Sunday River 22-23

[powderseeker]

Sunday River just announced that the second Merrill Hill chairlift will open next year. Apparently, those trails are a little bit steeper than the frontside, but still only 495 vertical. The edited photo that Sunday River posted shows the lift going all the way down to the main road to Jordan, but that doesn't look like it could be right when I compare the terrain map to what they depict: this would result in a vertical drop of about 700 feet.

I also hope that this effort is separate from the Barker replacement and that we get a new Barker lift this summer, as so many rumors are saying.

 

[Andrew B.]

I think it would be fairly easy to drag a well drilling rig up there to drill a well. Sewage may be the tough issue, soil is proably pretty thin up there to install a leach field,

If they blasted enough it shouldn’t be a problem.
The cost to truck the media for the leach field will be steep. Pun intended.

 

[thetrailboss]

Sunday River just announced that the second Merrill Hill chairlift will open next year. Apparently, those trails are a little bit steeper than the frontside, but still only 495 vertical. The edited photo that Sunday River posted shows the lift going all the way down to the main road to Jordan, but that doesn't look like it could be right when I compare the terrain map to what they depict: this would result in a vertical drop of about 700 feet.

I also hope that this effort is separate from the Barker replacement and that we get a new Barker lift this summer, as so many rumors are saying.

I was going to say the same thing about Barker. It is nice to expand the RE ski offerings, but when a main lift is limping....

 

[Newpylong]

How does this 'set the stage for future expansion into the Western Reserve beyond Jordan Bowl.'? It's not really in the same direction at all.

 

[2Planker]

What's the wager that Barker will/won't happen this summer ???

 

[drjeff]

What's the wager that Barker will/won't happen this summer ???

Barker 6 Chairlift | Sunday River

The Barker 6 is a new Doppelmayr D-Line chairlift that seats six skiers per chair and features weather-blocking bubbles coming in winter 2023-24 to replace the current Barker Mountain Express.

www.sundayriver.com

Bet the under there 2Planker

Heated seats D-Line Bubble 6 with a red bubbles per the press release

 

[Edd]

A bubble 6 at Barker, I’ll be damned.

 

[2Planker]

Barker 6 Chairlift | Sunday River

The Barker 6 is a new Doppelmayr D-Line chairlift that seats six skiers per chair and features weather-blocking bubbles coming in winter 2023-24 to replace the current Barker Mountain Express.

www.sundayriver.com

Bet the under there 2Planker

Heated seats D-Line Bubble 6 with a red bubbles per the press release

Old article.
Franz & Klaus were based out of N Conway all last summer and they were VERY skeptical that it would happen this summer.
Seems that a few other projects needed to be moved up.... We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Edd]

Today.

Sunday River on Instagram: "Merrill Hill is just the beginning. Coming winter 2023-24, the Barker 6 will take its place as the fastest 6-person chairlift in North America, and the next transformative step in the Sunday River 2030 Plan. Learn more at

4,484 likes, 94 comments - sundayriver on February 16, 2023: "Merrill Hill is just the beginning. Coming winter 2023-24, the Barker 6 will take its place as the fastest 6-person chairlift in North America, and the next transformative step in the Sunday River 2030 Plan. Learn more at the link in...

www.instagram.com

 

[thebigo]

Is that seven lift installs between SR and Loon over three years?

 

[machski]

Is that seven lift installs between SR and Loon over three years?

Yes, and 8 if you count SL now getting in on it this summer. If we count racing T-bars, it's 9.

 

[powderseeker]

I also hope that this effort is separate from the Barker replacement and that we get a new Barker lift this summer, as so many rumors are saying.

That answers my question, almost immediately.

One thing I noticed is that we are only getting a capacity increase of 250 people per hour, from 3000 (as per liftblog), to 3250. I believe someone had said that the current Barker lift wasn't running at full speed due to its age and mechanical issues, so I guess the real amount could be higher. I have definitely noticed the faster and smoother ride on the Jordan 8 this year, which will be nice, along with the wind-hold improvements.

I'm also curious about what the construction schedule looks like. Will they close the Barker Quad earlier than usual this spring as they did with Jordan last year? Will this affect when Barker opens next fall, usually second only to the Locke Triple? If I remember correctly, they expanded out to Aurora and Jordan earlier than normal on the year that Spruce was out; maybe they will do that next year, given that the new snowmaking capacity will be coming online out there.

 

[drjeff]

Old article.
Franz & Klaus were based out of N Conway all last summer and they were VERY skeptical that it would happen this summer.
Seems that a few other projects needed to be moved up.... We'll just have to wait and see.

I grabbed this off of SR's social media feeds posted today, and Stuart Winchester from the Storm Skiing Podcast is alos reporting this today.

Bet the under!

 

[drjeff]

That answers my question, almost immediately.

One thing I noticed is that we are only getting a capacity increase of 250 people per hour, from 3000 (as per liftblog), to 3250. I believe someone had said that the current Barker lift wasn't running at full speed due to its age and mechanical issues, so I guess the real amount could be higher. I have definitely noticed the faster and smoother ride on the Jordan 8 this year, which will be nice, along with the wind-hold improvements.

I'm also curious about what the construction schedule looks like. Will they close the Barker Quad earlier than usual this spring as they did with Jordan last year? Will this affect when Barker opens next fall, usually second only to the Locke Triple? If I remember correctly, they expanded out to Aurora and Jordan earlier than normal on the year that Spruce was out; maybe they will do that next year, given that the new snowmaking capacity will be coming online out there.

The reality is they can make a chair carry as many or as few as they choose (there is a maximum based on allowable line speed and a "reasonable" amount of time to load/unload the chairs in the base and top terminals, but just because a lift goes from a 4 to a 6 or even a 4 to an 8, doesn't necessarily mean that it's hourly capacity will go up 50%, it's all about what the operator of the lift feels is a reasonable amount of capacity and then how many chairs they order to make that happen with the loading intervals they have selected.

 

[Newpylong]

This along with the below snowmaking in the off season at minimum:

3 Valve Houses's at SR: aurora, Oz and south ridge (and cutting in the new feed line from North Peak to Jordan with the rest of the pumps on North Peak)
2 VH's at SL: west Mt summit and Trail 8/3
1 VH at PL: summit
14,000 ft of new pipe for Pleasant

The Agony water line at SR is indeed split (cracked) in places, possibly will be replaced/repaired this year but unknown as of yet.

 

[thebigo]

This along with the below snowmaking in the off season at minimum:

3 Valve Houses's at SR: aurora, Oz and south ridge (and cutting in the new feed line from North Peak to Jordan with the rest of the pumps on North Peak)
2 VH's at SL: west Mt summit and Trail 8/3
1 VH at PL: summit
14,000 ft of new pipe for Pleasant

The Agony water line at SR is indeed split (cracked) in places, possibly will be replaced/repaired this year but unknown as of yet.

What is the total pipe length at pleasant? In other words, what percent is 14K'? Do they double count air and water pipe?

 

[Newpylong]

No clue on how much mileage they have. 14K would be linear feet total whether air or water.

 

[skef]

The reality is they can make a chair carry as many or as few as they choose […]

Beyond the machine, there’s also line management. I was underwhelmed with Loon’s (in)ability to fill all eight seats on the Kanc8, at least initially. They’ve since fiddled with the singles line(s) and things are looking a little better now. To fully utilize a 6- or 8-pack requires more active line management than we’ve seen at either Loon or SR, generally.

 

[bigbob]

This along with the below snowmaking in the off season at minimum:

3 Valve Houses's at SR: aurora, Oz and south ridge (and cutting in the new feed line from North Peak to Jordan with the rest of the pumps on North Peak)
2 VH's at SL: west Mt summit and Trail 8/3
1 VH at PL: summit
14,000 ft of new pipe for Pleasant

The Agony water line at SR is indeed split (cracked) in places, possibly will be replaced/repaired this year but unknown as of yet.

I would assume that Agony would be widened to accommodate the 6-pack lift. This could require the snowmaking lines to be relocated back into the woods or at the edge of the trail. I saw it yesterday while ridding the Barker lift. Water hydrants are still installed, no visible air hydrants.

 

[machski]

I would assume that Agony would be widened to accommodate the 6-pack lift. This could require the snowmaking lines to be relocated back into the woods or at the edge of the trail. I saw it yesterday while ridding the Barker lift. Water hydrants are still installed, no visible air hydrants.

Correct, they pulled the air hydrants though it's the water line that is shot. Agony will get widened, but I believe it is mostly skier's left and the cut backs done to date taking thei treeline to the Snowmaking lines are likely the extent of it. The entrance where Agony splits from TG will likely get widened and look more obvious. Outside chance that entrance rocky ledge gets blasted down a bit too.

The mountain said the definitive install timeline is yet to be solidified but Indicated Barker would operate at least into early April. I don't think as much earthen work will be required on this project so that buys them some time over Jordan. But I would expect a shift for late April (my guess is Chondi access and Spruce and/or Aurora terrain) but also hearing it will be Jordan and the reason they cut the trail thru the new Outpost to the Jordan lot and down to the lift. Though that does not have Snowmaking, so I would say plan is fluid depending on March weather. The fall, I would bet back to the Chondi Upload to Spruce or Aurora from a few years ago. That is likely fluid too depending on progress with the 6 and how much equipment they need to move in and around Barker for that.