Wildcat – Alta, UT

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Height-adjustable Yan bottom drive terminal.
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Half towers.
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Lower lift line.
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Upper lift line.
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Top bullwheel.
Last few towers and the top.
Last few towers and the top.
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Side view of the base.
Lift overview.
Riding up an empty line.
Top unload ramp and height-adjustable everything.
Upper section of the line.
Steep lower section.
Bottom terminal with drive, tensioning and a CTEC lift shack.

20 thoughts on “Wildcat – Alta, UT

  1. Ryan's avatar Ryan November 24, 2017 / 1:42 pm

    Was there a power outage that day you took photos? Side view of base looks like the back-up motor is running.

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    • Lift Expert's avatar Lift Expert December 18, 2020 / 6:49 pm

      Lift Mechanics will sometimes test the diesel engine during operating hours to make sure it is working properly

      Liked by 1 person

  2. BeyondtheLodge's avatar BeyondtheLodge February 7, 2019 / 7:15 pm

    No safety bars?

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    • Ryan Murphy's avatar Ryan Murphy February 7, 2019 / 8:03 pm

      Alta didn’t have any bars until around 2010, and they’ve never added them to the doubles.

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  3. skitheeast's avatar skitheeast April 4, 2019 / 12:47 pm

    This lift is scheduled to be replaced by a detachable quad sometime within the next 5 years or so. However, given that Sunnyside is also set to be replaced by a higher capacity lift, is a similar length, and is not old enough to be retired, I could see them moving Sunnyside over to replace Wildcat and installing a new lift at Sunnyside. The extra couple hundred feet in length would allow them to move the Wildcat base farther down next to Collins.

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    • Donald Reif's avatar Donald Reif January 14, 2022 / 10:18 am

      With Alta building a high speed six pack to replace Sunnyside and Albion, that option might be on the table.

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    • bob petitt's avatar bob petitt April 5, 2023 / 6:12 am

      The hike up to Wildcat keeps those less skilled off the lift. Why hike if I can just jump in the line at Collins.. Besides, it would be way too tight down there if Wildcat was moved down slope and the lift wasn’t re-aligned.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Boardski's avatar Boardski January 9, 2021 / 10:00 am

    Interesting…when the current version of Collins was installed, Wildcat was shortened to move the bottom terminal further up the hill from the bottom of Collins..

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  5. V12Tommy's avatar V12Tommy April 5, 2022 / 2:19 pm

    I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Yan with center bar chairs before.

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    • Cameron Halmrast's avatar Cameron Halmrast April 5, 2023 / 7:46 am

      Yan also offered another center pole design.

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      • Randall Bouza's avatar Randall Bouza July 22, 2024 / 12:16 pm

        I love Alta, it’s in a class by itself in my books, over the years the old center pole configuration shown in the photo bumped/bruised my hip quite a few times while loading.

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      • Skiliftfreak's avatar Skiliftfrreak February 5, 2025 / 7:12 pm

        Why would Alta want a center pole double?

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        • Ryan G.'s avatar Ryan G. February 5, 2025 / 11:07 pm

          Center pole doubles were cheaper.

          Liked by 1 person

  6. SilverSubaru's avatar julestheshiba February 15, 2023 / 11:45 am

    these chairs are extremely comfortable and I hope this lift is not actually replaced soon. I went to Alta during ski week and every other lift had 10+ minute wait times, while this lift was one of the few with nobody waiting. It serves mostly expert terrain and I would not say its too long of a ride.

    Liked by 1 person

    • vons3's avatar vons3 February 15, 2023 / 1:42 pm

      Agreed, the chairs are comfortable, the webbing backrests are definitely unique. I too don’t think a HSQ is needed, its rare when there is a line on Wildcat and even then it’s not a super long wait. My concern with a HSQ is overloading the terrain, I sometimes think it would have been better to have kept the Collins line two lifts as the lower half is quite a funnel and gets overcrowded while the upper area has enough space to handle the load of the High speed lift.

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      • SilverSubaru's avatar julestheshiba February 15, 2023 / 2:04 pm

        I would agree, the only reason I can think of for an upgrade to an HSQ would be if they expanded the terrain and connections to snowbird.

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    • Ryan Murphy's avatar Ryan Murphy April 15, 2023 / 5:48 pm

      Yes

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  7. liftnerd's avatar liftnerd April 15, 2023 / 2:39 pm

    That is an impressive Yan drive terminal.

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