Yan bottom station.Height-adjustable station with depression sheaves.Split tower 1.Lift line.Yan triple chairs.Another view of the drive station.Riding up the very long line.Middle section of the lift.Nearing the tree line.View back down.Unique top terminal setup.Yan hubcap sheaves and top bullwheel.One tower is painted white.View down the line.Middle lift line.Three offset towers in a row!
The sheaves on this lift seem very similar to the Quicksilver lift at Boreal. I wonder why the state of California allows this lift to run and not Quicksilver.
I was also curious as to find out what mechanical issues stopped Quicksilver from running. It was apparently due to aluminum sheaves and grip type. The majority of towers on Chair 10 seem to have been upgraded with Doppelmayr line gear with the exception of the white tower, depression sheaves and breakover. When I was at Kirkwood in 2010 for a powder day they only allowed Chair 10 to be loaded as a double. Our guide said it was due to the brushes on the motor needing replacement, as the motor wasn’t strong enough to pull a full line of chairs anymore. I think the motor has been replaced since then but not positive.
Side Note: I’ve heard the tower is painted white to prevent the metal from expanding too much from the heat of the sun. Which makes sense because its such a tall tower. But I’ve never seen this idea implemented in any other installation.
A bunch of Park City’s towers were also painted different colors for a number of years. Off the top of my head Crescent Express comes to mind, all the lower elevation towers were painted black (like most of the mountain), and the higher elevation towers were painted white. It’s either the same idea (preventing expansion from the sun’s heat) or somebody ran out of paint.
The Martis Camp Express at Northstar California runs north-south and its towers are split right down the middle. The north facing halves are black, the south facing parts white.
Some newer Doppelmayr detachables (like the lovely “Kanc8 the great” [https://liftblog.com/kancamagus-8-loon-mountain-nh/]) have reflectors on the top tower for the same purpose.
It was Boreal’s decision to not run Quicksilver. There were issues with the Yan-10, they had that worked out with the state. The S-4 aluminum sheaves are in service a couple of areas in CA today.
The terrain on the wall is very steep with no groomer down. A detachable may encourage too many people who have no business on terrain like that. I suspect that is a large reason it has never been updated. Along with the fact that money would be better spent on a detachable on other parts of the mountain such as chair 4.
I agree, keep chair 10 a triple, just like chair 23 at Mammoth. A high speed quad does attract the wrong crowed. Chair 6 already has too many downloads because people can’t read a map.
It’s always amusing to watch “the wrong crowd” coming down from Chairs 6 and 10 right after lunch—and a few beers. “I’m gonna ski that thing, dang it!” Garage Sale City.
Lift Blog 
The sheaves on this lift seem very similar to the Quicksilver lift at Boreal. I wonder why the state of California allows this lift to run and not Quicksilver.
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I was also curious as to find out what mechanical issues stopped Quicksilver from running. It was apparently due to aluminum sheaves and grip type. The majority of towers on Chair 10 seem to have been upgraded with Doppelmayr line gear with the exception of the white tower, depression sheaves and breakover. When I was at Kirkwood in 2010 for a powder day they only allowed Chair 10 to be loaded as a double. Our guide said it was due to the brushes on the motor needing replacement, as the motor wasn’t strong enough to pull a full line of chairs anymore. I think the motor has been replaced since then but not positive.
Side Note: I’ve heard the tower is painted white to prevent the metal from expanding too much from the heat of the sun. Which makes sense because its such a tall tower. But I’ve never seen this idea implemented in any other installation.
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A bunch of Park City’s towers were also painted different colors for a number of years. Off the top of my head Crescent Express comes to mind, all the lower elevation towers were painted black (like most of the mountain), and the higher elevation towers were painted white. It’s either the same idea (preventing expansion from the sun’s heat) or somebody ran out of paint.
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The Martis Camp Express at Northstar California runs north-south and its towers are split right down the middle. The north facing halves are black, the south facing parts white.
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Yes, taller towers are subject to solar deflection, hence the lighter color.
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Some newer Doppelmayr detachables (like the lovely “Kanc8 the great” [https://liftblog.com/kancamagus-8-loon-mountain-nh/]) have reflectors on the top tower for the same purpose.
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It was Boreal’s decision to not run Quicksilver. There were issues with the Yan-10, they had that worked out with the state. The S-4 aluminum sheaves are in service a couple of areas in CA today.
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The breakover sheaves on this lift are lot like the ones Killington has on Superstar.
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The sheaves on the last tower and return terminal are what Yan used on the Squaw Valley Gondola.
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Why isn’t this lift a detachable?
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The terrain on the wall is very steep with no groomer down. A detachable may encourage too many people who have no business on terrain like that. I suspect that is a large reason it has never been updated. Along with the fact that money would be better spent on a detachable on other parts of the mountain such as chair 4.
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No Need, never busy expect for an hour on a powder day.
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I agree, keep chair 10 a triple, just like chair 23 at Mammoth. A high speed quad does attract the wrong crowed. Chair 6 already has too many downloads because people can’t read a map.
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It’s always amusing to watch “the wrong crowd” coming down from Chairs 6 and 10 right after lunch—and a few beers. “I’m gonna ski that thing, dang it!” Garage Sale City.
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