Detachable vs Fixed Grip Lifts

[tirolski]

The main FG triple at Song goes slower than the fast uphiller kids go. Some do it over 10 times a day.

I don't want no stinkin HSQ at GP.

Same for Song and Lab.

 

[raisingarizona]

Please translate.

Tis it good, bad or somewhere in between?

Well if you read all of the posts in this here thread I'd say it depends.

But to translate? The sky ain't the only thing big around here....$$$.

 

[MarzNC]

Speaking on lifts I'm working in Big Sky this summer and oh my god this place is pimpiddy pimpin on that front. It's nuts.

Also applying what they have learned at Big Sky when is comes to how people react to a big, fast lift to other Boyne Resort locations. Sunday River, Loon, Boyne Mountain, and Highlands come to mind.

November 2021

Podcast #106: Boyne Resorts President and CEO Stephen Kircher

“It’s a Golden Age for North American skiing”

www.stormskiing.com

December 2022

Boyne Mountain to Replace Boyneland and Superbowl Lifts

Even before the first eight place chairlift in the Midwest carries skiers up Boyne Mountain this month, two more lift projects are in the works. Next summer, Doppelmayr will replace both Boyneland …

liftblog.com

December 2024

Two Years, Two Lifts: Transforming the Slopes at The Highlands

With two new lifts - Camelot 6 and the Interconnect - we are redefining what it means to ski and ride in northern Michigan.

www.highlandsharborsprings.com

 

[MarzNC]

Didn't know that Boyne is putting a detachable lift up at Pleasant Mountain.

March 2024

Pleasant Mountain to Build Detachable Summit Lift

For the first time in its 86 year history, Maine’s Pleasant Mountain will feature a high speed lift next season. The new Summit Express will run 1,220 vertical feet from the base of the mount…

liftblog.com

" . . .
For the first time in its 86 year history, Maine’s Pleasant Mountain will feature a high speed lift next season. The new Summit Express will run 1,220 vertical feet from the base of the mountain to the top in just 4.5 minutes. The detachable quad will contain some new parts from Doppelmayr along with many refurbished components from the former Jordan Bowl Express at Sunday River. Like with the new Bucksaw Express at Sugarloaf, Pleasant Mountain is working with Doppelmayr to make the lift look and feel like a completely new machine. The existing Summit Triple, which was down for a period this season with mechanical issues, will be removed.
. . ."

 

[tirolski]

The sky ain't the only thing big around here....$$$.

And for what? For a little bit of money...

 

[raisingarizona]

And for what? For a little bit of money...

Awesome reply tirolski

 

[tirolski]

Awesome reply tirolski

Since yer raisingarizona figured ya’d like it.

The Coen boys are genius.

 

[x10003q]

Nothing compares to the Madonna(?) lift at Smuggs. Seemed like it was running very slow even for a FG.

Madonna lift stats and reviews from Lift Blog
Hall Double installed in 1963, Dopplemayer CTEC did some refurbishment in 2002 including lowering some towers
Length 6719ft, 174 chairs
Vertical 2150ft
Capacity 800
There are 2 different posters who have claimed the Madonna speed they measured is 530FPM/12:45 ride time and 550FPM/12 min ride time. Doubles can easily run at 500FPM with the proper chair spacing. Mad River Glen claims they run the single at 600FPM.

Madonna – Smugglers’ Notch, VT

Visit the post for more.

liftblog.com

The loading and unloading of doubles remain issues with lots of stopping/restarting negating the potential 550FPM speed.
Also, the chair gap needed to run at these speeds kills some capacity which is a huge problem on weekends here in the East. One more factor is the wind playing havoc with the lighter double chairs (a big boy like Camp bounced into a tower?!?) vs heavier quads and larger chairs of today. When you add all these factors up, there is a lot of extra standing around in the lift lines that we lived with prior to HS lifts.

As for a certain poster's (cough cough Ripitz) reference to skiing Smuggs every time vs Stratton, go to Smuggs on a midwinter Saturday with temps in the single digits and the wind is blowing steady 20mph with gusting and wait around for 20 minutes for your turn to get on the Madonna double and then enjoy the 17 minute ride (including stops)to the top. Then tell us how much fun that was.

Now I know that Smuggs has awesome terrain, but if you are only getting a little more than 1 run an hour on a normal weekend day, you are not going to get to see much of the mountain.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Now I know that Smuggs has awesome terrain, but if you are only getting a little more than 1 run an hour on a normal weekend day, you are not going to get to see much of the mountain.

This is where Smuggs shines, imo.
Smuggs has 3 mountains that are basically broken into ability level.
Morse = beginner
Sterling = intermediate
Madonna = advanced
You'll get to see everything in your ability level easily. The other nice thing, for example, is Madonna isn't loaded with beginners looking to get to a trail, and visa versa. The place spreads out the crowds pretty darn good.
That said, if the birthday bowls are open, Sterling will be busy.

 

[Campgottagopee]

(a big boy like Camp bounced into a tower?!?)

That was the problem.... LoL

It was nurses week. For real. I had some little nurse from Quebec sitting next to me, I was on the outside. We hit that thing friggin hard! Sounded like a gong.
Man, I'll never forget that day or that nurse