integrated rescue functions and a ring and pinion hydrostatic evacuation drive to minimize the likelihood of a rope evacuation. The workhorse gondola was designed to move up to 1,800 guests per hour up 2,622 vertical feet to Grouse Mountain in less than six minutes. Comfy seats. Leitner-Poma also com- pleted four detachable chairlifts with premium comfort chairs—at Sunshine Village, Alberta; Wasatch Peaks, Utah; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; and Snowmass, Colo. “Sunshine’s a particularly interesting project for us as it highlights our premi- um chairs and many of the premium fea- tures we offer: direct drive, heated seats, bubbles,” says Manley. “It has all the high- er-end options and looks really sharp.” The chairs are the first in North America with yellow bubbles, carrying six skiers each. Construction finished on schedule despite early snowfall. The Super Angel Express opened to skiers on Nov. 16. LIFT CONSTRUCTION SURVEY 2024
Above: Assembling the bottom terminal for Grouse Mountain’s (B.C.) new Leitner-Poma gondola.
We’ll take two—or three. Skytrac was able to concentrate its efforts with 10 projects at six ski areas, three of which had multiple lifts installed. The Beehive State One quarter of all new lifts were delivered to one state: Utah. Deer Valley became the first mountain since 1998 to add five aerial lifts in one year as part of a 3,700- acre, 16-lift expansion, set to unfold over multiple years (see “Skiing Double,” p.
77). Two of the new lifts aren’t scheduled to open until 2025-26, but Doppelmayr had the capacity to install them a year early. The highlight of this preview sea- son is Keetley Express, Deer Valley’s first six-pack with bubbles and heated seats. Parallel to and steps from a new hotel, a beginner detachable quad called Hoo- doo features auto lowering and locking restraint bars. Multi-team projects . Due to the proj- ect’s scope, Alterra and several subcon-
NEW LIFTS BY REGION
Progress on the upper terminal of the Doppelmayr Madison 8 at Big Sky Resort, Mont.
Gondolas/
Region
New VTFH Surface Chairs Trams Funiculars Total
East
10,261 1,268
— —
7 2
— — 2 —
— — — — — —
7 2
Midwest Mountain
46,689 7,657 25,181 91,056
1
21
24
Pacific Canada TOTALS
— —
5 8
5 9
1
1
43
3
47
NEW LIFTS BY MANUFACTURER
Gondolas/
Region
New VTFH Surface Chairs Trams Funiculars Total
Doppelmayr
53,175
— —
24
1
— — — —
25
Leitner-Poma 28,718
11 8
2 — 3
13
Skytrac TOTALS
9,163
1 1
9
91,056
43
47
Photo credit: Big Sky Resort
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