Detachable vs Fixed Grip Lifts

[riverc0il]

https://www.attitash.com/explore-the-resort/activities-and-events/event-detail.aspx?id=%7B25fe2817-4b8d-40e7-bed8-9dbe348e7921%7D

Today, Attitash officially retired their Summit Triple. It will be removed and scrapped, with the chairs being sold on the link above. In its place will be a new Leitner-Poma high speed quad called The Mountaineer.

The Summit Triple was known as one of the most hated lifts in the Northeast. At 6205 feet long, it was quite a long ride, but it wasn't much longer if at all compared to lifts like the Red Chair at Magic, Single Chair at MRG, or Madonna 1 at Smuggler's Notch.

That is a crazy comparison!

MRG and M1 service +2k' of terrain and some of the best expert terrain in the northeast. Magic is closer in comparison for vertical, but the Red Double doesn't feel as slow as the Attitash Triple (and Red services the entire mountain, which features the best expert terrain south of the MRV).

Attitash Summit Triple services a maximum of 14 "trails", though that is more or less 8ish somewhat "unique" routes with variations. Nothing really notable for terrain. It is a long ride for not a lot of payoff (at least in comparison to the areas that you suggested as comparable).

Have you have been on the Attitash Triple? I am a fixed group homer and apologizer. I enjoy a good slow fixed grip, especially when the terrain is worth the wait and I want a breather between runs. But no apologies for that Triple. Good riddens, it was dang slow.

I doubt many lower level or intermediate skiers are riding that lift (RE: Lift Stops). There is limited intermediate terrain off the top and the expert terrain is narrow and somewhat steep, prone to getting scraped off. On my limited time riding that lift, it wasn't stopping, still felt slower than almost any other lift.

 

[tirolski]

Here’s an interesting interview regarding ski lifts.

Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast | SE4:EP3 - Peter Landsman: Our Love of Lifts

What would you think about visiting every single ski lift in America? 2,381 of them! Well, that has been the life of Peter Landsman, a lift supervisor and founder of liftblog, a popular website and network of social channels.

skiutah.transistor.fm

“Ski lifts tend to not be in ugly places..."

 

[tirolski]

Anybody gonna go to these lift training sessions?

SANY Lift Training 2023 | SKI NY - SKIPA EXPO

www.iskinyexpo.com

"This program is not membership exclusive; we are extending an invitation to the entire New York State Ski Resort Community and neighboring states to participate. We want all to join us in sharing the knowledge and expertise of our instructors and attendees. There is no cost to attend and we encourage you to bring as many personnel as you like. Mt. Peter, HoliMont, Bristol, Greek Peak, and Plattekill will host classes this spring and summer. Whiteface Mountain will also have a class this fall as part of the ORDA Lake Placid SANY Expo educational series"

 

[snoloco]

I went to one at Hunter in 2018. Normally it's only open to those who work at ski resorts, but I knew someone at Hunter and was able to tag along.

 

[tirolski]

Another reason for undetachable lifts.

Investigation underway after chairlift incident during 'wild gust of wind' at Thredbo

www.9news.com.au

 

[tirolski]

Barker 6
Before

Barker 6 – Sunday River, ME

Visit the post for more.

liftblog.com

&
After the rains came

https://twitter.com/x/status/1736892368161308762

I’ll take Fixed Grips for a hundred, Alex.

 

[tirolski]

Indoor storage is absolutely essential for gondolas and bubble chairs. Not only does it make it a lot easier to reopen the lift after adverse weather, but gondola cabins and bubble chairs can be damaged by extreme weather conditions or heavy snowmaking. Gore's gondola had at least a dozen cabins with broken doors today. Those cabins were unusable, causing the line to be longer than necessary.

Unfortunately, many resorts have omitted cabin parking on their gondolas. While it does cost extra and require additional space, if a resort is spending many millions of dollars on a gondola, you'd think they would at least invest in the proper facilities and equipment to keep it in good condition. If you compare Whiteface and Gore, Whiteface's gondola was in far better shape, even before the cabin replacement. Belleayre has no cabin parking at all, and I fear that lift is not going to age well without it.

For open-air detachables, most resorts get along just fine without chair parking, but it is still desirable to have it so that chairs can easily be removed during severe weather, heavy snowmaking, or for maintenance reasons. Indoor storage isn't necessary. Grip-covered rails are fine. Ironically, Gore has chair parking for the Adirondack Express and uses it regularly, despite the fact that they never completed the gondola cabin parking.

Speaking of gondolas, whatdaya think of this brand new Leitner beauty in Pinzolo, Alto Adige @snoloco?
Replaced a quad on the same liftline using fewer towers.
Ain’t much written about it on-line in english but there’s this:

News

Where to ski in Italy | The largest ski area in Trentino in the heart of the Brenta Dolomites. Over 150 km of slopes connected with a single ski pass. Buy online.

www.ski.it

Prà Rodont-Doss del Sabion

NEW! YOC 2023, Prà Rodont-Doss del Sabion: Circulating ropeway/gondola lift at the ski resort Madonna di Campiglio/Pinzolo/Folgàrida/Marilleva, 10pers. Gondola lift (monocable circulating ropeway)

www.skiresort.info

& this utubee:

Seems innovative and bottom & top stations are underground.

 

[jasonwx]

Compared to the lift systems in Europe , the US uses rope tows.

 

[tirolski]

Compared to the lift systems in Europe , the US uses rope tows.

Yup. There’s times & places for rope tows & T-bars.

 

[x10003q]

Yup. There’s times & places for rope tows & T-bars.

Yeah, the 1950s.