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Loon South Peak Expansion

bigbob

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First day at Loon this year, not bad. Did t ski there much last year but noticed they abandoned their ability to make snow on Picaroon. They used to drag guns and hose from 7Bros to make Pic but they redid the lines for Klik hydrants on 7Bros And abandoned the old pipes and standard hydrants. Hmmm, odd for a low elevation resort to abandon snowmaking on a low elevation run.

Also, they added RFID gates to North Peak Express but only the "normal" entrance side to the maze. Guess they are just trying catch any lift poachers midweek as they said East Basin isn't getting any.
RE: New RFID gate at North Peak Quad. I asked the pretty young lady who was standing at the entrance with the tablet about why this was installed and she said it was more about data collection on what type of pass was being used as opposed to catching cheaters. I opened the conversation by saying you would have to catch alot of poachers to get back your ROI and that went completly over her head.
 

machski

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RE: New RFID gate at North Peak Quad. I asked the pretty young lady who was standing at the entrance with the tablet about why this was installed and she said it was more about data collection on what type of pass was being used as opposed to catching cheaters. I opened the conversation by saying you would have to catch alot of poachers to get back your ROI and that went completly over her head.
Data collection, yup I'm sure they need that up there 🤣🤣🤣
 

bigbob

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Maybe they want to see if a bubble 6 or 8 would be worth the upgrade. They seem to be finding reasons to spend money (Boyne that is).
I am pretty sure the North Peak Quad is on the upgrade list.

 

snoseek

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I feel like there isn't enough terrain off North for a 6 or 8 person chair running at a higher capacity than the quad.
and it would pack even more people on the clusterfuck that is Grand Junction.
 

urungus

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I feel like there isn't enough terrain off North for a 6 or 8 person chair running at a higher capacity than the quad.
The Flight Path article linked by bigbob mentions “North Peak Trail Expansion“ by 2025 before “Upgrade North Peak Lift” sometime between 2026-2030
 

deadheadskier

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I've seen talks of a trail skiers right of Walking Boss. Do Loon skiers really want that? What would likely be a wide, straight and boring trail where tree skiing currently exists?
 

4aprice

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I've seen talks of a trail skiers right of Walking Boss. Do Loon skiers really want that? What would likely be a wide, straight and boring trail where tree skiing currently exists?
Wouldn't mind some more trails up there but not at the expense of WB Woods.

IMG_0300.JPG
Absolutely love those woods.

I hope some of the South Peak expansion happens. Some of that looked interesting on the plans that I saw.
 

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JDMRoma

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Wouldn't mind some more trails up there but not at the expense of WB Woods.

View attachment 59760
Absolutely love those woods.

I hope some of the South Peak expansion happens. Some of that looked interesting on the plans that I saw.
same here, those are decent glades and really long ! would hate to lose them !
 

thebigo

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Brian Norton on the storm skiing podcast basically said there is no possibility to expand beyond walking boss anytime in the near future. He did mention an additional approved trail but I do not remember where. There is a bunch of space off sunset but would ruin some seldom skiable trees. May listen to the podcast again tomorrow. Problem with north is wind, it tends to go down in a storm leaving all the decent woods only accessible off the slow double or brutal gondola, hate that thing.

My impression is loon is done with lifts and trails for a while, Gov Adams lodge and Timbertown base facilities are next projects.

Visibility was lousy but surfaces were good today. Hopefully they get working on Flume and upper walking boss when the temps drop.
 

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Edd

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Can’t believe 7 Brothers is an HSQ now. If I wanted to hit South Peak, I’d take 7 Bros/North Peak HSQs over the gondy 8/10 times.
 

4aprice

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Can’t believe 7 Brothers is an HSQ now. If I wanted to hit South Peak, I’d take 7 Bros/North Peak HSQs over the gondy 8/10 times.
It's a nice improvement. On days when East Basin is running you can access all those nice long cruisers off the gondola and like you said access South Peak from North Peak. Used it last season on a very busy/snowy weekend and it worked quite well. One thing I don't want to see as a Loon fan is the capacity of the Gondola increased. We used the gondola quite a bit on that same busy/snowy weekend and it really wasn't that bad and we still got a lot of runs
 

thebigo

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Hearing there was a major pump failure? Snowmaking limited until they can repair? Would explain last week, anybody have further info?
 

JDMRoma

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Can’t believe 7 Brothers is an HSQ now. If I wanted to hit South Peak, I’d take 7 Bros/North Peak HSQs over the gondy 8/10 times.
I liked last years opening better, starting at the Kanc 8 was nice. do a few runs there if your at opening and head to northpeak for the rest of the day.
 

thebigo

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Now that attitash has relinquished the title, loon gondola probably takes the title of most hated lift in the east. Agree that kanc 8 and north was a better open last year. I only ride the gondola when there is no other option. 7 bros absolutely hauls but skip octagon side completely if closed.
 

4aprice

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Now that attitash has relinquished the title, loon gondola probably takes the title of most hated lift in the east. Agree that kanc 8 and north was a better open last year. I only ride the gondola when there is no other option. 7 bros absolutely hauls but skip octagon side completely if closed.
Interesting title to a thread, however can't agree with your vote. I like the gondola, like it as it 4 passenger cabin and do not really mind the line, as I feel it keeps the trails up top a little less busy especially when East Basin is closed. My vote for most hated would go to some of the older lifts still in operation, Madonna 1 or the Snowden Cripple. Can't say I'm a huge fan of the Trams at Cannon and Jay (for that matter at Snowbird Ut as well). To each his or her own.
 
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