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Future Lift Installations

skicub

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New lift plans to be announced at the Loaf next year...Shall we start speculating?? IMG_6507.jpg


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deadheadskier

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If I had to guess in order of priority

1. Replace Double Runner with realigned lift starting closer to the base lodge.
2. New weather proof Bucksaw lift for year round access to Bullwinkle's
3. Realign Timberline and lengthen downhill to start at Bullwinkle's

They've also mentioned putting in an upper mountain surface lift to access the summit when it's too windy for Timberline to run. Not sure where they could put that in.

And of course, the dream lift for some would be a ttb lift going up Gondi-line.

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Newpylong

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Wasn't there a Sugarloaf 2020 vision or something that summarized the master plan? Or did they not get that into it...
 

drjeff

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Wasn't there a Sugarloaf 2020 vision or something that summarized the master plan? Or did they not get that into it...
I believe you're correct about their once being a Sugarloaf 2020 plan, or something similar. I'm thinking that was in their pre Boyne days, so who knows if there's much applicability with the current ownership??

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raisingarizona

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If I had to guess in order of priority

1. Replace Double Runner with realigned lift starting closer to the base lodge.
2. New weather proof Bucksaw lift for year round access to Bullwinkle's
3. Realign Timberline and lengthen downhill to start at Bullwinkle's

They've also mentioned putting in an upper mountain surface lift to access the summit when it's too windy for Timberline to run. Not sure where they could put that in.

And of course, the dream lift for some would be a ttb lift going up Gondi-line.

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Is a ttb lift really necessary there? I mean, the mountain skis really fragmented no?
 

Jully

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Is a ttb lift really necessary there? I mean, the mountain skis really fragmented no?

Its honestly not necessary. Also that Loon gondola would be on wind hold so much if they took it up gondi line. Enclosed lift to Bullwinkles would be great.

Latest somewhat credible rumor I heard was SQ replacement and move the SQ to replace Timberline (extended down to Bullwinkles). DRC was supposed to be replaced by King Pine and KP by a HSQ to close out the 2020 lift improvements (that obviously never happened).

Lift "plans" to be announced at the 2019 homecoming makes it seem to me like they are launching another 2020-esk plan and no real action will take place until the 2020 summer at the earliest. That is about what I would expect too. The loaf doesn't NEED a new lift right now, IMO. I really want one, but everything functions just fine as is and you can be sure there will be no chance of any kind of catastrophic failure like Spillway or KP on any of the remaining lifts (that is supposedly why they removed Bucksaw).
 

deadheadskier

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Is a ttb lift really necessary there? I mean, the mountain skis really fragmented no?
I'm fine with the current layout. The old Gondola probably had wind holds 50% of the season. The top gets tremendously wind scoured, so adding that much more traffic up there made for a mess the few times I skied off it back in the day.

But some folks really like having a TTB lift. They want to see it comeback at Loaf and I have heard some people want it back at Sugarbush too.

Don't get me wrong, skiing the full vertical of both mountains is great. I love Wildcat and Stowe for big vertical laps off their ttb lifts. But, it seems like a waste of money at Sugarloaf when there are so many other parts of the ski area that need investment.

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ceo

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Sugarloaf has made noises in the past about building a road up to Bullwinkle's, which would obviate the need for a new lift for their summer business up there. Timberline from Bullwinkle's is complicated; a direct alignment would cut very awkwardly across the trails down the ridgeline (like, it would cross over the top of #3 T-bar). Alternatively, it could keep the current alignment with a turn at the current base station (expensive), or start a little ways down the back side from Bullwinkle's.
And a summit surface lift would be nice. There used to be a T-bar up there before Timberline went in (actually that was the name of the T-bar too).
 

Jully

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I thought SL even physically had a T-bar in storage they bought a few years ago to put up Cinder Hoe? I'm thinking it was announced at a homecoming circa 2016.
 

ceo

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I say this a lot, but count me among those rooting for a TTB gondola. Modern gondolas are much more wind-resistant than the old Gondi, and it's not like other resorts that have installed the things don't get windy sometimes too. Combine that with a new summit lodge with function space and they could seriously boost their summer business.

The fact that they're announcing now that they'll have lift plans to announce next year may indicate it's something pretty major that they need to line up financing etc. for.
 

bdfreetuna

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Have not been to Sugarloaf a lot .. hope to change that over the course of my life span .. but summit surface lift is most exciting prospect to me. I've not been able to ski the summit due to lift issues when I've been. I suppose it should start over where the backside snow fields curve around to the front above Brackett Basin. Not sure how this can be done without interrupting some highly desirable terrain to ski.

That's also probably too steep for most folks to want to ride a surface lift, and perhaps even too steep in a few spots anyway.

Alternatives are same route as Timberline, but perhaps the best would be to start right where Skyline unloads. Still would be steep but not frighteningly so, and short and sweet to the top with a viable route back for repeats.

New Gondola up Gondola Line would be another alternative. Maybe if I skied there more I'd weigh in with a stronger opinion.
 
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