Wind hold: What's the threshold?

[sledhaulingmedic]

I was thinking about hitting Jay Peak Monday. As I took a look at the forecast and saw "Chance snow, Snow Likely, Snow, chance snow..." on NWS for the next few days, I thought, "That settles that."

I took a look at the forecast wind speeds and started to reconsider. Gusts to 30MPH (forecast for lower elevations) got me thinking "Windhold" (and also maybe Burke). That go me thinking further, what is the windspeed threshold for various lifts? Can we look at a forecast and predict a windhold?

Jay is famous for windholds. The 'Loaf's Gondola was notorious. I relaize that gusting wind is likely worse for a lift than a steady wind, but, there must be some established parameters, at least for the automated lifts (detatchables, Gondolas, etc.)

Any of you lift ops guys willing to spill the beans?

 

[Marc]

When people start falling off?

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

If that were the case, maybe Jay wouldn't have so many windholds

 

[K2Trav]

If you see on the weather report winds of 40mph or more, expect wind holds

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

That seems about right, (although some times it seems like they'll shut down well below that.)

Curious, K2Trav: What are they saying for weather in you neck of the woods for tonight/tomorrow? I was thinking of hitting either the 'Loaf or Saddleback, as it looks like they'll escape the NCP tonight.

 

[Breeze]

Not that I'm lift Ops.. but... it isn't always wind SPEED that dictates wind-hold, wind direction has a LOT to add to the equation.

If the wind is blowing perpendicular to the lift line ( at your back or in your face) the tolerances are higher because there is no sideways swing of the chairs. Obviously, if the wind is horizontal to the lift line, the tolerances are lower to prevent chairs from bouncing off the lift line towers

No one in Mountain Ops wants a detachable to disconnect,( and neither do the riders), and for fixed grips, banging on the towers isn't a great option, for chairs or riders, sheave trains or lift cables.

For leaving the lift at an unprotected/above treeline summit, Lifties and Ops folks really want you to be able to ski or -ride- off the lift in control. If either the wind speed or the wind direction create a problem at the off-load, you can expect that lift to be held.

I'm sure most have experienced that wonderful sensation of attempting downhill snow sports against an uphill wind... being STALLED?? Offloading into a pile of Yard Sale items/bodies is not pretty. Being blown OFF the lift the minute you weight your choice of downhill transport is no fun, either.

Wind hold is no fun for anyone, and I thank K2Trav for his freely given assessment.. 40 MPH forecast should bring up a ? in anyone's decision process.

Breeze

 

[bvibert]

Where I work as a lift op our lifts are mostly protected from the trees so we don't have to worry about wind holds too much. We had one occasion last week where we were expecting wind gusts of up to 50 MPH so we were on the look-out. If the chairs got to within a foot or so of the towers (we can see all the towers that aren't protected by trees from the bottom) we were told to stop the lift. I'm told that they had to stop one of the lifts for a little bit that night after I left. I'd say that 40 MPH winds perpendicular to the lift line would have a pretty good chance of getting wind holds.

 

[thetrailboss]

Varies from lift to lift. Most have sensors and mtn ops are always watching to be sure that the chairs are not swinging too much.

Wind is rarely a problem at Burke. Lack of snow right now is a problem :roll:

 

[ctenidae]

I was at Sunappee once last year midweek, adn the whole mountain was on windhold. Standing around, we asked one of the lifties why, since it didn't seem windy at the base. He said, "Listen for a second." We stood quiet for a second, then heard a gong from somewhere up the mountain. He said, "That's a chair hitting a pole."

We weren't too upset about the delay after that.

 

[snowmaker4191]

i've been on the express quad at sunapee in some high winds, never that strong

 

[ctenidae]

It was the Gooses Triple (whatever the real name is) Either way, wouldn't be a fun ride, I think.

 

[K2Trav]

The weather for tomorrow and the next day looks like temps in the teens and 20's, doesnt look like winds will be an issue

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

The weather for tomorrow and the next day looks like temps in the teens and 20's, doesnt look like winds will be an issue

I ended up at Saddleback, and the conditons were epic! It was a little windy (some NW exposure, so that's to be expected), but it really rocked. I expect I might be at the 'Loaf next week.

ME is the glimmer of hope for this season.