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Mount Snow: Inside Track

spiderpig

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Dec 8, 2012
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Ridgefield, CT
North Face is closed because lift #18 Challenger had to be evacuated. I was stuck on there for over an hour.

Wonder if it was a problem with stanchion 5. Lift was stopped for over five minutes on Friday then had employees climb up watching the chairs go over the wheels there.
 

Edd

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Newmarket, NH
There is absolutely no reason or excuse for a lift to break and be evacuated opening weekend. What did your lift mechanics do all summer? I mean, the mount snow ones and to high and to incompetent to fix anything. I’m sure Vail is embarrassed at this. And I’m sure heads will roll and better personnel will come in to fix their ongoing cluster fuck of lift mistakes that just seem to get worse and worse.

Things break down. It’s often unexpected. I doubt Vail is “embarrassed”. They’ve seen lifts break down before.
 

jg17

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Sep 9, 2018
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Seattle via NJ
Snow report shows Outpost open, Challenger on hold today.

Hopefully Vail sees how critical this lift is and puts some money aside for replacement. I don't see it happening in 2020 (unless Vail decides to shell out more than the $15m they already committed to ex-Peak Resorts for next two years), but hopefully by the 2022 offseason or so. Challenger is likely the oldest "key" lift in the former Peak portfolio (aside from the Midwest resorts that run some old Halls that are indestructible, but also not moneymakers even close to Snow) and would be a PR mess if it were to have multiple more high profile incidents.

I hear there's a pair of lightly used Skytracs close by up for grabs :grin:
 

jaytrem

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Lift is open again. Guy was on the tower agaon when we rode by? Another question is why did Canyon run during the week, but not the weekend?
 

bdfreetuna

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Lift is open again. Guy was on the tower agaon when we rode by? Another question is why did Canyon run during the week, but not the weekend?

I don't know about Friday but on Thursday it was not running, and on Wednesday it was only running because Bluebird was on wind hold.

Old lifts break down, at least it didn't break in a dangerous way and 1 hour evac could be worse. Luckily they have the Outpost backup lift.
 

jaytrem

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I don't know about Friday but on Thursday it was not running, and on Wednesday it was only running because Bluebird was on wind hold.

Old lifts break down, at least it didn't break in a dangerous way and 1 hour evac could be worse. Luckily they have the Outpost backup lift.

Thats good, somebody told me it ran all 3 days. Was hoping its not broken. Heading back to the NF now, wish me luck!
 

jaytrem

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Ahh, bad luck over there, tore my tele binding half off. Back out on regular though.
 

drjeff

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I sure hope that once more Epic properties open for the season that the Eastern Epic folks disperse a bit.

The outer parking lot being 1/2 to 2/3rds full in mid November is crazy stuff.

Also, it's been years since I've had to say "the bubble goes up by itself" so much in a weekend!

Snow quantity and quality were very good. Just need a little cooperation from mother nature and the trail count (and acreage) is going to get larger

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using AlpineZone mobile app
 

Newpylong

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Upper Valley, NH
Snow report shows Outpost open, Challenger on hold today.

Hopefully Vail sees how critical this lift is and puts some money aside for replacement. I don't see it happening in 2020 (unless Vail decides to shell out more than the $15m they already committed to ex-Peak Resorts for next two years), but hopefully by the 2022 offseason or so. Challenger is likely the oldest "key" lift in the former Peak portfolio (aside from the Midwest resorts that run some old Halls that are indestructible, but also not moneymakers even close to Snow) and would be a PR mess if it were to have multiple more high profile incidents.

I hear there's a pair of lightly used Skytracs close by up for grabs :grin:

The Skytracs do not fit the lift profile needed and they would be oddballs, it's not going to happen.

Challenger isn't really that critical there's another right next to it. Any lift may need to be evaced.
 

machski

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That Challenger lift has been quite unreliable the past 5-8 years I feel. I've had a number on long stops and watched frustrated lifties climb up into/out of the top terminal resetting equipment.

Of the top of my head I want to say it's either a 1982 or 1984 Yan. It's a workhorse alright; it runs everyday November-April unless wind puts it on hold and makes Outopost the go-to. I'd like to see a high-speed quad on that side of the hill.
A HQS on the North Face side??!!! The lifts aren't even 4000' long, no way in hell they ever put a detach there. You'll get a FGQ with a loading carpet to max the speed and like it!! Detach's cost 2.5x what a FG lift costs in maintenance. If Sunbrook is being upgraded to a detach at some point (and that makes sense with the mix of terrain it serves plus the sun aspect), they will already be adding another maint cost to the area. NF totally does not need that headache.

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tumbler

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Things break down. It’s often unexpected. I doubt Vail is “embarrassed”. They’ve seen lifts break down before.

Lots of bad press on the local Boston news this weekend though. Interview with little girl that was evac'd, lots of footage. Surprised how much coverage but must have been slow weekend.
 

Glenn

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Lots of bad press on the local Boston news this weekend though. Interview with little girl that was evac'd, lots of footage. Surprised how much coverage but must have been slow weekend.

Agreed. I saw it in a few of my news feeds. Typically, these aren't that big of a deal when it comes to local news.
 

jaywbigred

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To quote Jay-Z himself, "allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is...." Jaywbigred...

Wow, it has been a bunch of years. Since we bought our condo at Mount Snow in 2009, and especially since Mount Snow started offering a Season Passholder Forum (I think 2013 or so) I haven't really used AlpineZone much. But it seems like Mount Snow closed down the Passholder forum after the Vail purchase, and I feel a void in my life! I was hearing bits and pieces of info on the lift shutdown this weekend, and a lightbulb went off "I bet folks are posting on AlpineZone on this!"

Glad to see Dr. Jeff and Glenn still active in here! Cheers everyone!
 

Jcb890

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There were a lot of issues yesterday with the Bluebird as well.
Any ideas what was going on?
It wasn't very windy and in the sun it wasn't very cold either, so it wasn't a big deal sitting there stuck for what seemed like 20 mins once, but still...
 

FBGM

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There were a lot of issues yesterday with the Bluebird as well.
Any ideas what was going on?
It wasn't very windy and in the sun it wasn't very cold either, so it wasn't a big deal sitting there stuck for what seemed like 20 mins once, but still...

I know you all hate me and think I know nothing but that lift from day one has been an issue due to the lift maintenance staff just not knowing it. In general that entire lift maintenance crew is very sub par and it’s scary. That new 6 pack is so next level different then the rest of the ancient garbage. It comes down to more training needed. Better wages. Vail will address this.
 

drjeff

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There were a lot of issues yesterday with the Bluebird as well.
Any ideas what was going on?
It wasn't very windy and in the sun it wasn't very cold either, so it wasn't a big deal sitting there stuck for what seemed like 20 mins once, but still...
Apparently an issue with a safety sensor on one of the towers giving a bunch of false positives which then triggers the lift safety systems to do an automatic shutdown until a lift ops crew member checks the tower.

Lots of safety redundancy systems built into that lift from base to summit. Creates nuisance issues from time to time, which in the current reactionary era we live in, can make a relatively minor thing seem to some like a major, life altering event...

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Joined
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Heading up tomorrow. What are the chances they open up some additional terrain such as Ridge, Snowdance and something off Nitro where they've been blowing snow? Was there last week for first day and while it was very good, would like a couple more options.
 

drjeff

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Heading up tomorrow. What are the chances they open up some additional terrain such as Ridge, Snowdance and something off Nitro where they've been blowing snow? Was there last week for first day and while it was very good, would like a couple more options.

Going to be close. When I left on Sunday afternoon (and the guns on those trails had or either were in the process of being shutdown due to temps), yup, they had some sizable whales on those trails. Not quite sure though, after they push them out, if it will be enough to get Ridge and Snowdance open. Best chance would be Nitro as the fan gun spacing on that trail is tighter than on Ridge and Snowdance, and on Ridge in particular, the pitch tends to need a bit of extra snowmaking time to get the rocks from when they buried a main snowmaking feeder line on it a few seasons ago.

The natural today will help a bit. I remember thinking to myself after seeing things on Sunday afternoon that it looked like they needed about another 24 hours of snowmaking to be able to push the whales out and have enough coverage to get everything connected and open.
 
Last edited:
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That's what I thought, but figured I'd ask someone more familiar w the area.

My original plan was for Thursday as it looks like the best day of the week and I figured it would give them another day/night to work their magic, but unfortunately my ski buddy can only head up tomorrow so I changed my plans.

In any event, it's November so no complaints if I have to ski the same trails as last week for another day.
 

bdfreetuna

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picked up a ticket for Thursday. Looks like the weather pick of the week. Heavy fat-flaked snow on the webcams this morning. Seems to have turned to a mix now or maybe just blowing off altogether. Looks like they picked up a few inches of dense snow up top.

Hope for a couple surprise trail openings by Thursday but I imagine the place will be pretty empty and I won't complain either way
 
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