Stratton Gondola, WTF?

[jaytrem]

Do you still have to stand in the new cabins?

No, both Stratton and Whistler have nice sit down ones now. Can't believe they thought the original one were a good idea.

 

[icecoast1]

I don't know why anyone would even want to get into that thing. Amex to Ursa is quicker to the top anyway.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

I don't know why anyone would even want to get into that thing. Amex to Ursa is quicker to the top anyway.

Yeah, I only take it weekdays when there’s no one there, and you can walk right on

Weekends, never

 

[x10003q]

Stratton has a real capacity problem at the main base. Since the dopey gondola is on wind hold quite often, it becomes impossible to get up the mountain or ski the lower mountain even with the South American FGQ running. The SA FGQ is a difficult load and unload chair for green skiers and people not used to FGQ. It stops constantly. A high speed lift would solve the problem. I doubt they will fix it. It took them 20 years to replace the Snow Bowl FGQ.

 

[icecoast1]

Most of those years were under old ownership. Snowbowl moved pretty quick when alterra took over. They definitely need another reliable lift out of the main base

 

[xlr8r]

The next lift replacement will be the Tamarack Triple. Rumor is that they are waiting on a new hotel to be built where liftline lodge is, and that the new lift will cross the road

 

[x10003q]

The next lift replacement will be the Tamarack Triple. Rumor is that they are waiting on a new hotel to be built where liftline lodge is, and that the new lift will cross the road

They just refurbished the Tamarack. It would have been a good spot for a HSQ for ease of loading and unloading for beginners onto all that great green terrain. I hope your rumor is accurate.

 

[ss20]

Stratton has a real capacity problem at the main base. Since the dopey gondola is on wind hold quite often, it becomes impossible to get up the mountain or ski the lower mountain even with the South American FGQ running. The SA FGQ is a difficult load and unload chair for green skiers and people not used to FGQ. It stops constantly. A high speed lift would solve the problem. I doubt they will fix it. It took them 20 years to replace the Snow Bowl FGQ.

There's no where to go even when you're out of the main base with Ursa and Snow Bowl crazy wait times. Even with a 6pack the Sunbowl is still hugely underutilized from a skier capacity standpoint.

In 5-10 years the gondola will be a solid candidate for a 8 person bubble chair. 3,200+ pph and heavy, wind-resistant chairs.

And of course it wouldn't be a Stratton lift thread if someone didn't beat the dead horse that the Shooting Star 6 in it's current alignment was one of the stupidest decisions regarding lifts in the Northeast ski industry

 

[urungus]

And of course it wouldn't be a Stratton lift thread if someone didn't beat the dead horse that the Shooting Star 6 in it's current alignment was one of the stupidest decisions regarding lifts in the Northeast ski industry

Not that familiar with Stratton, but I was there the other day, parked at Sun Bowl, and found the Sunrise Express + Shooting Star Express a convenient and uncrowded way to the summit. What’s the issue the the alignment of Shooting Star ?

 

[x10003q]

Not that familiar with Stratton, but I was there the other day, parked at Sun Bowl, and found the Sunrise Express + Shooting Star Express a convenient and uncrowded way to the summit. What’s the issue the the alignment of Shooting Star ?

They should have started the Shooting Star HS6 (installed 2001) at least below Free Fall. At the time, the Kidderbrook FGQ (6285ft long/1476 ft vert) was still operating, so the Kidderbrook area was served by a lift. Stratton took the Kidderbrook FGQ out around 2007. Now, the only way to ski the Kidderbrook pod trails ends up with a long run out on Lower Kidderbrook to get to the Sun Bowl base and then take 2 lifts (Sunrise Express and Shooting Star Express) to get back to the top. The Sunrise HS6 can get crowded in the morning since the Sun Bowl is the second base area at Stratton.

Reinstalling a HS lift on the old Kidderbrook line would help spread the crowds on the upper mountain.

 

[urungus]

They should have started the Shooting Star HS6 (installed 2001) at least below Free Fall. At the time, the Kidderbrook FGQ (6285ft long/1476 ft vert) was still operating, so the Kidderbrook area was served by a lift. Stratton took the Kidderbrook FGQ out around 2007. Now, the only way to ski the Kidderbrook pod trails ends up with a long run out on Lower Kidderbrook to get to the Sun Bowl base and then take 2 lifts (Sunrise Express and Shooting Star Express) to get back to the top. The Sunrise HS6 can get crowded in the morning since the Sun Bowl is the second base area at Stratton.

Reinstalling a HS lift on the old Kidderbrook line would help spread the crowds on the upper mountain.

Makes sense. Kidderbrook FGQ last appeared on the 2005-2006 trail map, here is the alignment:

 

[machski]

If Sunrise is a choke point, easiest upgrade then is to jump Solstice to a HSQ. That would take care of morning rush. Perhaps upgrade URSA to an 8 as well since it would then get fed by two bases with HS access from each. Though Snowbowl is now a HSQ, so an URSA 8 might be overkill.

 

[drjeff]

Stratton could certainly benefit from a major "re do" of how it's lift system is spread across many parts of the mountain.

They have a bunch of hourly uphill capacity, however a good chunk of that capacity isn't always in a location where it's needed.

A full redo/re imagining of the Gondola and capacity out of the base is likely very much needed, but something that given the amount of $$ they've spent the last 5yrs or so on the Gondola, isn't something I would guess would be on the radar screen for another decade or so.

I could see a bubble 8 replacing the Gondola with lower towers for wind reasons, and then even Amex being replaced with an 8, and have it end up maybe 1000 ft or so higher up the mountain to make it a lift that some folks might lap a little more other than if they're using some of the lower mtn terrain park/freestyle features. Having an overlap (top terminal of a base area lift ends noticeably higher than the bottom terminal of a summit access lift) lift layout is something that always made more sense to encourage lapping a particular lift verses taking the base lift almost always just to access the summit lift. And gven the volume of skiers/riders Stratton gets as well as the acreage of trails they have on the main mountain I think that a couple of 8's in that area is reasonable.

Also, Kidderbrook needs it's own lift back. Great trail (and trees in that area) but a terrible run out back to the Sunbowl Base to access that terrain again

 

[jaytrem]

I say keep the gondola and turn South American into a six with a mid-station and run it to the top where North American was. Can call it All American. Maybe make it a bubble, that should put a dent in the gondola and Amex line.

 

[xlr8r]

Stratton really cannot handle any more traffic at the summit. For the gondola I would renovate it to lower the towers on the upper half so it can run more in the wind. Shooting Star I would remove, and maybe it could be used to replace Tamarack, If not build a new HSQ at Tamarack. I would then build new HSQs to replace Kidderbrook and Solstice. This would spread people out more on the Sunbowl side of the mountain and the Tamarack area which can handle some more traffic. American Express and URSA are probably near replacement age soon, maybe they could become 8 packs, but there really is no capacity increase of an 8 pack vs 6 pack. Plus from my experience at Loon, its rare for an 8 pack to be filled with 8 people.

 

[jaytrem]

Stratton really cannot handle any more traffic at the summit.

Bah, that what they said about Mount Snow's Long John and the new Sundance six. And I figure with a mid-station they would have X percent getting off there to ski the easier stuff and the park. But yeah, they would still need to do some other stuff to spread people out. Can get rid of Shooting Star to cut down on the top access and put Kidderbrook back in.

 

[NYDB]

I think at this point I'd advocate for no kidderbrook lift. it keeps the traffic down enough over there that the snow quality is usually noticeably better. i can take a 3 minute traverse if it means much less traffic

generally don't see big lines at sunrise six pack.

if they did put a hsq over there at kidderbrook they'd have to cut more trails to the south I would think. don't know if that could be done.

 

[deadheadskier]

Solstice is a long slog and sucks, but I'd be surprised if they spent that much money on a new lift there. Then again, $tratton caters to a high brow clientele, so perhaps they would consider it.

 

[icecoast1]

Also, Kidderbrook needs it's own lift back. Great trail (and trees in that area) but a terrible run out back to the Sunbowl Base to access that terrain again

I havent been to stratton in years but if i was a regular there, I'd rather ski the runout than have a lift there and increase traffic any day. Those trees are so good in part due to there not being as many people over there.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

agreed that the kidderbrook runout is not bad (see the mount ellen southbound run out for a bad run out) and that i'd rather there not be a chair there