Big Sky announces new 8-person bubble

[GregoryIsaacs]

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.c...cle_2de587e5-bb6a-5cd1-b0a2-e78b91d0819e.html

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.c...cle_2de587e5-bb6a-5cd1-b0a2-e78b91d0819e.html

Very interesting. Can only imagine what kind of chaos that line will be......

 

[speden]

An 8 person lift seems like overkill for the Ramcharger. That lift was always ski on while I was there, so seems more like a marketing move than for practical reasons.

The article also says they are replacing the Shedhorn lift which makes more sense, since that double is super slow, but services a huge area. I think they should replace the Iron horse quad with a faster lift. We used the Iron horse lift to traverse over to the Moonlight Basin side and that always took forever. They say that's targeted for the future.

 

[Zermatt]

Who goes to Big Sky to go night skiing?

Wonder if the 8 pack will load while still going down, before going around the bottom bull wheel. Hirli in Zermatt does this, a 6 person lift.

 

[benski]

An 8 person lift seems like overkill for the Ramcharger. That lift was always ski on while I was there, so seems more like a marketing move than for practical reasons.

Not sure if this is an issue for that lift but wider chairs typically are more wind resistant. Also it says the lift will only serve 3,200 people per hour so thats almost 10 seconds between the chairs, so there should be fewer loading issues.

 

[drjeff]

Not sure if this is an issue for that lift but wider chairs typically are more wind resistant. Also it says the lift will only serve 3,200 people per hour so thats almost 10 seconds between the chairs, so there should be fewer loading issues.

The bubble 6's at Mount Snow weigh in at about 1500lbs before you put a person on it. Figure an 8 pack is likely in the 1750lbs range or so. Add in 8 bodies and you could be looking at 3000lbs or more at times in a fully loaded chair.... Those things should be pretty capable in most wind velocities and wind directions

 

[slatham]

The bubble 6's at Mount Snow weigh in at about 1500lbs before you put a person on it. Figure an 8 pack is likely in the 1750lbs range or so. Add in 8 bodies and you could be looking at 3000lbs or more at times in a fully loaded chair.... Those things should be pretty capable in most wind velocities and wind directions

For wind its the lowest denominator, which is the return trip with no people on it. So its the weight of the chair empty that matters most.

 

[machski]

The bubble 6's at Mount Snow weigh in at about 1500lbs before you put a person on it. Figure an 8 pack is likely in the 1750lbs range or so. Add in 8 bodies and you could be looking at 3000lbs or more at times in a fully loaded chair.... Those things should be pretty capable in most wind velocities and wind directions

The articleI read on Liftblog.com says the 8 pack chairs weigh in at 2200 lbs empty! Loading is straight on as it will have a loading carpet to sequence folks correctly. It also said the loading carpet will height adjust as well for the riders. Can't imagine that part, but if you have a bunch of kids on a chair, would be nice to raise the deck and make it a shorter chair height. Being this is the first 8 in North America (only the second in the world outside of the Alps) and the first D-Line series 8 anywhere (and first D-Line anything in N.A.), I have a feeling Dopp may have cut them an early adopter deal (hoping this move kick starts the series on these shores)

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[drjeff]

The articleI read on Liftblog.com says the 8 pack chairs weigh in at 2200 lbs empty! Loading is straight on as it will have a loading carpet to sequence folks correctly. It also said the loading carpet will height adjust as well for the riders. Can't imagine that part, but if you have a bunch of kids on a chair, would be nice to raise the deck and make it a shorter chair height. Being this is the first 8 in North America (only the second in the world outside of the Alps) and the first D-Line series 8 anywhere (and first D-Line anything in N.A.), I have a feeling Dopp may have cut them an early adopter deal (hoping this move kick starts the series on these shores)

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Given all the Dopp's that Big Sky is installing between last summer and over the next 7 years or so as part of their 2025 plan, I'm sure that Dopp is taking very good care of Big Sky!

 

[mikestaple]

Iron Horse is such a slow lift and a key to getting over to Moonlight. Doesn’t need to be an 8 person - just detachable and faster. I guess they want more people eating at the old Spanish Peaks restaurant at the top of Ramcharger. Not that there is a line to eat at Big Sky ever. (Well. Maybe the yurt).


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[bdfreetuna]

Realized last time at Mount Snow ... it sucks loading the 6 Pack.

Quite a lot of people seem to fall out of the seat as it makes that 90 degree turn as well, meaning lifts stop frequently, and people get embarrassed.

There is zero tilt/angle to the seats on that 6 pack which makes it pretty easy to fall forwards, especially with 5 other people putting you in a sandwich.

Don't remember if Okemo's 6 pack was the same. I seem to remember it being a much more comfortable ride.

Anyway just make a nice modern gondola, these 6 + 8 chair lifts are pushing the limits of practicality.

 

[machski]

Ramcharger far too short for a Gondola. That is planned for later, out of the village and up to the base of powder seeker in the bowl. The 8 may be a better load, it will have a carpet load with supposedly a height adjustable deck. And I believe the chairs will be Dopps high end seats. Almost like a luxury car seat for each rider.

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[machski]

Iron Horse is such a slow lift and a key to getting over to Moonlight. Doesn’t need to be an 8 person - just detachable and faster. I guess they want more people eating at the old Spanish Peaks restaurant at the top of Ramcharger. Not that there is a line to eat at Big Sky ever. (Well. Maybe the yurt).


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Read the 2025 plan, lengthening and upgrading Iron Horse is in the plans. Personally, I like to connect to the Moonlight side by using Challenger and down the Headwaters anyway.

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[Jcb890]

Andesite Mountain's summit doesn't seem like it needs an 8-person chair. I do like the terrain over there, but the "front" face of that summit (Ramcharger lift) is 1,100 or 1,200 vertical feet.

Perhaps they are doing it because of the terrain it opens up off of Andesite Mountain? Thunder Wolf and Lone Moose areas, Southern Comfort and Spanish Peaks.

 

[machski]

Andesite Mountain's summit doesn't seem like it needs an 8-person chair. I do like the terrain over there, but the "front" face of that summit (Ramcharger lift) is 1,100 or 1,200 vertical feet.

Perhaps they are doing it because of the terrain it opens up off of Andesite Mountain? Thunder Wolf and Lone Moose areas, Southern Comfort and Spanish Peaks.

More I think is the mountain biking on the summer, Everett's up top and night skiing that is going in off Ramcharger. I think the 8 seater is a deal from Dopp for first adopter of D-Line and 8 seaters. At full price, have to think they would have gone just a 6.

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[Jully]

Andesite Mountain's summit doesn't seem like it needs an 8-person chair. I do like the terrain over there, but the "front" face of that summit (Ramcharger lift) is 1,100 or 1,200 vertical feet.

Perhaps they are doing it because of the terrain it opens up off of Andesite Mountain? Thunder Wolf and Lone Moose areas, Southern Comfort and Spanish Peaks.

Wait... is the 8 pack bubble going to be for 1100 vertical feet? That's supreme overkill in my book. I guess the bubble helps for the potential night skiing in the future... but man that is a behemoth for something the size of Ragged or Snow's North Face.

Makes sense to make a splash, especially if they got a deal of Dopp (first 8 seater in NA is pretty cool, though I'm surprised they aren't touting that more!). There wasn't a longer lift that needed upgrading though?

 

[gmcunni]

 

[Jully]

Wow... the seats really are individual!

 

[benski]

This is not about capacity. This lifts capacity is is only 33% more than the typical express quad, and only 6.67% more than the Killington Six pack. the choice of a 8-pack is either for marketing or weight. Maybe they can also reduce stops since the chairs will be spaced out-more.

 

[Jcb890]

More I think is the mountain biking on the summer, Everett's up top and night skiing that is going in off Ramcharger. I think the 8 seater is a deal from Dopp for first adopter of D-Line and 8 seaters. At full price, have to think they would have gone just a 6.

I would highly doubt an 8-person chair is needed for anything other than during the snow-sports season. There's no way there's that many mountain-bikers up there per day... is there?! Maybe I'm way underestimating mountain biking's popularity?

I think you're right, its got to be something like that because at full price it would make no sense to put that in there. Even a 6-person chair is probably more than what Andesite Mountain needs. Everett's gets plenty of traffic up to it from the current quad and they also have the cool truck that will drive you up for the dinners.

Wait... night skiing?! Is that part of the 2025 plan? I hadn't seen/heard that yet.
EDIT - just checked it out, pretty cool! That would be some awesome night skiing terrain. The vertical on Andesite Mountain isn't amazing, but the terrain is fun.

Wait... is the 8 pack bubble going to be for 1100 vertical feet? That's supreme overkill in my book. I guess the bubble helps for the potential night skiing in the future... but man that is a behemoth for something the size of Ragged or Snow's North Face.

Makes sense to make a splash, especially if they got a deal of Dopp (first 8 seater in NA is pretty cool, though I'm surprised they aren't touting that more!). There wasn't a longer lift that needed upgrading though?

Yeah, that summit back to the main base is 1,100 or 1,200. However, there is skiing/riding off of 3 faces of it with 2 of the sides being around 1,100/1,200 and 1 of the sides being around 1,700 or 1,800 I think?

Swift Current would have been a much better candidate to get this 8-person bubble in my opinion because it carries up more people and servers more vertical, allows you to get up to Powder Seeker, etc. That's in their extended plans it looks like, I just checked out the site.

Yeah, its pretty awesome looking!

 

[sugarbushskier]

Realized last time at Mount Snow ... it sucks loading the 6 Pack.

Quite a lot of people seem to fall out of the seat as it makes that 90 degree turn as well, meaning lifts stop frequently, and people get embarrassed.

There is zero tilt/angle to the seats on that 6 pack which makes it pretty easy to fall forwards, especially with 5 other people putting you in a sandwich.

Don't remember if Okemo's 6 pack was the same. I seem to remember it being a much more comfortable ride.

Anyway just make a nice modern gondola, these 6 + 8 chair lifts are pushing the limits of practicality.

I was thinking the same thing the last time I was there last Sunday. Place was packed, Bluebird line was typically very long so we were in the singles line(s), but the lift kept stopping as folks were having a hard time loading due to not understanding that you just take your place amongst the other 5 and plan ahead so your not adjusting/removing poles or whatever as the lift comes around.

It got me thinking about the real life "net" capacity in which these lifts operate; i.e. if a lift is rated at 10k skiers per hour, but on a normal, full day it stops frequently for whatever reasons is the capacity more like 6.5k per hour? I find that simple, straight load HSQ w/o conveyors or right hand turns seem smoothest.

Unfortunately I had a lot of time to ponder this as even the singles line seemed to crawl...