Sugarloaf Bucksaw Chair....RIP

[Jully]

High speed quad, fixed grip carpet load quad, what's the difference in terms of skier traffic? They both typically move the same amount of skiers an hour (sure a HSQ is faster, but wider chair spacing on them causes similar hourly capacities)

I'm just referring to the cost of it. Capacity is the same, yeah.

 

[Jully]

They were joking. In fact, SL has removed planned future lift upgrades from its 2020 vision pages.

What on earth. Guess we're done with lift upgrades now then! That's tough

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

So basically SL only upgrades lifts when an old one fails (near-)catastrophically? Nice.

 

[goldenboy80]

Based on what I've read about the borescope gearbox diagnostics and rebuilds happening this summer, I don't think we'll see another accident for a long time. That being said, a policy of proactive lift replacement seems like the best way to ensure you've got access to the latest safety tech, wind resistant design, and replacement parts availability. Important when you've got little kids riding these things. I'm expendable.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Proactive lift replacement is one thing, proactive maintenance is another. If they want earn the publics trust again they need to address lift safety from every angle.

 

[deadheadskier]

Well, if the information provided here is true, in the next five years the Loaf will be replacing Bucksaw with a HSQ, replacing Timberline with a HSQ and extending it down to Bullwinkles AND adding a T-Bar in Brackett Basin.
http://www.sugarloaftoday.com/chat/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7340&sid=c2adbbc4807f4418fa13df4b702c3242

 

[wa-loaf]

Well, if the information provided here is true, in the next five years the Loaf will be replacing Bucksaw with a HSQ, replacing Timberline with a HSQ and extending it down to Bullwinkles AND adding a T-Bar in Brackett Basin.
http://www.sugarloaftoday.com/chat/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7340&sid=c2adbbc4807f4418fa13df4b702c3242

I think timberline with a detachable is a bad idea. Too windy up there. I think a skyline situation would be better, no?

Not sure how I feel about bracket t-bar. That area gets skied off pretty quickly already.

 

[thetrailboss]

Well, if the information provided here is true, in the next five years the Loaf will be replacing Bucksaw with a HSQ, replacing Timberline with a HSQ and extending it down to Bullwinkles AND adding a T-Bar in Brackett Basin.
http://www.sugarloaftoday.com/chat/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7340&sid=c2adbbc4807f4418fa13df4b702c3242

Nice


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[deadheadskier]

I think timberline with a detachable is a bad idea. Too windy up there. I think a skyline situation would be better, no?

Not sure how I feel about bracket t-bar. That area gets skied off pretty quickly already.

Agreed on Timberline.

As for the Bracket lift, it will obviously bring more traffic to the area, but it's hard to gauge how much. I'd like to see a drawing of where it's planned for. I've never ventured much more than maybe 500 yards beyond Ripsaw. That's not a lot when the developed terrain has to extend well over a mile. It's always seemed like diminishing returns to traverse out that far for short vertical. Maybe this lift helps disperse (lazy like me) people further out into the basin and reduces a bit of traffic in the terrain closer to King Pine.

Also in that thread is talk of another F&B facility at the top of Whiffletree. I think that's a great idea.

 

[bigbog]

You're on top of things DHS..so I guess they either have started or will put in a lift in Brackett.
Management would never listen to anything I have(LOL) but the area around Bullwinkles would be golden thru the trees....the cafe should be leveled and brought down to the base area and rocks/dirt/sod should be moved into the area. You want to disperse crowds you need to provide more variety, as in some possible drops, not just one flavor in several trails, but tell that to management.
Too bad, in management's hunt for riches, that they don't realize that if they were to lower their Pass pricing schema they'd get more skiers...(duh). It's the conveniences at the area or mgmnts' other resorts(ie SR) that mgmnts try to match with other resorts...that are meaningless to the skiing, and mgmnt gets so focused on those that it saps $$$ out of really needed lift maintenance/upgrades(nothing new..).

 

[Jully]

New restaurant would be huge. Though if they extend timberline down to Bullwinkle's that would increase traffic there too.

Definitely think it's too windy at the summit for a detach. Also, it's not exactly a straight line from Bullwinkle's to the summit is it?

Also in that discussion they apparently talked about increasing snowmaking pumping capacity to 10,000 gpm. What!?

 

[machski]

New restaurant might ensure WT runs more often. Sounds like a big wish list but here's a thought of caution. If they were going to do a conveyer load on KP, why wait? This sounds like a dream list to me. Good to see new management with hopes and goals, but given SL's track record, that's all it is at this point.

 

[Jully]

Oh by FAR a wish list. Huge stuff on this list. They're waiting on the KP conveyor because they're adding that when they lower the location of the terminal. Guess they don't really see a need for a conveyor with the currently alignment right now.

 

[skiMEbike]

Let's just say this is a "vision" versus a plan...It's nice to see the excitement, however I am amazed they are announcing such radical capital improvements given the state of CNL. Anyways, I'll "play along" pretend this will ALL happen & provide my all important "customer" feedback that I know the Loaf values so much:
- Extending KPine is a waste, especially considering they "WILL" add a T-Bar to access Brackett....Why ruin the trail pod at king pine by adding an unnecessary useless flat run out (btw this is not intended to get us into a discussion of what is or is not a "pod").
-I like the idea of replacing Bucksaw especially if there's consideration/method to get to the summit....I can't tell if they are "proposing" a base to summit lift with an load/unload or two lifts.....HOWEVER, I believe having the bucksaw lift base in the same area as the old one kind of defeats the purpose & will not draw the skier traffic there, because it is too far from the masses (base area). I don't have the solution, but somehow getting the masses closer to the lift or getting the lift closer to the masses needs to happen to in order draw the skiers to use a new lift there.
-Restaurant at top of WTree seems overkill, except on the busiest of weekends....Running that place in the dead of winter seems like a waste of money to build up all that infrastructure when you have it over on the West Side of the Mtn at Bullwinkles....To me it would make better since to expand on what you have at Bullwinkles...Expand it. Make it better & see if you can bring in some summer revenue....This would only help in bullet 2 above, by having a "draw" to a new lift with "access" to the summit having to go through Bullwinkles.
-A detach to the summit seems silly & an extra headache.

To me the best news in all of this is: More than doubling the water flow 4500 gpm to 10000 gpm !!!

The most disappointing news: Bobs Clam Hut is GONE !!

The reality & most exciting news: I will be skiing within a MONTH !!!!

 

[Newpylong]

All seems good to me - though that's a big wish list.

 

[Smellytele]

Bullwinkles is too small and needs to be expanded. Don't know if the food is any good there because I have never found a table after walking through all the skis left on the ground in front of the place. Just take a leak and leave

 

[deadheadskier]

Agreed. Very difficult to get a seat on the weekends at Bullwinkles.

I'd rather an new venue at the top of Whiffletree over an expanded Bullwinkles though. It probably doesn't make as much business sense as you wouldn't capitalize on summer revenue, but I typically prefer skiing over on that side of the mountain. Would be nice to be able to grab lunch while skiing of King Pine chair without going down to the base.

 

[skiMEbike]

Bullwinkles is too small and needs to be expanded. Don't know if the food is any good there because I have never found a table after walking through all the skis left on the ground in front of the place. Just take a leak and leave

I typically don't even bother to go in....I usually just piss on the skis laying on the ground.

 

[Jully]

Let's just say this is a "vision" versus a plan...It's nice to see the excitement, however I am amazed they are announcing such radical capital improvements given the state of CNL. Anyways, I'll "play along" pretend this will ALL happen & provide my all important "customer" feedback that I know the Loaf values so much:
- Extending KPine is a waste, especially considering they "WILL" add a T-Bar to access Brackett....Why ruin the trail pod at king pine by adding an unnecessary useless flat run out (btw this is not intended to get us into a discussion of what is or is not a "pod").
-I like the idea of replacing Bucksaw especially if there's consideration/method to get to the summit....I can't tell if they are "proposing" a base to summit lift with an load/unload or two lifts.....HOWEVER, I believe having the bucksaw lift base in the same area as the old one kind of defeats the purpose & will not draw the skier traffic there, because it is too far from the masses (base area). I don't have the solution, but somehow getting the masses closer to the lift or getting the lift closer to the masses needs to happen to in order draw the skiers to use a new lift there.
-Restaurant at top of WTree seems overkill, except on the busiest of weekends....Running that place in the dead of winter seems like a waste of money to build up all that infrastructure when you have it over on the West Side of the Mtn at Bullwinkles....To me it would make better since to expand on what you have at Bullwinkles...Expand it. Make it better & see if you can bring in some summer revenue....This would only help in bullet 2 above, by having a "draw" to a new lift with "access" to the summit having to go through Bullwinkles.
-A detach to the summit seems silly & an extra headache.

To me the best news in all of this is: More than doubling the water flow 4500 gpm to 10000 gpm !!!

The most disappointing news: Bobs Clam Hut is GONE !!

The reality & most exciting news: I will be skiing within a MONTH !!!!

From the power point proposed, the bucksaw replacement is not going to have a base where the old one did. It's going to be a pulse gondola with two chains of 15 cabins each installed in 2024 I think. It's going to have a base at the superquad and then turn at the old bucksaw base, then continue up to Bullwinkle's.

 

[skiMEbike]

From the power point proposed, the bucksaw replacement is not going to have a base where the old one did. It's going to be a pulse gondola with two chains of 15 cabins each installed in 2024 I think. It's going to have a base at the superquad and then turn at the old bucksaw base, then continue up to Bullwinkle's.

I assume you know the powerpoint from the Sugarloaf chat is not real....It's someone's pie in the sky dream....HOWEVER the discussions in the thread are "real", and were supposedly discussed this past weekend at Sugarloaf's homecoming (I think...If its on the internet it must be truth).