Lift overview.Riblet bottom tension return station.Loading area.Side view of the bottom station next to Angel Peak.View up at tower 12.Lower lift line.Enclosed top bullwheel with unload below.Breakover towers.View down from the summit.Riblet vault drive station.View riding up the line.
All the other Riblet doubles I’m familiar with have a center pole, which I think of as a defining feature of a Riblet double. Why are the chairs different here?
Both bail-type and centre-pole were available. Centre-pole seems to have been more popular, although once Riblet changed their carrier style in the 80s centre-pole went away.
I believe Superior Tramway still makes Riblet center pole quad chairs. Welch Village received new center pole chairs just this last year. I’m not sure if they were surplus of the design after Riblet phased it out but there are quite a few Riblet center pole quads in operation.
I’ll leave the “why” to people who actually know. But Chairs 1, 2, 3, and 4 at Crystal Mountain were all Riblets with bail-type carriers just like these, built in 1962 through 1966 or so. Through roughly the same years Riblet was also building chairs with center-pole carriers, e.g. Barrier, 7th Heaven and Big Chief / Kehr’s at Stevens, the original chairs at Mission Ridge, Mt. Spokane, C-1 and C-2 at Mt. Baker, etc. Subjectively, it seems there were more center-pole type built, and hence surviving today.
This is the original Sunnyside double, it was very short lived from 1967-1978, it didn’t get installed here till the early 80’s I think though, not 78′. Side note, this lift is pretty speedy for a fixed grip.
The lift was bought and installed in 1978 when Cliff Wordal was GM of 49. They didn’t know if they can arrange the financing that year, but they did it in the end. U.S. Forest Service put an operation ban on the lift on 02/24/79 after three of four brakes failed due to ice building up. About 50 skiers jumped off the chairs when it went backwards. Riblet did inspect the lift days later and the lift went back into service the following Saturday (source: Spokane Chronicle).
It is Sunnyside, the CP chairs were swapped for brand new (at the time) bail chairs from Riblet during the relocation. We still have the original spec sheet from Sun Valley in the shop filed away
I can see in the next few years them replacing this lift. Of course, it will be a while due to the new HSQ at chair 1, but this is really showing its age.
Showing it’s age but it’s in super good shape (albeit not the best aesthetically) and it goes about as fast as fixed grip can safely go with or without a loading carpet. I’ve skied all of the US and this still remains the fastest fixed grip I’ve ever ridden.
This is for sure the fastest fixed grip chairlift I have ever personally ridden on! I think it does work though because the terrain this lift services is primarily more difficult, so it has less crowds and more skilled skiers and snowboarders using it. I personally don’t remember any misloads any of the times I visited 49N last season.
Lift Blog 
All the other Riblet doubles I’m familiar with have a center pole, which I think of as a defining feature of a Riblet double. Why are the chairs different here?
LikeLike
Both bail-type and centre-pole were available. Centre-pole seems to have been more popular, although once Riblet changed their carrier style in the 80s centre-pole went away.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually, In the early 90’s a brand new riblet center pole quad went in at devils head Wisconsin. So they weren’t completely phased out yet
LikeLike
I believe Superior Tramway still makes Riblet center pole quad chairs. Welch Village received new center pole chairs just this last year. I’m not sure if they were surplus of the design after Riblet phased it out but there are quite a few Riblet center pole quads in operation.
LikeLike
I’ll leave the “why” to people who actually know. But Chairs 1, 2, 3, and 4 at Crystal Mountain were all Riblets with bail-type carriers just like these, built in 1962 through 1966 or so. Through roughly the same years Riblet was also building chairs with center-pole carriers, e.g. Barrier, 7th Heaven and Big Chief / Kehr’s at Stevens, the original chairs at Mission Ridge, Mt. Spokane, C-1 and C-2 at Mt. Baker, etc. Subjectively, it seems there were more center-pole type built, and hence surviving today.
LikeLike
The earliest bail-style I know of from Riblet was the original Green Lift at Hoodoo, Oregon. That chair was installed in 1948.
LikeLike
What lift was this at sun valley?
LikeLiked by 1 person
The lift possibly before the now gone sunnyside triple
LikeLike
This is the original Sunnyside double, it was very short lived from 1967-1978, it didn’t get installed here till the early 80’s I think though, not 78′. Side note, this lift is pretty speedy for a fixed grip.
LikeLike
The lift was bought and installed in 1978 when Cliff Wordal was GM of 49. They didn’t know if they can arrange the financing that year, but they did it in the end. U.S. Forest Service put an operation ban on the lift on 02/24/79 after three of four brakes failed due to ice building up. About 50 skiers jumped off the chairs when it went backwards. Riblet did inspect the lift days later and the lift went back into service the following Saturday (source: Spokane Chronicle).
LikeLike
The length and bottom station sure look like Sunnyside (#6) from Sun Valley but that lift had center-pole chairs…
LikeLike
It is Sunnyside, the CP chairs were swapped for brand new (at the time) bail chairs from Riblet during the relocation. We still have the original spec sheet from Sun Valley in the shop filed away
LikeLiked by 1 person
What retrofit was done on it that was recently completed on Chair 1?
LikeLike
A new type of pin that has a fail safe iirc.
LikeLike
Yesterday 2 trees fell on the cable of this lift. Is it back up and running yet?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nope. If it doesn’t run tomorrow, it should be running on Friday.
LikeLike
I can see in the next few years them replacing this lift. Of course, it will be a while due to the new HSQ at chair 1, but this is really showing its age.
LikeLike
Showing it’s age but it’s in super good shape (albeit not the best aesthetically) and it goes about as fast as fixed grip can safely go with or without a loading carpet. I’ve skied all of the US and this still remains the fastest fixed grip I’ve ever ridden.
LikeLike
I’m very surprised on just how fast this thing goes, especially because most of the skiers are at chairs 5 or 1.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is for sure the fastest fixed grip chairlift I have ever personally ridden on! I think it does work though because the terrain this lift services is primarily more difficult, so it has less crowds and more skilled skiers and snowboarders using it. I personally don’t remember any misloads any of the times I visited 49N last season.
LikeLike
Video:
LikeLike