Stratton Gondola, WTF?

[Zermatt]

What the hell is wrong with the gondola at Stratton? Is it really that slow by design or is this some undercover energy saving measure? I've noticed this for many years but I've had enough. I was on Ursa this morning and I felt like I was on cruise control going up a hill when everyone else (the gondola) was slowing down because the of the climb.

I used to think it ran slow because of the wind or on week days when the mountain was empty, but I don't know anymore. Maybe it's running on some solar panels covered in snow down in the valley.

Also, somebody should do a study of wind holds / wind delays at Stratton. I'm guessing they are directly proportional to lift tickets sold with some small correlation to actual wind speed.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

It’s wind. But that gondola is just a gaper trap anyway. Zero reason to use it

 

[Zermatt]

It’s wind. But that gondola is just a gaper trap anyway. Zero reason to use it

Obviously, but if there are 300 gapers on the gondola that’s 300 less on the other lifts. Had to be 200 gapers just in line waiting to pickup their lift tickets.

It’s not all wind though, or the wind tolerance on that gondola is the absolute lowest I’ve ever seen.

 

[Edd]

Can’t speak for recent years, but when I was a Sunday River regular the Chondola always seemed to be going way slower than it should be, and would go on hold when a squirrel farted two peaks away.

 

[NYDB]

this is not a new thing. it was running slow today due to wind.

the towers need to be lowered and they’re not doing that so........

Stratton on a Saturday? You should have just stayed at the condo and paid someone to kick you in the nuts all day.

I mean, unless you have early ups and planned on being there at 7:30 and leaving at 11am I dont see how it could have worked out much better.

it was bound to be a shitshow

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

I was there Thursday and it ran a few hours in the morning, it got so windy they shut down everything upper mountain except ursa, and even that was a rough ride.

 

[thetrailboss]

What the hell is wrong with the gondola at Stratton? Is it really that slow by design or is this some undercover energy saving measure? I've noticed this for many years but I've had enough. I was on Ursa this morning and I felt like I was on cruise control going up a hill when everyone else (the gondola) was slowing down because the of the climb.

I used to think it ran slow because of the wind or on week days when the mountain was empty, but I don't know anymore. Maybe it's running on some solar panels covered in snow down in the valley.

Also, somebody should do a study of wind holds / wind delays at Stratton. I'm guessing they are directly proportional to lift tickets sold with some small correlation to actual wind speed.

It's getting pretty old IIRC.

 

[thetrailboss]

It’s wind. But that gondola is just a gaper trap anyway. Zero reason to use it

Maybe when it is replaced they can rename it "The Gaper Trap".

There used to be a place on Route 2 just outside of Bethel, Maine named "The Tourist Trap." When we drove by a few weeks ago the sign was gone.

 

[Smellytele]

Last few times I was there never even ski down to it. Started at sunrise and never go down toward the village. Like at Sunday River never go to south ridge.

 

[kbroderick]

Maybe when it is replaced they can rename it "The Gaper Trap".

There used to be a place on Route 2 just outside of Bethel, Maine named "The Tourist Trap." When we drove by a few weeks ago the sign was gone.

That would have been Groan & Mcgurn, but I don't think it's been operational in decades. It was an eclectic place when it was open, but the guy who ran it is definitely unique, too.

On the original subject, of all the times I went to Stratton when I was coaching in Vermont, I think I may have ridden that gondola twice.

 

[drjeff]

I'll post up again my favorite line I heard from a Stratton snowmaker, who was on the Gondola with me and a few others 6 or 7yrs ago about the wind susceptibility of that gondola.... "if a mouse farts over at Bromley, this thing goes on wind hold!"

 

[Newpylong]

It's getting pretty old IIRC.

Got new cabins not long ago too.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

i had a fun morning ripping around stratton with some friends who are great skiers. got after it. woods were wayyy better than i expected them to be. totally skiable with pretty good coverage. any thing that had been skied already was fine. untouched was locked up

 

[thetrailboss]

Got new cabins not long ago too.

I remember that. Did they replace anything else?

 

[ss20]

The towers on that gondola are literally twice as high as they should be in 80% of places.

It was designed with 12 person cabins originally so they probably expected more sag from weight than today

 

[NYDB]

the couple of people I know who work there both said Saturday was the busiest day in years. 13,500 people.

 

[trackbiker]

It was designed with 12 person cabins originally so they probably expected more sag from weight than today

Those old cabins were a joke. They had some weird type of shelf that was about 9 inches wide that was too high to sit on.
The only way those things would hold 12 people were if they were all named Twiggy and they inhaled when the door closed. They rarely even held 8 people.

 

[skiur]

I haven't been to Stratton in almost 20 years but back then they had an amazingly stupid gondola that you had to stand up in. Is that the gondola we are talking about?

 

[jaytrem]

I haven't been to Stratton in almost 20 years but back then they had an amazingly stupid gondola that you had to stand up in. Is that the gondola we are talking about?

Yes, but with new cabins. Whistler had the same stupid old ones for many years. Which made them doubly stupid since theirs must be twice as long.

 

[skiur]

Yes, but with new cabins. Whistler had the same stupid old ones for many years. Which made them doubly stupid since theirs must be twice as long.

Do you still have to stand in the new cabins?