

News Roundup: Gunstock & More

July 29, 2022Peter Landsman14 Comments

Indy Pass signs its largest partner yet by skier visits: Mt. Hood Meadows.
Former Indy Pass resort Marmot Basin joins the Mountain Collective.
Some 300 people show up to what was intended to be an executive session of the Gunstock Area Commission to discuss legal, financial and employment matters. Two commissioners end up walking out. Another meeting is scheduled for today.
Resigned Gunstock Area Commissioner and former Stowe CEO Gary Kiedaisch attempts to un-resign.
A New Hampshire State Representative alleges former Gunstock General Manager Tom Day improperly donated $500 in public money to Governor Sununu’s 2020 re-election campaign.
Organizers of a music festival set to take place at Gunstock next weekend threaten legal action if the Panorama high speed quad doesn’t run as contracted.
Deer Valley and Mayflower work toward an operating agreement.
Eaglecrest General Manager Dave Scanlan goes on the radio to talk about the gondola project.
Skytrac is still hiring folks to build ski lifts, particularly at Jack Frost and Big Boulder in Pennsylvania.
Smugglers’ Notch gives a rundown of all the work that goes into servicing a bullwheel.
Sierra at Tahoe completes haul rope replacements on two more lifts.
A bolt tightening contractor is hit by a tram carriage and seriously injured at Jackson Hole.
Skytrac begins building on Eagle Peak at Lookout Pass.
Greek Peak starts construction of a new Chair 3.
Utah Olympic Park’s big expansion won’t be open to public skiing with limited exceptions.
The first D-Line in California is approved, will feature unique angle stations.
Closed Connecticut ski area Woodbury goes back up for sale.
The company seeking to build a gondola in Edmonton, Alberta would pay $1.1 million a year to lease city right of way.
A woman found dead under Anakeesta’s chondola last night is believed to have fallen from the lift, which remains closed today.
Two men are killed while working to build a Doppelmayr gondola in France.
Below is the July 8th Notice of Noncompliance the Forest Service sent Keystone regarding unauthorized road construction in Bergman Bowl. Since the letter is three weeks old, Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams sent an update on where things stand.

keystone-nonc-letter Download

News Roundup: Bike Season

July 8, 2022Peter Landsman8 Comments

Mt. Holiday, Michigan seeks $4 million for lift and mountain improvements.
The Government of Venezuela reportedly owes Doppelmayr more than €100 million and now sources parts and service from Chinese companies.
The Arizona Gondola misses Independence Day weekend and remains closed due to a mechanical issue.
Doppelmayr will open a substantial parts and service facility in Mexico to serve the growing Latin American market.
Bolton Valley opens late for summer due to a lift part supply issue.
The Forest Service seeks a new operator for Spout Springs, Oregon.
Grand Targhee and Doppelmayr fly towers for the Colter expansion.
Critics allege the Little Cottonwood 3S gondola would cost more than a billion dollars.
Mammoth Mountain seeks Forest Service approval for lift and trail development surrounding the Main Lodge.
Sierra at Tahoe posts another fire recovery update.
Thanks to Aidan Wilson for the below photos of Utah Olympic Park’s big expansion.

News Roundup: Funding Secured

June 24, 2022Peter Landsman9 Comments

Les Otten remains “cautiously optimistic” The Balsams redevelopment will break ground this year.
Big Snow looks to expand chairlift-served indoor skiing to more locations.
Mountain Creek inches closer to replacing the Vernon Triple with a six or eight place detachable.
With visitation up, Powderhorn would like to swap out the West End double in the “near future.”
Indy Pass reaches 100 resorts with the additions of BigRock Mountain, Marquette Mountain, Mount Kato, Nub’s Nob and Treetops Resort.
Arizona Snowbowl’s new master plan goes on hold while the Forest Service works to reach an agreement with indigenous groups.
Amusement conglomerate Herschend Family Entertainment elects to stop operating the Stone Mountain tramway six years before its contract expires, citing “protests and division” at the Confederate monument. The sole bidder for a new operating contract with the State of Georgia will take over in August.
A draft action letter outlines why the local planning commission prevented lift projects from moving forward at Park City Mountain.
The same commission approves construction of Deer Valley’s Burns Express, which will be the nation’s shortest detachable at 999 feet.
Alta, Sandy and Salt Lake County mayors rally against a Little Cottonwood Gondola.
Panorama delays summer lift operations at least a week due to a gearbox issue on the Mile 1 Express.
Steamboat shows off Greenhorn Ranch and gondola mid-station construction progress.
Whitefish starts a blog dedicated to Snow Ghost Express construction updates.
The Palm Springs Tramway closes for multiple days due to technical problems.

News Roundup: Uniting Legends

June 17, 2022Peter Landsman15 Comments

Palisades Tahoe posts more details on its Gondola and Red Dog projects. The gondola will include 96 cabins and a name will be released later this summer.
The Telluride-Mountain Village gondola is likely to be replaced with a brand new system.
Steamboat’s newest high speed quad will be called Greenhorn Ranch Express.
Stowe to sell chairs from the Mountain Triple today; its replacement will be called Sunrise.
Mount Snow is also selling chairs now from Sunbrook and Tumbleweed.
Northstar too.
Keystone’s new six pack will be called Bergman Express.
Utah smashes its all time skier day record with 5.8 million visits.
New Hampshire skier visits drop 3 percent.
Looking for a rewarding job in the mountains? Leitner-Poma is still hiring installation team members to build lifts across North America.
For the first time in years, the Blackcomb Glacier is open for summer skiing.
Arizona Snowbowl temporarily closes due to regional wildfires.
Toggenburg goes back on the market with a list price of $2.9 million.
Sterling Vineyards releases renderings of its new gondola cabins.
The family of a woman killed when a chairlift malfunctioned reaches a confidential settlement with Granby Ranch.

News Roundup: Epic Lift Update

December 31, 2021Peter Landsman26 Comments

Leitner-Poma expects US lift sales to reach $300 million in 2022.
The lift-served real estate development called Flat Iron at Big Sky moves forward.
PyxisAI goes live with its artificial intelligence lift monitoring software on Winter Park’s Prospector Express and Gemini Express.
The latest from Moosehead Lake, formerly Big Squaw.
Mt. Hood Meadows provides an update on its six pack ambitions.
Deer Valley reveals what broke on the Carpenter Express last week.
Arizona Snowbowl posts an explainer on rime ice and detachable lifts.
A minor gondola collision makes the news in Whistler.
The Disney Skyliner’s longest section will close for scheduled maintenance next month.
Magic Mountain finally gets the Red Chair open; within hours an empty chair hits a tower and falls off.
18,000 people sign a petition asking Vail Resorts to improve operations at Stevens Pass.
The first ski runs at Valemount Glacier will be logged in January.

News Roundup: Turning to ‘22

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021Peter Landsman13 Comments

The new lift at Great Bear Ski Valley is eight weeks ahead of schedule with chairs on the line.
Another lockdown hits Australian resorts, this time Perisher and Thredbo in New South Wales.
New Zealand shuts down all ski resorts as part of a nationwide freeze.
A man dies after a fall from the sky ride at Utah’s Lagoon amusement park.
Cape Smokey expects Canada’s first new gondola since 2018 to open next week.
Sunlight solicits a new trail map painted by Kevin Mastin.
Brazil’s government will study the feasibility of restarting the world’s largest abandoned urban gondola.
A gondola system is being considered for Tijuana, Mexico.
The Arizona Gondola re-enters service after 18 days of lightning-related downtime.
Doppelmayr will build Latin America’s first gondola with air conditioning.
An extended interview with Poma Chairman Jean Souchal covers Covid recovery, urban growth and why Americans call surface lifts of all brands Pomas.
Despite offering $10 million, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania receives no bids for reopening Denton Hill.
California and Nevada resorts report an almost 22 percent increase in skier visits during the Covid season of 2020-21.
Washington, DC budgets $10 million to purchase property needed for a possible future Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola.
Steamboat confirms the first section of the Wild Blue Gondola project is a go for next summer.
The Boat will also retire the Priest Creek double and sell its chairs.
Ontario’s Beaver Valley Ski Club plans to replace the Avalanche double in 2022.
Time to vote! Choices for renaming Squaw Valley’s Squaw Creek triple are Eagle Eye, Highline, Resort, Snow King, Storm Rider and Valley View.
Welch Village updates guests on the Cannon Valley Quad project.

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