New lift, trail work proposed for Whiteface Mountain

[ThatGuy]

What they really need is an investment in snowmaking and attempt to have Lookout Mountain open for more than two weeks each year…

 

[thebigo]

Is there an example of another HSDQ with mid unloading? Only HSDQ I can think of with mid stations are Palmer and Collins, both are load only.

 

[machski]

Is there an example of another HSDQ with mid unloading? Only HSDQ I can think of with mid stations are Palmer and Collins, both are load only.

The Challenger and Greyhawk replacement at Sun Valley will have a Mid Unload only at the former Greyhawk unload area.

 

[kancamagus]

Is there an example of another HSDQ with mid unloading? Only HSDQ I can think of with mid stations are Palmer and Collins, both are load only.

Treeline Cirque at Alpine Meadows / Palisades Tahoe has mid unload angle station.

Christie Peak at Steamboat has also has a mid unload angle station, but its a six pack.

 

[Newpylong]

Do they have only ~1500 feet of lift above the mid-station to the top though? Just think, this lift will literally have less than 2 minutes riding time above the mid-station.

 

[Bosco DaSkia]

Yes, it does…

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

ugh, a detachable lift with a midstation is basically 2 detachable lifts. I'm not familiar with the topology here but the upper section seems kinda pointless

Edit. Hmm, maybe not if it's still a single haul rope.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

Random thought. Imagine a detachable chair with an unload midstation, but the chairs didn't detach! It would be a trainwreck for the masses obviously but for people skilled enough to handle it, I think it'd be cool!

 

[xlr8r]

Treeline cirque at Palisades Tahoe has a double grooved bullwheel at the midstation. So it has two separate haul ropes, but they both go around the same double groove bull wheel and use a single drive. But that lift is a Leitner Poma, I do not know if Doppelmayr builds midstations the same way.

 

[ss20]

Random thought. Imagine a detachable chair with an unload midstation, but the chairs didn't detach! It would be a trainwreck for the masses obviously but for people skilled enough to handle it, I think it'd be cool!

I don't think you would ever be able to ski faster than the chair, even with a super steep unload ramp

 

[Keelhauled]

Yes, it does…

Yeah but that gets you a lot of vertical over the short line which opens up access to a huge amount of terrain and midstation allows it to also still serve as the lower mountain lift for intermediate trails. The stupid thing about the whiteface lift isn't the little bit above the midstation, it's the whole existence of the midstation. There's nothing unique about each terminal location that requires there to be two, all it needs is a straight line to the top station/lodge.

Chair 6 at Vail is another mid-unloading HSQ. IIRC it actually unloads in both directions.

 

[jaytrem]

The new HSQ at Sundance also has a short upper section after the mid-station. Very similar to Treeline in usefulness, probably even more so. Seems like the same idea for Whiteface. Let the beginners off at the mid-station and continue on for upper lift access and in this case also a lodge.

 

[IceEidolon]

I believe Snowshoe has a select-a-length detach for the Western Territory.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

I don't think you would ever be able to ski faster than the chair, even with a super steep unload ramp

I think it could work but again not for people who are "clumsy" at chair dismounting. You'd need a horizontal stretch of haul rope and platform long enough for a skier to stand up and glide (no conveyor belt!!) while being pushed by the chair, then a quick transition to a steep down ramp. You might need to give yourself a small push away from the chair right before the transition, but that's all part of being "not clumsy". Rope sag if the lift is fully loaded would probably be an issue so let's pretend that either a) tower spacing is very short so sag is minimal or b) there's only one person on the lift - you. Or... me. It's a thought experiment obviously Id give it a send

 

[ceo]

Sounds like a great way to get clocked in the back of the head. But hey, that's what helmets are for.

 

[kancamagus]

I think it could work but again not for people who are "clumsy" at chair dismounting. You'd need a horizontal stretch of haul rope and platform long enough for a skier to stand up and glide (no conveyor belt!!) while being pushed by the chair, then a quick transition to a steep down ramp. You might need to give yourself a small push away from the chair right before the transition, but that's all part of being "not clumsy". Rope sag if the lift is fully loaded would probably be an issue so let's pretend that either a) tower spacing is very short so sag is minimal or b) there's only one person on the lift - you. Or... me. It's a thought experiment obviously Id give it a send

I’ve done this before on Cannon’s HSQ top unloading terminal ’inadvertently”. The top unloading zone is flat and starts before the chair has fully decelerated, so if you stand up right away, you can unload with serious momentum.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

Sounds like a great way to get clocked in the back of the head. But hey, that's what helmets are for.

I've had fixed grip (ie slow) chairs hit the back of my shoulder. Which is why for years now I always push myself away from the chair when dismounting. And with doing that, I've never been hit.

 

[machski]

I don't think you would ever be able to ski faster than the chair, even with a super steep unload ramp

Sunday River first ran the new Spruce Triple at full rated speed with the carpet loader. It pretty much shot you off the unload ramp and you had to allow it to do so or it would clip you as the chair rounded onto the return wheel. Alas, too many were getting clipped or wiping out on the ramp so they have since reduced the max speed they spin the machine. But the full rated speed was impressive. Can't imagine a full speed unload on a detach, but yes I have experienced the Peabody rocket launch at the unload at Cannon. Probably down to half speed by the time you can stand up but it is fun with that flat and long unload ramp.

 

[x10003q]

Classic insanity from ORDA. Why spend $3.5million for a FGQ that does what you think you need when you can drop $16.5million on the stupidist high maintenance lift ever?? Who decided this useless lift needed a midstation???

 

[Zand]

Sunday River first ran the new Spruce Triple at full rated speed with the carpet loader. It pretty much shot you off the unload ramp and you had to allow it to do so or it would clip you as the chair rounded onto the return wheel. Alas, too many were getting clipped or wiping out on the ramp so they have since reduced the max speed they spin the machine. But the full rated speed was impressive. Can't imagine a full speed unload on a detach, but yes I have experienced the Peabody rocket launch at the unload at Cannon. Probably down to half speed by the time you can stand up but it is fun with that flat and long unload ramp.

Ever ride the old Berkshire East double chair? I almost got flattened by it when a guy I was loading with wiped out, then took me out while the chair backswung right at my head. Good times! Miss that chair lol.