This week the Willoughby Quad came down. Apparently an inspection of the summit bullwheel terminal revealed cracks in the concrete foundation and the insurance carrier, perhaps worried about another North Ridge Triple-esque incident, ordered that the lift be removed or the terminal repaired. Crews removed chairs last week. This week mountain ops assisted by Poma removed the haul rope. No word as to when the remains will come down or where it will go, if anywhere.
This was the first double chair for Burke, built by Doug Kitchell after he bought the mountain in the 1960's. The Hall Double ran from about 1966-1988. The chairs had wooden slats and at least one AZer has a chair in his yard. Here is a photo from the 1970's of the Willoughby Double:
After Kitchell went bankrupt in the 1980's, Boston real estate developer Paul Quinn bought the mountain and began developing condominiums. His big mountain infrastructure improvement was to retrofit the Willoughby Double as a fixed grip quad. CTEC did this in 1988, installing a new terminal, reinforcing the existing towers, installing new tower heads and line gear, and new chairs. Counting the Receiver and creditors, who at least temporarily owned it, during her lifespan as a quad she saw at least eleven owners. It was my first quad chair that I rode in 1991. The engine could be heard from a long ways away at the mountain and I will always remember the "clicking" the bullwheel at the base made. I probably rode it several hundred times...easily.
I have too many memories of her. The Lucky Tree. I've rode it in cold sunshine, dumping snow, howling winds, rain, and everything in between. A classmate of mine stuck his ski pole in one of the sheave trains, shutting it down. He was given the bill for the hot chocolate for the stranded skiers and some of the repair costs. I skipped some family time on Christmas Day 2006 to go skiing, despite the miserable conditions. Karma got me, despite giving cookies to the lifties, when the Quad broke down on my first run. My first, and only, lift evacuation took place about a couple hours later. In 2007 at the insistence of the original trailboss I partook in my first Torchlight Parade and rode up in the cold February night with friends including from_the_nek. In 2008 I was lucky enough to get a tour of the engine house and some pictures that I will have to post. That season I got the very first, and very last, chair for the season. That was an epic season with tons of snow and I was fortunate enough to be in my last year of school with some time to ski there a lot.
Though from 2005 on there were other quad chairlifts, this was always known as "the Quad" to us locals. For young folks it was a big deal to skip the Sherburne Double and go right to "the Quad."
It was with mixed feelings that the MidBurke Express came into being in 2011. The new lift is amazing and offers quick access with equally stunning views. But for me Burke will always be the Quad. It has been sad for me to see her slow demise over the past few years. Skiing under a quiet chair is spooky.
No word as to if chairs are going to be sold. Stay tuned.
It is sad seeing this old friend put to rest.
From 2011-2012:
Some of my pictures...more to come:
This was the first double chair for Burke, built by Doug Kitchell after he bought the mountain in the 1960's. The Hall Double ran from about 1966-1988. The chairs had wooden slats and at least one AZer has a chair in his yard. Here is a photo from the 1970's of the Willoughby Double:
After Kitchell went bankrupt in the 1980's, Boston real estate developer Paul Quinn bought the mountain and began developing condominiums. His big mountain infrastructure improvement was to retrofit the Willoughby Double as a fixed grip quad. CTEC did this in 1988, installing a new terminal, reinforcing the existing towers, installing new tower heads and line gear, and new chairs. Counting the Receiver and creditors, who at least temporarily owned it, during her lifespan as a quad she saw at least eleven owners. It was my first quad chair that I rode in 1991. The engine could be heard from a long ways away at the mountain and I will always remember the "clicking" the bullwheel at the base made. I probably rode it several hundred times...easily.
I have too many memories of her. The Lucky Tree. I've rode it in cold sunshine, dumping snow, howling winds, rain, and everything in between. A classmate of mine stuck his ski pole in one of the sheave trains, shutting it down. He was given the bill for the hot chocolate for the stranded skiers and some of the repair costs. I skipped some family time on Christmas Day 2006 to go skiing, despite the miserable conditions. Karma got me, despite giving cookies to the lifties, when the Quad broke down on my first run. My first, and only, lift evacuation took place about a couple hours later. In 2007 at the insistence of the original trailboss I partook in my first Torchlight Parade and rode up in the cold February night with friends including from_the_nek. In 2008 I was lucky enough to get a tour of the engine house and some pictures that I will have to post. That season I got the very first, and very last, chair for the season. That was an epic season with tons of snow and I was fortunate enough to be in my last year of school with some time to ski there a lot.
Though from 2005 on there were other quad chairlifts, this was always known as "the Quad" to us locals. For young folks it was a big deal to skip the Sherburne Double and go right to "the Quad."
It was with mixed feelings that the MidBurke Express came into being in 2011. The new lift is amazing and offers quick access with equally stunning views. But for me Burke will always be the Quad. It has been sad for me to see her slow demise over the past few years. Skiing under a quiet chair is spooky.
No word as to if chairs are going to be sold. Stay tuned.
It is sad seeing this old friend put to rest.
From 2011-2012:
Some of my pictures...more to come:
