Personal Backcountry and Mountain backpack carriable Lift system

[MidnightJester]

Zoa Engineering has launched a new era in skiing with its PL-1 personal, portable ski lift designed to make skiing possibilities limitless and maximise time on the slopes. A reloadable 1000ft line that can T-bar or Tow-line style pull you up to 4000 vertical ft.(on snow) per charge.​

($1700 US Dollars)​

PL1 Complete Package

Everything you need to set up your personal lift!The Zoa PL1 portable backcountry rope tow system fits in a backpack and gets skiers and snowboarders more laps of their favourite zones. Designed, built and tested by skiers in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Complete Package includes: 1x...

zoaeng.com

Skiing On-Demand: How the Zoa PL-1 Personal Ski Lift is Redefining the Slopes

Zoa Engineering has launched a new era in skiing with its PL-1 personal, portable ski lift designed to make skiing possibilities limitless and maximise fun on the slopes.

www.snow-forecast.com

 

[MidnightJester]

I can see this being used to Reload(Re-Lift) for a few Features or a great area on a property but See this as a WILD CARD on a actually open mountain

 

[djd66]

I have to say - that is very cool! It is kind of $$$$$$. Would love to see someone develop a similar concept utilizing a cordless drill - that would drive the cost way down.

 

[ceo]

I have to say - that is very cool! It is kind of $$$$$$. Would love to see someone develop a similar concept utilizing a cordless drill - that would drive the cost way down.

A cordless drill doesn't have even remotely enough torque to pull someone up a slope.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

That is pretty genius and not an insane price for a unique product . Don't see where they say how long the line is.

 

[MidnightJester]

Its a 1000ft Length but you could put in any length comparable para-cord. Or multiple ones. One after the next with or without multiple anchors. It would work as well properly wrapped around any good anchor or Tree trunk. With multiple 1000ft lines you could Zig zag up to a point around cliffs or obstacles. Could even put a slight traverse between the next lines or clip in points.

It doesn't spool up the line but rather spits it out the back end to be collected in a bag or left on the ground as you go to be reused. Future generations of this Personal lift machine will change back country skiing and Boarding.

I can fully imagine permeant for the winter season lines installed on Uphill locations to backcountry locations. Just bring your unit and clip in and ride to the top then the next behind can do the same on separate 1000ft lines. Would work pretty easy like that.

 

[djd66]

A cordless drill doesn't have even remotely enough torque to pull someone up a slope.

Cordless drill definitely has enough torque, you just need to build a gear box.

This device can lift a 20,000 lb trailer with a cordless drill: https://trailergearbox.com/learn-more/

 

[NYDB]

I can fully imagine permeant for the winter season lines installed on Uphill locations to backcountry locations. Just bring your unit and clip in and ride to the top then the next behind can do the same on separate 1000ft lines. Would work pretty easy like that.

There is no way that would be tolerated anywhere except a private area. They would be cut almost immediately if they were in a public backcountry location.

 

[djd66]

There is no way that would be tolerated anywhere except a private area. They would be cut almost immediately if they were in a public backcountry location.

i Agree. I don’t think the intention on the product was to leave ropes laying around. Anyway, if you left the rope in the snow overnight, I doubt the machine would work.

 

[MidnightJester]

There is no way that would be tolerated anywhere except a private area. They would be cut almost immediately if they were in a public backcountry location.

DO you mean not-tolerated by people or rules. This device and its mechanisms are going Utilize or slip through all the laws unless new laws are written.
You can have the cords/ropes/lined in locations that are not the normal up routes. These lines are so easily installable if you have good anchor points and routes up that they could be installed every morning by the first ascending group with these machines and take the lines home at night on last run.
You have a better chance of stopping the devices on Ski mountains and Private property you own then any public or state land out there.

I foresee even if a SKI MOUNTAIN banned them on property that if you can SKIN up a mountain that You could "Temporarily" install a few lines just outside of a SKI MOUNTAIN BOUNDRY and you now have a quasi-free lift system into part of a trail network. On closed permanently or for the season ski mountains its unlimited.

I just looked and VT state laws seems to allow Mountaineering, Ice climbing and rappelling ropes throughout the state and federal mountains and land and this will for sure fall under that category as "Smugglers Notch" state land is Mentioned. You have a area for leave no trace to argue but that is arguable. They list anchors as most being removable but even some permeant anchors are allowed if multiple climbers can utilize it.

i Agree. I don’t think the intention on the product was to leave ropes laying around. Anyway, if you left the rope in the snow overnight, I doubt the machine would work.

The original idea is to pick them up and Most will as its ($50-70 for a 1,000ft) spool. Weather, Muck and Ice can fuck the lines for sure and make the machine less happy. Some with the right weather might leave them tied up or in the snow.

 

[ironhippy]

this is hilarious, the ebike of ski touring.

seriously, you can't walk the 1000 feet back uphill?

This isn't 1000 vertical feet, it's just a 1000 feet in a line, less than 1/5th of a mile.

 

[MidnightJester]

this is hilarious, the ebike of ski touring.

seriously, you can't walk the 1000 feet back uphill?

This isn't 1000 vertical feet, it's just a 1000 feet in a line, less than 1/5th of a mile.

You could Substitute any length. Multiple (1,000ft) or Say a (5,000ft) or mile length line if you wanted as long as the battery will hold a charge. You can disconnect from the line anywhere along it they way it works. The Size and weight will come down and power and charge time will increase overtime. Make a swappable battery and the usability will increase as does a E-bike or Go-pro with extra batteries or further generations of models. Each incorporating more powerful versions of every part.

This idea is a reality now and it is in the wild and the idea will grow. If the price comes down the limits on how many people eventually use them will go up. I can see a backcountry resort that could be enhanced by being lift powered by these cheap-ish machines in the future.

 

[ironhippy]

You could Substitute a (5,000ft) or mile length line if you wanted as long as the battery will hold a charge. You can disconnect from the line anywhere along it they way it works. The Size and weight will come down and power will increase overtime.

Good, I hope you enjoy it.
I'll keep using my skins, oddly enough their endurance also increases overtime

 

[NYDB]

 

[NYDB]

....This idea is a reality now and it is in the wild and the idea will grow. If the price comes down the limits on how many people eventually use them will go up. I can see a backcountry resort that could be enhanced by being lift powered by these cheap-ish machines in the future.

I really think you are missing **alot** of the reason people like to go in the backcountry or to places like 'bluebird' (now defunct)

 

[djd66]

Naysayers need to get a grip. The back country is fucking huge.

 

[letitsnow1]

I wonder if this would work to drag a deer out of the woods

 

[BodeMiller1]

A mile of rope weighs a lot. Wet rope more. Cool invention.

 

[MidnightJester]

A mile of rope weighs a lot. Wet rope more. Cool invention.

How much does paracord weigh? The military specification requires that Type III paracord (550 cord) not weigh more than 0.071 ounces/foot (6.61 grams/meter). In other words, 7.1 ounces per 100 feet. For Type IV paracord (750 cord), it's 0.097 ounces/foot (9.02 grams/meter), or 9.7 ounces per 100 feet.

(7oz-10oz) per 100ft. so a 1000ft run of 550/750 paracord weighs (4.5-6.25)pounds.
So not counting water, ice or snow weight its under 40lbs for over a mile or 6000ft of paracord to start your day. Would like to hope more then one person is out using this device for it to be more enjoyable : ) and safe in the Backcountry or wherever. Weight would be distributable amongst a group.

 

[BodeMiller1]

5000/7.1=73 call it 74 lbs. Nice for intended purpose. Old surface lifts ran off cars. Drive a tractor to base and run it off PTO.