Stratton Mountain - New Snow Bowl HSQ

[drjeff]

On Stratton's Instagram account, within the last 24hrs, their official response about when will the lift open is still "late December"

Now that the folks at Dopp have their flagship North American 2018 installation up and running with Big Sky's Ramcharger heated bubble 8, maybe they'll send a couple of extra crew East to help Stratton get this lift spinning for the Christmas week crowds. I'm sure that given the quantity of potential future contracts that Dopp could get from Alterra, that they want to get this lift spinning and help ensure a happy MAJOR client!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[WoodCore]

Now that the folks at Dopp have their flagship North American 2018 installation up and running with Big Sky's Ramcharger heated bubble 8, maybe they'll send a couple of extra crew East to help Stratton get this lift spinning for the Christmas week crowds. I'm sure that given the quantity of potential future contracts that Dopp could get from Alterra, that they want to get this lift spinning and help ensure a happy MAJOR client!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using AlpineZone mobile app

Dopp. crews are also wrapping up the new 6 pack at Windham Mtn.

 

[sull1102]

I wonder if this is a case of detach quads are lowest priority now because of the 6's going in everywhere.

Sent from my Pixel using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[benski]

I wonder if this is a case of detach quads are lowest priority now because of the 6's going in everywhere.

Sent from my Pixel using AlpineZone mobile app

Possibly but many of those 6s have large spacing so the difference in capacity is smaller.

 

[drjeff]

Dopp in the East in general this season seems to be having delay issues. None of their 3 new installations, The HSQ at Stratton, The HS6 at Windham or the Gondola at Brettonwoods are done. Whereas Leitner-Poma has their new installations, the Snowdon Bubble 6 at Killington open, and for all intensive purposes the HS6 at Hunter done as well, and Skytrac had their new installation FGQ open at West Mountain, NY yesterday

 

[WoodCore]

Looks like the haul rope splice is on for tomorrow morning.

 

[skitheeast45]

Dopp. crews are also wrapping up the new 6 pack at Windham Mtn.

View attachment 24331

Something that the picture Stratton posted doesn't show is the amount of grading work that needs to be done at the base of the lift. I skied by the bottom terminal this past weekend and the area between the terminal itself and Old Log Road is a mess with giant holes in the ground. I know they have some really nice grading plan in the works that will essentially elevate the lift from Old Log Road with a steep slope, like URSA being elevated above Runaway/91. This will nicely allow skiers to be separated by whether they are heading to the lift or continuing down the mountain. However, the snow appeared to be a major obstacle there.

 

[Glenn]

Good news about the haul rope. That's a step in the right direction.

 

[machski]

Something that the picture Stratton posted doesn't show is the amount of grading work that needs to be done at the base of the lift. I skied by the bottom terminal this past weekend and the area between the terminal itself and Old Log Road is a mess with giant holes in the ground. I know they have some really nice grading plan in the works that will essentially elevate the lift from Old Log Road with a steep slope, like URSA being elevated above Runaway/91. This will nicely allow skiers to be separated by whether they are heading to the lift or continuing down the mountain. However, the snow appeared to be a major obstacle there.

Not sure but perhaps they can grade it with snowmaking for now and do the earthwork spring/early summer?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[machski]

Well Dopp has completed one new lift in the east. The new Bromont Chondola opens on December 23rd.

Sent from my SM-T830 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[benski]

Well Dopp has completed one new lift in the east. The new Bromont Chondola opens on December 23rd.

Sent from my SM-T830 using AlpineZone mobile app

Windham opened there Dopp 6 pack Yesterday.

 

[NYDB]

Stratton just posted not ready until January.

 

[Glenn]

Sounds like things got really interesting on Christmas Eve. This was from the snow report e-mail this morning. Glad everyone was OK.

At about 3:30 pm Christmas Eve, a break in a snowmaking pipe on Lower Standard sent water at a 45 degree angle toward the gondola. Snowmaking computers showed a drop in pressure and operators immediately began the process of shutting down the system. The operations team simultaneously stopped the lift, restarting it slowly to reposition the cabins. Approximately seven minutes later, the gondola made its way to the summit where guests disembarked. We are pleased to report that no one was injured in what was a scary episode for seven skiers and riders in two gondola cabins. The gondola is running as usual today and snowmaking operations continue using alternate pipes in the network.

 

[Handlebars]

Yikes! Everything was working ok on Xmas day. Conditions weren’t bad either.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[speden]

That's lucky that the break happened at the end of the day. I happened to be there that day and by 3:30 the place was quite deserted. I was over at the Sun Bowl by then so didn't get to see the excitement.

 

[mbedle]

That's lucky that the break happened at the end of the day. I happened to be there that day and by 3:30 the place was quite deserted. I was over at the Sun Bowl by then so didn't get to see the excitement.

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2018...ooks-to-be-a-busted-snowmaking-pipe-stratton/

 

[drjeff]

Makes one think a bit about what a crazy job being a snowmaker can be, and how we all too often take for granted the potential risks that they incur to put out a product that we all enjoy.

Fortunately nobody was injured when that blow out happened, since I'm guessing the some solid debris (pieces of the failed pipe wall, frozen dirt/rocks around the pipe) went launching at a pretty decent velocity when the pipe broke. Also, when you see how those gondola cabins swayed when they were hit by the water, makes you think about how much pressure that water is under to swing those couple thousand pound cabins that much at what looks to be at least 75 feet, if not more from where the break happened!!

 

[Handlebars]

I would have needed a fresh pair of underwear after that. And a lifetime pass


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[drjeff]

I would have needed a fresh pair of underwear after that. And a lifetime pass


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

I'm wondering if a few people apres-ing at Grizzlies (where it looks like the video was shot from) were wondering if they had a few too many adult beverages when they looked out the window and saw that! :lol:

 

[Glenn]

That's incredible to see. And what are the chances of the break happening right there and aiming at the cabins. I'm glad no one was hurt. Good move on Stratton's part to get the official word out there.

Random commentary:
We are just about into 2019, smartphones are everywhere...and people still can't figure out how to take a video in landscape mode....