mount snow to install a bubble 6 pack next year!

[thetrailboss]

That would be one of the main deciding factors as to why Leitner/Poma got the contract over Doppelmayr. And let's just say that L/P made an offer about those new chairs for the Grand Summit that Mount Snow pretty much couldn't refuse

Probably spares or from a cancelled job. We call it a loss-leader in the biz. :wink:

 

[drjeff]

Probably spares or from a cancelled job. We call it a loss-leader in the biz. :wink:

I heard from a VERY reliable source that L/P bumped another order to do this for Mount Snow so that they would have the new quad chairs mounted to the old grips back to the mountain, hung from the haul rope and load tested before the July 4th weekend for the real start of their summer hiking/scenic lift rides season - Mounatin biking and scenic rdes right now are both off of Canyon quad, but once the Grand Summit has its new chairs ready to load, then they'll be back to their typical summer schedule where mountain biking is off Canyon Quad only and scenic rides and lift served hiking are off the Grand Summit only

 

[thetrailboss]

I heard from a VERY reliable source that L/P bumped another order to do this for Mount Snow so that they would have the new quad chairs mounted to the old grips back to the mountain, hung from the haul rope and load tested before the July 4th weekend for the real start of their summer hiking/scenic lift rides season - Mounatin biking and scenic rdes right now are both off of Canyon quad, but once the Grand Summit has its new chairs ready to load, then they'll be back to their typical summer schedule where mountain biking is off Canyon Quad only and scenic rides and lift served hiking are off the Grand Summit only

Not surprising since they probably wanted the six-pack job. FWIW I was bored and did some reading a few weeks ago and Doppelmayr dwarfs Leitner-Poma in terms of sales and installs. That surprised me considering that most of the resorts I know in the Northeast have Leitner Poma lifts. But then again Leitner Poma has a presence in Vermont (a sales office in Stockbridge) so they are close. So making Mount Snow/Peaks happy, which represents a big customer, was probably important.

 

[drjeff]

Not surprising since they probably wanted the six-pack job. FWIW I was bored and did some reading a few weeks ago and Doppelmayr dwarfs Leitner-Poma in terms of sales and installs. That surprised me considering that most of the resorts I know in the Northeast have Leitner Poma lifts. But then again Leitner Poma has a presence in Vermont (a sales office in Stockbridge) so they are close. So making Mount Snow/Peaks happy, which represents a big customer, was probably important.

Right upto when Mount Snow made the annoucement that it would be L/P building the lift, the vast majority of us regulars were expecting Dop to get the contract, if for no other reason than back in January, Mount Snow's GM went on a Dop paid 4 or 5 day ski tour of some of their newest and greatest lift installations in Austria.

Ultimately though with what were apparently essentially equal bids on the 6 pack, it got down to the fact that L/P had done past work on the Grand Summit, and was willing to do more work on it, whereas Dop wasn't willing to do that.

Now the speculation has already started if Dop will get the contract for when Mount Snow does their next upgrade, of the Sunbrook Quad in the coming seasons??

 

[thetrailboss]

Isn't the Grand Summit Lift an old Yan Lift? If so, Poma has been the one to do work on those types of lifts...in particular modifying the grips and equipment for Pico, Killington, Sunday River, and probably Mount Snow. I imagine that Doppelmayr wants nothing to do with Yan lifts.

 

[drjeff]

Isn't the Grand Summit Lift an old Yan Lift? If so, Poma has been the one to do work on those types of lifts...in particular modifying the grips and equipment for Pico, Killington, Sunday River, and probably Mount Snow. I imagine that Doppelmayr wants nothing to do with Yan lifts.

Yup, its an a lift that started off as a Yan, but now (especially since they've sold off the old, original Yan chairs - including 1 to me )about 25 years and many retrofits later, about the only parts of that lift that are still Yan are the lift towers :lol: Heck, even the old classical short in height, flatish Yan base terminal is being retrofitted by L/P this summer to look like a L/P more bubbled appearing base terminal.

 

[thetrailboss]

Yup, its an a lift that started off as a Yan, but now (especially since they've sold off the old, original Yan chairs - including 1 to me )about 25 years and many retrofits later, about the only parts of that lift that are still Yan are the lift towers :lol: Heck, even the old classical short in height, flatish Yan base terminal is being retrofitted by L/P this summer to look like a L/P more bubbled appearing base terminal.

Makes sense. I know that Sugarbush learned the hard way that Doppelmayr does not like working on Poma lifts. Case in point: North Ridge Express, which is a Poma HSQ but was relocated by Doppelmayr. Can we say major problems?

 

[Newpylong]

I am pumped that they are spending money on the Quad still.. As the Yankee Clipper it was my first High Speed lift and holds a special place for many, even though you won't be able to recognize it anymore, lol.

 

[drjeff]

I am pumped that they are spending money on the Quad still.. As the Yankee Clipper it was my first High Speed lift and holds a special place for many, even though you won't be able to recognize it anymore, lol.

Pretty much, Mount Snow is spending $$ on the bubble six pack, and L/P let's just say isn't making any $$ on the work being done to the Grand Summit Express

 

[vcunning]

The new chair frames look much wider than the old chairs. I'm curious if they will be wider than the old chairs once assembled?
Do you think they are wider to accomodate much "wider" modern Americans than the 20+ year old chairs were?

I ski as a single often and it seems I'm always stuck with 3 fattys

I blame it on the conveniently located Waffle Cabin at the base of the lift.

 

[thetrailboss]

The latest entry in the Bubble Blog: the Summit Local terminal is gone.

 

[snoseek]

Wait, is this lift going to basically serve the same main mountain as the top to bottom quad? If so are they going to run both on the weekends?

 

[WoodCore]

Wait, is this lift going to basically serve the same main mountain as the top to bottom quad? If so are they going to run both on the weekends?

Yes and yes!

 

[snoseek]

Yes and yes!

Ok I know the lift they are replacing now. It was SLOW as hell. Are there any concerns with trail congestion. I mean a 6 and a four running high speed top to bottom could get kinda crazy right? I would have thought North Face would make sense for a newer/faster lift.

 

[Newpylong]

Ok I know the lift they are replacing now. It was SLOW as hell. Are there any concerns with trail congestion. I mean a 6 and a four running high speed top to bottom could get kinda crazy right? I would have thought North Face would make sense for a newer/faster lift.

Yup, there are concerns, but that is what the people asked for. The worst lines on the mountain are on the main face on the Quads...

They are widening Long John off the top, so hopefully that helps the easiest way down. The other routes will be effected - as for how much that remains to be seen. I personally haven't seen a huge problem on any routes except Long John from the top in the past few years.

The long term plans are to increase snowmaking from 70% to close to 100%, so that should further help congestion. I think they just realized they couldn't wait any longer to replace that lift.

The triples on the North Face at only 4,000 feet long never have lines and the ride is pretty quick.

 

[thetrailboss]

This has got to be one of the only major areas with top to bottom high speed lifts side-by-side like that.

 

[Glenn]

I think they're only going to run the quad when it gets busy. I don't think they plan on running both ever weekend. IIRC at least.

 

[drjeff]

Ok I know the lift they are replacing now. It was SLOW as hell. Are there any concerns with trail congestion. I mean a 6 and a four running high speed top to bottom could get kinda crazy right? I would have thought North Face would make sense for a newer/faster lift.

The "old" quad, from what has been said by Mount Snow management will basically run on the schedule that the old summit triple did, Essentially weekends and as needed Holiday periods from say 10 to 2ish, when main base area crowds are at their largest. If it's not a crowded weekend, the quad more than likely won't be running. If it's a "regular" midweek day, unless some mechanical issues are present with the 6 pack, the quad won't be running.

Trail congestion wise. As someone who skis Mount Snow 40+ days a year, frankly i'm not too worried about it. The vast majority of the time, once you get away from the immediate summit area, between the number of trail options one has during the height of the season (the main time you'll see the quad running) and the acreage associated with those trails, downhill crowd density isn't bad at all (certain trail crossing areas and the main beginner/summit to Carinthia connector Long John excluded)

 

[snoseek]

Well looks like you guys are going to be riding in style for sure! I have not been in years but have fond memories of mount snow.

 

[drjeff]

Well looks like you guys are going to be riding in style for sure! I have not been in years but have fond memories of mount snow.

The changes at Mount Snow these last now 5 years since ASC sold them to Peak Resorts have been amazing! They have a great group of admins there with ownership that is really behind treating the mountain not just as a cash cow as ASC did, but as their flagship resort. As a Mount Snow skier for over a quarter century now, its such a great thing to both see and experience!