Sunday River Lifts

[shawnanigans]

I was at Sunday River last weekend and noticed that all of the Gondola cabins are off the Chondola lift and stored on the rail at the top. I heard from a few people that it has been like that all season. Some people mentioned that it was to reduce wind holds however it was not windy when I was there. Another person mentioned that they were having trouble hiring staff (probably related to J1 visas being harder to get) and that the Gondola requires additional personnel. I am guessing they did not add additional chairs on the line thus reducing capacity of a critical lift to get people up and out of the busiest base on the mountain. I try to avoid this area at all costs on a weekend but ended up waiting almost 30 minutes around 11:30. Luckily Aurora was ski on and has some awesome untouched woods that we lapped for a good portion of the day. The marked glades were all thrashed but I couldn't believe some of the untouched lines we kept finding with relative ease. Seemed like nobody had been in there all season. Sorry I was too busy enjoying the goods to stop and pull the phone out for pics.

We also noticed that the Oz Quad was not running even though all of that terrain was open. You could still ski that terrain via the Jordan 8 but that lift line was no picnic either. Judging by all the snow on the Oz Quad, that lift has not spun in about a month if at all this season. I also don't recall it running on any of my visits last year but could be wrong and was only there 6 days. Anybody know what's up with that or the Chondola?

 

[2Planker]

SR has been cutting back on expenses like snowmaking and staffing....
Blame it on the economy...

 

[Newpylong]

They definitely appear to have thrown the anchor out on expenditures...

 

[kbroderick]

Cabins are back on the Chondola; they have been on and off at least a couple of times to try to avoid wind issues.

 

[chuckstah]

Gondolas are on the line today, looking at the webcam. But the lift is closed
Oz hasn't run all season.

 

[parahelia]

Sunday/Monday were windy so they took the cabins off in advance; that happens a bunch all winter long. Sometimes they're slow putting them back on. However, Sunday made me appreciate the wind resistance of the new Barker/Jordan lifts; they kept running while the rest of the upper mountain lifts were down. Waaaay better than before when windy days meant everyone crowded onto a few low slow lifts.

Early in Jan it looked like they were testing Oz - saw it running for at least a few hours - but never since. Usually it runs weekends 10-2, which covers the worst times of the Jordan line. You made the right move, lapping Aurora - that and White Heat are rarely busy. North Peak quad is also significantly quieter than the stuff a little further down at South Ridge. I lapped it 5+ times Sat. to get in Yetiville (low angle woods were holding snow better; just need to use the alternate entrance to skip the scraped headwall.)

 

[machski]

The Chondi cabins are a PIA for the resort. Very susceptible to winds and taking them off the line is a manual job, heard it takes upwards of 2 hours or so. They must do this in advance of winds and put them back on once sure winds are done. They tried early on to wait till the last minute and then a gust put a cabin on the ground as they tried to push that along the corner parking rail.

From what I have heard, Oz came up lame when they went to prep it for service early January. They made snow on both Cowardly Lion and Upper Lost Princess the weekend after New Year's and intended to open Oz Quad the next weekend. From what I have heard, whatever needs to be done has been pushed to this summer. So no Oz Quad this season.

Boyne has been hit hard financially the last couple of years. The SR floods 2 Decembers ago cost $10M for repairs and they have yet to see a penny from insurance on that. Then they lost a HOA lawsuit in BS, that was a $25M loss, 19M this year and $3M/yr next 2. So yeah, austerity is the game this year.

 

[shawnanigans]

I appreciate the info and it makes sense on taking them off in advance of expected wind. Saturday was supposed to be windy but it never really kicked up bad so they must have been taken them off in anticipation. Glad I got bad info from the few people that said they had been offline all season.

Hopefully they can get the Oz lift back online next year and we have another good natural snow year to take advantage of it.

Hopefully they can get an insurance pay out on the floods. What's the story with the HOA lawsuit, related to the floods as well? I have not heard anything on that.

 

[2Planker]

What's the story with the HOA lawsuit, related to the floods as well? I have not heard anything on that.

here's your answer
https://montanafreepress.org/2025/0...ly-25-million-to-settle-class-action-lawsuit/

 

[machski]

I appreciate the info and it makes sense on taking them off in advance of expected wind. Saturday was supposed to be windy but it never really kicked up bad so they must have been taken them off in anticipation. Glad I got bad info from the few people that said they had been offline all season.

Hopefully they can get the Oz lift back online next year and we have another good natural snow year to take advantage of it.

Hopefully they can get an insurance pay out on the floods. What's the story with the HOA lawsuit, related to the floods as well? I have not heard anything on that.

Long way away from seeing any insurance $$ for the floods. Insurance carrier tried to get the lawsuit Boyne filed tossed out, but judge ruled the case has merit and will go forward. But that was a fairly recent development, so the case hasn't even been heard yet. And no guarantee Boyne wins that part. Flood coverage is a slippery slope to say the least.

 

[Razor]

here's your answer
https://montanafreepress.org/2025/0...ly-25-million-to-settle-class-action-lawsuit/

Boyne settled but did not admit wrongdoing. Possibly because the issues over which Boyne was sued are exactly like those that currently exist at the Summit, Jordan and Sugarloaf Hotel.

 

[machski]

Boyne settled but did not admit wrongdoing. Possibly because the issues over which Boyne was sued are exactly like those that currently exist at the Summit, Jordan and Sugarloaf Hotel.

True, but I believe all those hail from ASC days as the originator. Boyne was the originator at BS. Whether that changes any possible liability, not sure. But it is a difference between them.

 

[bigbob]

Boyne settled but did not admit wrongdoing. Possibly because the issues over which Boyne was sued are exactly like those that currently exist at the Summit, Jordan and Sugarloaf Hotel.

It also said under Montana law. Maine may not have a similar law.