The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Hawk]

I'm in the same boat...with both of my kids being in college next year, it's gonna be a lot more solo days at SB for me. Need someone to show me the ropes in Slidebrook. Howie has offered and I will take him up on it hopefully sooner rather than later.

Howie knows his sh*t. He won't get you into any trouble. This year was not a good year for that. The snow ran out at the bottom early.

 

[HowieT2]

Howie knows his sh*t. He won't get you into any trouble. This year was not a good year for that. The snow ran out at the bottom early.

Thanks but not sure how much I'm going to be around next season. My daughter graduates at the end of the month and is moving to denver so I have to go there and I just booked BC too. Hawk, you should meet me at whitewater. blow your mind.

 

[Slidebrook87]

Interesting to hear that Heaven's Gate is getting replaced, or at least is planning to be. I really don't think a fixed-grip quad would be a huge upgrade, but we'll see.

 

[cdskier]

Interesting to hear that Heaven's Gate is getting replaced, or at least is planning to be. I really don't think a fixed-grip quad would be a huge upgrade, but we'll see.

I think a fixed-grip quad is really the most logical and appropriate choice for HG. You don't need a high speed lift up there. Lowering the profile to reduce wind issues in a few spots is a big upgrade. A brand new lift in and of itself is a rather significant upgrade as well as in theory it would be more reliable just by virtue of being a brand new lift.

 

[Hawk]

Let me see, a new lift, that is reliable and does not breakdown every week, that is heavier and lower profile so wind does not effect it and also has slightly higher capacity. No.......No upgrade there. LOL

 

[tumbler]

LOL indeed. I'm not sure how lower profile it can get, maybe at the section below where Spills ends but the top terminal is pretty tucked in there. Towers could get a little lower but they are not going to be blocked from the north wind coming from lookers right. To Hawks point the heavier chairs will probably make the most difference. Also it would be good to move the bottom terminal uphill a bit to make more space for the corral and people milling around. It's always an adventure coming from Ripcord and making to hard right turn to get into the corral.

 

[Hawk]

I agree about the reworking of the bottom area. I think they can also regrade and add some material to enlarge the platform where the line forms. It will be really nice to have a more reliable lift there.

 

[skiur]

Reworking anything makes act 250 approval more difficult and lengthy. Has it been applied for yet?

 

[HowieT2]

new heavens gate lift is probably the biggest improvement they can do at lincoln peak. will be obviously more reliable which is of utmost importance but also faster and higher capacity.
would like to see a new nrx over at mt ellen too. should that be a hsq or would a fixed grip do?

 

[djd66]

would like to see a new nrx over at mt ellen too. should that be a hsq or would a fixed grip do?

Not sure why they would replace an already HSQ with a fixed grip,... That would be a major downgrade for that POD

 

[jimmywilson69]

I really don't think a fixed-grip quad would be a huge upgrade, but we'll see.

 

[cdskier]

Not sure why they would replace an already HSQ with a fixed grip,... That would be a major downgrade for that POD

Yup...NRX covers more vertical than any other lift at Sugarbush and is really the "main" lift at ME as it gives access to the majority of terrain in a single lift. If there's any single lift that should be an HSQ...it should be that one.

 

[slatham]

HG = FGQ is best solution IMHO. Adjusting profile to help with wind encouraged. Bottom terminal area improvement a must. Not sure how much added Act 250 work there is - they did major changes to top and bottom at VH and got it done.

Agree NRX should stay HSQ. I would think a major overall by the manufacturer could do the trick. Approaching 30 so probably needed.

 

[tumbler]

The problem with NRX is that it is a fraken-lift. Built by Poma, moved by Dopp and I'm not sure who is the vendor now. Skytrack?

 

[djd66]

Yup...NRX covers more vertical than any other lift at Sugarbush and is really the "main" lift at ME as it gives access to the majority of terrain in a single lift. If there's any single lift that should be an HSQ...it should be that one.

It my favorite lift at Sugarbush - no runout, all vertical and a lot of options.

 

[cdskier]

Agree NRX should stay HSQ. I would think a major overall by the manufacturer could do the trick. Approaching 30 so probably needed.

I think it needs a complete replacement. As tumbler pointed out...it was originally a Poma lift, then moved by Dopp. And then also rebuilt in 2014 by Dopp already. Time to just bite the bullet and completely replace it with a brand new lift at this point. No sense dumping more money into another rebuild on that lift.

The problem with NRX is that it is a fraken-lift. Built by Poma, moved by Dopp and I'm not sure who is the vendor now. Skytrack?

I think Dopp is still the most recent vendor. They rebuilt it in 2014. Anything since then has just been repairs as far as I can remember. I don't recall Skytrack being involved with NRX up to this point. Unless they were involved this past year to help fix the lightning strike issues.

 

[thetrailboss]

I think it needs a complete replacement. As tumbler pointed out...it was originally a Poma lift, then moved by Dopp. And then also rebuilt in 2014 by Dopp already. Time to just bite the bullet and completely replace it with a brand new lift at this point. No sense dumping more money into another rebuild on that lift.


I think Dopp is still the most recent vendor. They rebuilt it in 2014. Anything since then has just been repairs as far as I can remember. I don't recall Skytrack being involved with NRX up to this point. Unless they were involved this past year to help fix the lightning strike issues.

The NRX, former GMX, is now 32 years old. I think it has served SB very well and has earned retirement. Alterra is more interested in expanding Steamboat and Winter Park right now. Those are shinier things than replacing NRX at SB.

 

[Slidebrook87]

LOL indeed. I'm not sure how lower profile it can get, maybe at the section below where Spills ends but the top terminal is pretty tucked in there. Towers could get a little lower but they are not going to be blocked from the north wind coming from lookers right. To Hawks point the heavier chairs will probably make the most difference. Also it would be good to move the bottom terminal uphill a bit to make more space for the corral and people milling around. It's always an adventure coming from Ripcord and making to hard right turn to get into the corral.

They could take an approach like Superstar where it really hugs the ground for a little while, but that would close off a good portion of the trail which I'm not sure would be a good idea either. Personally I haven't noticed Heaven's Gate's reliability issues this year but maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[HowieT2]

Not sure why they would replace an already HSQ with a fixed grip,... That would be a major downgrade for that POD

I was just wondering because I assume a FGQ is significantly less expensive and easier to maintain.

 

[HowieT2]

They could take an approach like Superstar where it really hugs the ground for a little while, but that would close off a good portion of the trail which I'm not sure would be a good idea either. Personally I haven't noticed Heaven's Gate's reliability issues this year but maybe I've just been lucky.

My understanding is that the situation with the lift on superstar was not intentional.