- Lost Trail, Montana/Idaho seeks permission to replace Chair 1, Chair 2 and Chair 4 with high speed quads and utilize retired equipment for a new beginner lift.
- Aerial footage shows Eagle Point’s lifts still standing after wildfire but with unknown heat damage.
- Vail Resorts vigorously defends its owned and operated network model.
- New York’s Governor forms an exploratory committee for hosting the 2042 Winter Olympics.
- The Getty Museum in Los Angeles announces a Doppelmayr automated people mover.
- Lutsen Mountains begins charging extra for private gondola cabins and priority boarding.
- Donner Ski Ranch asks guests to report lift operators distracted by cell phones.
- Leitner to reach more than 40 miles of urban gondolas throughout Mexico.
- The Forest Service approves Telluride’s proposed replacements for lifts 7 and 8.
Lutsen Mountains
Grip Miscapture Leads to Rope Evacuation at Lutsen Mountains
A chair became lodged sideways entering the top terminal of Lutsen Mountains’ Raptor Express yesterday, leading to a full rope evacuation. Winds were reportedly picking up at the time and made for a multi-hour evacuation. The 2023 Leitner-Poma six pack crosses several roadways, allowing a ladder truck from the local fire department to reach some of the lift’s 53 chairs. Other riders were roped down by resort staff. “We sincerely appreciate the patience and continued support of our guests,” the mountain noted on its snow report. “We are grateful to our patrol, ops and lift teams for all they do to keep us safe and having fun,” Lutsen said. I have asked Lutsen whether anyone on the affected chair fell or was injured and will update with any new information.
Lutsen says the Raptor Express will remain closed for several days as parts arrive for repair. The Bridge double will run in Raptor’s place, providing access to all the same terrain. “Our teams are working hard to ensure safe operations, and we look forward to delivering positive experiences on the mountain today and throughout the season,” said Lutsen.
Update 1/19: Lutsen provided the following statement to Lift Blog: “On Saturday, 1/17 at approximately 9:45 am, Lutsen Mountains experienced a mechanical failure on the Raptor Express chairlift which caused the lift to cease operating. After a thorough inspection, it was determined the guests on the lift would need to be evacuated. In total, 44 guests were evacuated by Lutsen Mountains Ski Patrol and transported to Lutsen’s Ski Patrol building and Eagle Ridge Registration building where cookies, hot drinks and guest services personnel awaited them. One guest experienced non-life threatening injuries as a result of the mechanical issue, and no guests were injured in the evacuation process.
At this time, Raptor Express remains closed until the upcoming weekend while the team awaits replacement parts. In the meantime, guests can continue to access the same terrain via Bridge Lift. Any updates will be made via our website, daily mountain report, and social media. Thank you for your patience during this time and we thank our ski patrol for their training and professionalism during the evacuation.”
Update 1/20: Lutsen confirmed to Lift Blog that “four people fell from the chair at the top terminal of Raptor Express when the mechanical failure occurred. Ski Patrol responded immediately and minor injuries were assessed on-site.”
News Roundup: Last Tram
- Bretton Woods’ new map shows where the new BEQII goes.
- The new Bryce Resort map shows a backside expansion.
- Lutsen gets a new trail map by VistaMap.
- Deer Valley mountain operations leadership joins Doppelmayr on the Ski Utah podcast to preview the East Village expansion.
- Mont Gleason, Quebec plans to replace the Laurent-Lemaire quad soon.
- Anakeesta to replace its fixed-grip chondola with a detachable.
- The State of Texas to hold a press conference next week announcing the next steps in the Wyler Aerial Tram replacement project.
- It’s the final weekend for the Cannon Tramway with the last trip at 4:45 pm Sunday.
- Red Lodge Mountain details several modifications made to its Triple Chair over the summer due to a fatal deropement last spring.
- Ikon adds nine mountains in Japan, South Korea and China.
- Holiday Mountain offers up classic Poma double chairs.
- Whaleback, New Hampshire expects to lose $300,000 this winter without its chairlift; seeks to raise $210,000 by December 1st to open.
- Powder Mountain installs artwork on several lifts including a neon piece on the Paradise Express, flagpole on Timberline and colorful canopy on a conveyor.
- MND wins a tender to build an energy-neutral aerial tramway on the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.
News Roundup: The Stache
- Two riders who claim they were injured in a Riblet clip ejection incident in 2020 sue Red Lodge Mountain.
- Red Lodge names its new detachable lift Stache Express in honor of longtime General Manager Jeff Schmidt.
- Texas Parks & Wildlife has raised most of the $36 million needed to build a new Wyler Aerial Tramway in El Paso.
- Doppelmayr works with a Utah adaptive organization to make D-Line chairs more accommodating to sit skiers.
- A judge upholds Park City’s decision to block Eagle and Silverlode replacement projects at Park City Mountain.
- Park City continues to look at gondolas as possible public transportation.
- Deer Valley applies for its first lift construction permit for eastward expansion.
- Lutsen Mountains new trail map shows the new Raptor Express.
- Sundance seeks information on chairlift vandals (update: caught).
- Alterra appoints Mammoth and Steamboat leaders to new regional positions overseeing multiple resorts.
- The world’s largest urban gondola network in Bolivia plans more expansion as it nears 500 million rides.
- County commissioners allow the nonprofit seeking to reopen Cuchara to resume work.
News Roundup: Von Rolls
- Wolf Ridge, North Carolina re-brands as Hatley Pointe.
- New tram cabins land in Big Sky after a journey from Switzerland.
- Steamboat advances construction of a parking lot transport gondola.
- The Forest Service explains why it rejected Lutsen’s expansion proposal.
- Snow Ridge will host another tornado cleanup this month.
- Cleanup begins after the epic flood at Lee Canyon.
- Massanutten plans to open the first brand new lift of 2023 next weekend.
- Holiday Valley will open its new six pack in October for pre-winter rides.
- MND reports a 27 percent revenue increase with €140.1 million in outstanding orders.
- The former Tulsa Skyride will live on at an Iraqi amusement park.
News Roundup: Timbertown
- For the third time in seven years a chair falls off a Doppelmayr detachable quad in high winds at Thredbo, Australia.
- Loon Mountain’s expansion lift will be called Timbertown.
- The Forest Service rejects Lutsen Mountains’ entire expansion proposal.
- Brighton plans to build a chondola to its new mid-mountain restaurant.
- Alterra closes its acquisition of Schweitzer, makes access unlimited on the Ikon Pass.
- Schweitzer to sell retired Riblet double chairs for charity.
- Snowriver previews its new trail map showing a transformation from nine lifts to five at Jackson Creek Summit.
- Big Sky nears completion of the new Lone Peak Tram.
- The British Columbia Supreme Court will determine possession of Powder King Mountain Resort following the owner’s death.
News Roundup: Ponderosa
- Garaventa commences building the first TRI-Line tricable gondola in Switzerland.
- The Kemmerer family sells Jackson Hole to a local investor group.
- Lee Canyon’s expansion lift to be called Ponderosa.
- Lutsen backs away from proposed expansion to consult with local tribes.
- More chair sales: White Pass, Washington and Lutsen, Minnesota.
- A new trail map shows the rebirth of lost terrain at Holiday Mountain, New York.
- Park City shows renderings of the proposed Sunrise Gondola.
- I took a break from skiing at Mammoth last week to snap some pictures of the Canyon Express project.
News Roundup: Mixed Bag
- The Forest Service sends a notice of noncompliance to Montana Snowbowl over the Snow Park lift incident and response.
- Crystal Mountain’s President departs and Alterra reevaluates the announced Reimagine Crystal plan.
- Lutsen Mountains to retire the 10th Mountain triple.
- Hoodoo reports a Riblet clip ejection of a misloaded chair on the Hodag quad with no injuries to the rider(s).
- Mad River Glen’s Sunnyside double may get a mid-station.
- Le Massif completes a four hour rope evacuation of the Massif Express gondola, now closed for the season due to a gearbox issue.
- Mont-Sainte-Anne’s gondola will reopen tomorrow, four months after a cabin fell off.
- Board members resign from the Antelope Butte board of directors citing lift safety concerns.
- The Balsams says now is not the time to go to market.
- Woods Valley eyes installation of two used CTEC quads over the next few years.
- Big Sky shares photos of new tram cabins being fabricated in Switzerland.
- Two studies see the ropeway market growing around 10 percent annually over the next decade with the North American share growing to near 20 percent of the global total.
- Belleayre announces replacement of Lift 7 with a Doppelmayr quad.
News Roundup: Reimagine Crystal
- Crystal Mountain puts a timeline on Reimagine Crystal: Bullion Basin/Gold Hills expansion in 2023/24 and Campbell Basin Gondola/Mt. Rainer Gondola upgrade/Discovery shortening in 2024/25.
- Interesting terminals take shape in New Hampshire: a pancake-style return at Waterville Valley and a UNI G skin on an older Doppelmayr at Loon Mountain.
- Labrador Mountain and Song Mountain President Peter Harris defends the closure of Toggenburg Mountain.
- In Quebec, closed ski area Val Neigette and its Doppelmayr quad are for sale.
- More new trail maps showing new lifts: Arapahoe Basin, Big Boulder, Breckenridge, Loon Mountain, Steamboat and Stowe
- SunKid builds a new world’s longest conveyor lift.
- Lutsen’s new six pack will be called Raptor Express.
- The National Labor Relations Board will hold a hearing on Park City lift mechanics’ unionization effort November 1st.
- I join Tom Kelly on the Ski Utah podcast to talk about new lifts in Utah and more.
- The parent company of Grouse Mountain and Revelstoke and provides an update on the proposed Garibaldi at Squamish resort.
News Roundup: Dueling Passes
- Sun Peaks joins the Ikon Pass.
- Alterra settles multiple class action lawsuits over 2020 Covid closures, offering credits toward future purchases.
- Vail Resorts and Telluride renew their multi-year Epic Pass partnership.
- Telluride aims to send a gondola replacement proposal to voters in 2024 and begin construction in 2028.
- Snowbird’s new red tram ships again from Switzerland.
- A group continues efforts to save the Tulsa State Fair Skyride.
- Cuchara remains on track to reopen one of its Riblet chairlifts this winter and is still seeking donations.
- An awesome one hour documentary chronicles the history of Riblet Tramway Company.
- There’s also a new book about Byron Riblet.
- The Salt Lake County Council narrowly passes a non-binding resolution against a Little Cottonwood gondola.
- A Hall double goes up for sale in Connecticut, likely from the closed Woodbury Ski Area.
- Analysis is complete on Lutsen Mountains’ expansion proposal and a new Forest Supervisor expects to make his decision public around the beginning of ski season.
- The head of Whistler Blackcomb offers more details on the decision to move forward Fitzsimmons and Jersey Cream projects with lifts from Park City.
- Cascade Mountain names its new quad chair in memory of two locals who died in a 2014 avalanche.
- The Sugarloaf 2030 timeline is updated to reflect Double Runner being replaced in 2023 or 2024.
Lift Blog 
