Sugarloaf first visit

[urungus]

Powder Keg and Bubblecuffer Ext. are my favorite on the front side. They tend to grab all the snow blown off Nitro and Gondi respectively.

Thanks for the great advice everyone !! This mornings conditions report says they lost power for 4 hours overnight with winds gusting to 90 mph. So I am expecting some areas to be wind-scoured but the foot+ of snow that fell Sunday/Monday has got to wind up somewhere.

 

[deadheadskier]

Thought i read somewhere Timberline express was moved to a 2026 project but you are correct, liftblog still shows 2025.

Pure speculation: SL is the largest boyne property without a d line. SQ line would be perfect for an SL version of barker six. SQ could be rehabbed and moved to KP line, dropping down into bracket. Any salvageable parts on KP could be used to upgrade double runner. Result would be a modern lift fleet good for foreseeable future with significantly improved movement around the mountain.

When Superquad comes out, it's destined for the scrap heap. It's had almost as many problems over the years as the Barker Quad.

 

[machski]

When Superquad comes out, it's destined for the scrap heap. It's had almost as many problems over the years as the Barker Quad.

Possibly, but maybe not. Dopp is supposedly rehab/upgrading the Six Shooter which is a similar vintage Garaventa CTEC detach (albeit a 6 seater). They would likely do similar for a move of Superquad. I believe the fact both SQ and Whiffletree are both G-CTEC detaches to be the reason why Boyne is moving Shooter the SL. They will have 3 similar machines now to streamline MX and parts.

 

[machski]

Thought i read somewhere Timberline express was moved to a 2026 project but you are correct, liftblog still shows 2025.

Pure speculation: SL is the largest boyne property without a d line. SQ line would be perfect for an SL version of barker six. SQ could be rehabbed and moved to KP line, dropping down into bracket. Any salvageable parts on KP could be used to upgrade double runner. Result would be a modern lift fleet good for foreseeable future with significantly improved movement around the mountain.

I honestly do not see Boyne reusing any type of Borvig lift equipment. If King Pine comes out, it will be scrapped except for the drive base terminal which I believe is all new Dopp. Everything else on a DR replacement will be new (chairs, towers/cross arms and sheaves, probably add a carpet loader for beginner ease, new top return and likely a mid station).

 

[deadheadskier]

Possibly, but maybe not. Dopp is supposedly rehab/upgrading the Six Shooter which is a similar vintage Garaventa CTEC detach (albeit a 6 seater). They would likely do similar for a move of Superquad. I believe the fact both SQ and Whiffletree are both G-CTEC detaches to be the reason why Boyne is moving Shooter the SL. They will have 3 similar machines now to streamline MX and parts.

Super quad was installed in 1994. The Six Shooter was installed in 2003. Not only is it older, it probably has considerably more hours use per season. It might have the most hours on it of any active high speed chair in the East save for Superstar. I could be wrong, but it certainly seems unlikely that it gets refurbished. Probably just keep some of its parts to support Whiffletree and T Line.

 

[Zand]

Super quad was installed in 1994. The Six Shooter was installed in 2003. Not only is it older, it probably has considerably more hours use per season. It might have the most hours on it of any active high speed chair in the East save for Superstar. I could be wrong, but it certainly seems unlikely that it gets refurbished. Probably just keep some of its parts to support Whiffletree and T Line.

I would submit the soon to be defunct Wachusett summit quad to the "most used" lifts category. Wachusett usually runs a 4.5 to 5 months season and the lift runs for 12-14 hours per day. Built in 1994. Another lift that probably won't get refurbished or relocated but you never know.

 

[thetrailboss]

Super quad was installed in 1994. The Six Shooter was installed in 2003. Not only is it older, it probably has considerably more hours use per season. It might have the most hours on it of any active high speed chair in the East save for Superstar. I could be wrong, but it certainly seems unlikely that it gets refurbished. Probably just keep some of its parts to support Whiffletree and T Line.

You said what I was going to say--SQ is 31 years old and has a lot of hours on it. I don't see it as a candidate for refurbishment. Six Shooter was Moonlight Basin's main lift and has relatively fewer hours on it. Big Sky ran it more often after they took over Moonlight Basin.

Having a D-Line replace SQ makes a lot of sense, but I have to wonder if Boyne is hesitant to invest that kind of money up there. Six Shooter is the second refurbished lift to go there. Interestingly enough, Bucksaw Express is the former Swift Current from Big Sky.

 

[thebigo]

Kanc/7BX was originally a 95 install and felt like a new lift when reinstalled, still feels faster than other hsdq. Jordan was early 90s vintage as well.

Anybody know if Crest was scrapped?

 

[jimk]

A few pics to go with the comments: here

 

[thetrailboss]

Anybody know if Crest was scrapped?

Yes it was. I saw it being scrapped in the spring of 2023. It was done.

 

[machski]

Super quad was installed in 1994. The Six Shooter was installed in 2003. Not only is it older, it probably has considerably more hours use per season. It might have the most hours on it of any active high speed chair in the East save for Superstar. I could be wrong, but it certainly seems unlikely that it gets refurbished. Probably just keep some of its parts to support Whiffletree and T Line.

You could be right DHS. What I do know is SL and Boyne have spent quite a bit of money the last decade upgrading components and controls of SQ. Depends how far Dopp will be going with Shooter on its refurb to see if SQ may be a candidate. If Shooter comes out like Bucksaw, Seven Bros and Shedhorn then I would think SQ could be a candidate. If Shooter is a very light refurb (first G-CTEC that Dopp will be refurb and reinstalling for Boyne) and that's how they would do other G-CTEC detaches then maybe not.

 

[deadheadskier]

All fair points. And now that the days of new detaches costing 7 figures seem to be over maybe they do try and salvage that lift elsewhere on the mountain.

I would think maybe the double runners would be a more likely candidate for moving SQ to vs KP. Not a lot of real estate to work with at the KP unloading area for a HSQ terminal and it wasn't long ago they put a fair bit of money into it. Though dropping the base of it down lower to accommodate a better traverse experience from Burnt would be pretty great.

 

[machski]

All fair points. And now that the days of new detaches costing 7 figures seem to be over maybe they do try and salvage that lift elsewhere on the mountain.

I would think maybe the double runners would be a more likely candidate for moving SQ to vs KP. Not a lot of real estate to work with at the KP unloading area for a HSQ terminal and it wasn't long ago they put a fair bit of money into it. Though dropping the base of it down lower to accommodate a better traverse experience from Burnt would be pretty great.

Regardless of where or if they might move SQ, first they have to drop the big coin for an all new SQ. I think that lift needs to be a signature type, especially where a base to summit lift isn't in consideration.

 

[thebigo]

wind resistance has to be #1 concern for SQ replacement. A six would be a better fit but Boyne presumably has a trove of data at this point on wind preformace between six and eight.