Of three Riblet center pole doubles built at Crested Butte, only Teocalli remains operating as of 2018.Riding up a lonely lift line.Breakover towers.View up the line at T6.Nearing the summit.Arriving at the ’70s-style drive.Motor room and unload ramp.Top station overview.Upper section of the line.Closely-spaced towers.Lower lift line section.View up from near the bottom terminal.Tension return station.
I noticed this lift doesn’t have comfort bars. Perhaps that’s why it didn’t run, as Vail only recently (mid 2018) took over.
Does Vail add comfort bars to their other center-pole doubles? They’ve acquired a handful of them over the years, but I’ve never been able to find pictures of those lifts with bars.
The 2013 Master Plan had called for a high speed quad on a longer alignment that started much lower down. This fixed grip quad will probably just start at the existing loading area, but still end closer to the top of Red Lady.
It’s worth noting that if you sit on the outside of an singly loaded center pole carrier there is the potential for the chairs to contact the tower tubes.
Is that why Riblets always seem to have the “hula hoop” at the top of the tower just under the sheaves? Always wondered as they seemed unnecessary, but I’ve always sat on the inside of a center bar
That is exactly why those are there. Riblet may have used narrower line gauges than other manufacturers, because I’ve never heard of that being a problem on Yan or CTEC double chairs.
Teocalli was old and suffered a mechanical failure. And this replacement had been in the Master plan for years, albeit originally planned as a high speed quad.
@Utah Powder Skier: Teocalli has some runs of its own that can’t be lapped from the Paradise Express, namely Bushwhacker, Meander, the Rosebush Glades and Gus’s Way.
It’s also a secondary way to return to the base area from the east side of the hill, making it a useful lift if the Paradise Express goes down for any reason.
Yep. If there is a way for Fail Resorts to screw something up, they will find it. Actually, my first trip to Crested Butte was shortly after Vail bought it. I’m a Vail resident myself, and always admired Crested Butte’s quirky advertising. I remember a newspaper ad years ago that said something like, “We’re not Vail, and we like it that way”, but my favorite was a billboard they had along I-70 in Idaho Springs that said “Does this sign make my Butte look big?” When it was first announced that Vail bought them, I knew I had to go that winter before Vail had a chance to change anything, and experience what Crested Butte was like before it all got ruined.
Teocalli had mechanical problems and was due for replacement. Not a good thing to have happening if Paradise should break down and Teocalli is the only way out of Paradise / East River.
Oh, I don’t mean just Teocalli. I mean as a whole. It’s like the corporate people in Broomfield are oblivious as to how their company operates. Their guests are overcharged and aren’t treated as fairly as they should be, employees are underpaid and treated like crap by the company. They just suck at managing resorts. This year you have people hiking to lift served terrain in CB, because they can’t find enough workers to run the lifts.
“This year you have people hiking to lift served terrain in CB, because they can’t find enough workers to run the lifts.” That’s not a Vail Resorts exclusive thing. Everyone is struggling to find workers these days.
While there is shortages everywhere, the labor shortages at Vail owned properties are significantly more drastic. Just look to Sevens Pass vs rest of WA or NH Vail resorts vs rest of NH.
They want to blame everything under the Sun but themselves. They screwed over employees and now no one wants to work for them. Surprise, Surprise.
Gut middle management. Replace anyone with institutional knowledge. Move HR to an app, cut the department, and force managers/team leads to do hiring processing. Pay less than competitors. Stiff Vail Mountain instructors of a promised pay wage.
It’s not an industry problem. It’s a Vail problem.
According to locals this was built in 74, “Eflin provided a timeline for the installation of the other lifts on the mountain. He said in 1961-62, the T-Bar and Rope Tow were installed, followed by the Gondola and J-Bar for winter 1962-63. Keystone (now the Red Lady Express) came in 1967, and work on Twister began in 1968. The Callaways and Waltons bought the resort in 1970, and they installed the Paradise Lift in 1971. Teocalli Lift, which feels older than the rest, was put in last in 1974”
Lift Blog 
it is closed for the 2018/2019 season….
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I noticed this lift doesn’t have comfort bars. Perhaps that’s why it didn’t run, as Vail only recently (mid 2018) took over.
Does Vail add comfort bars to their other center-pole doubles? They’ve acquired a handful of them over the years, but I’ve never been able to find pictures of those lifts with bars.
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I could’ve sworn it was mechanical problems that did in Teocalli.
On the subject of the bars, has anyone gone to see whether Vail’s modified the chairs on Peachtree?
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I could’ve sworn I posted a reply earlier….
I found a video of Peachtree from December 2018, and it didn’t have bars.
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Peachtree does not have bars. I have photos from last year and it’s a shame this lift will be replaced as it’s the last of Heron center pole doubles.
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I rode Peachtree closing day. No bar/footrest.
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It is being replaced by a fixed grip quad this summer for the 2019-20 season. :(
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The 2013 Master Plan had called for a high speed quad on a longer alignment that started much lower down. This fixed grip quad will probably just start at the existing loading area, but still end closer to the top of Red Lady.
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What is with the metal plate under the seat on the right side, even though there is no plate on the left hand side?
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What metal plate?
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Counterweight to balance the empty chairs, prevents them from hanging inwards
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It’s worth noting that if you sit on the outside of an singly loaded center pole carrier there is the potential for the chairs to contact the tower tubes.
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Is that why Riblets always seem to have the “hula hoop” at the top of the tower just under the sheaves? Always wondered as they seemed unnecessary, but I’ve always sat on the inside of a center bar
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That is exactly why those are there. Riblet may have used narrower line gauges than other manufacturers, because I’ve never heard of that being a problem on Yan or CTEC double chairs.
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Seems a few of the tower tubes are still there:
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I’m so tired of Vail Resorts buying a ski area and getting rid of a perfectly good lift.
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Teocalli was old and suffered a mechanical failure. And this replacement had been in the Master plan for years, albeit originally planned as a high speed quad.
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Why did it not go HSQ on the longer alignment? Did Vail want to go cheap with it?
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Isn’t it redundant with East River and Paradise?
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@Utah Powder Skier: Teocalli has some runs of its own that can’t be lapped from the Paradise Express, namely Bushwhacker, Meander, the Rosebush Glades and Gus’s Way.
It’s also a secondary way to return to the base area from the east side of the hill, making it a useful lift if the Paradise Express goes down for any reason.
LikeLike
Yep. If there is a way for Fail Resorts to screw something up, they will find it. Actually, my first trip to Crested Butte was shortly after Vail bought it. I’m a Vail resident myself, and always admired Crested Butte’s quirky advertising. I remember a newspaper ad years ago that said something like, “We’re not Vail, and we like it that way”, but my favorite was a billboard they had along I-70 in Idaho Springs that said “Does this sign make my Butte look big?” When it was first announced that Vail bought them, I knew I had to go that winter before Vail had a chance to change anything, and experience what Crested Butte was like before it all got ruined.
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Teocalli had mechanical problems and was due for replacement. Not a good thing to have happening if Paradise should break down and Teocalli is the only way out of Paradise / East River.
LikeLike
Oh, I don’t mean just Teocalli. I mean as a whole. It’s like the corporate people in Broomfield are oblivious as to how their company operates. Their guests are overcharged and aren’t treated as fairly as they should be, employees are underpaid and treated like crap by the company. They just suck at managing resorts. This year you have people hiking to lift served terrain in CB, because they can’t find enough workers to run the lifts.
LikeLike
“This year you have people hiking to lift served terrain in CB, because they can’t find enough workers to run the lifts.” That’s not a Vail Resorts exclusive thing. Everyone is struggling to find workers these days.
LikeLike
While there is shortages everywhere, the labor shortages at Vail owned properties are significantly more drastic. Just look to Sevens Pass vs rest of WA or NH Vail resorts vs rest of NH.
They want to blame everything under the Sun but themselves. They screwed over employees and now no one wants to work for them. Surprise, Surprise.
Gut middle management. Replace anyone with institutional knowledge. Move HR to an app, cut the department, and force managers/team leads to do hiring processing. Pay less than competitors. Stiff Vail Mountain instructors of a promised pay wage.
It’s not an industry problem. It’s a Vail problem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
According to locals this was built in 74, “Eflin provided a timeline for the installation of the other lifts on the mountain. He said in 1961-62, the T-Bar and Rope Tow were installed, followed by the Gondola and J-Bar for winter 1962-63. Keystone (now the Red Lady Express) came in 1967, and work on Twister began in 1968. The Callaways and Waltons bought the resort in 1970, and they installed the Paradise Lift in 1971. Teocalli Lift, which feels older than the rest, was put in last in 1974”
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Who are you people? Yeah old school.
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