The "Sugarbush Thread"

[cdskier]

They also have been like manually feeding every NRX chair thru the detachable transition in the load station l. The infrastructure is problematic.

Yup...I noticed that too. That chain drive system in the terminal is problematic. I feel like I remember trailboss pointing out this as a potential (or past) issue with NRX several years ago as well.

 

[Kingslug20]

Aren’t you retired?

Have visitors...

 

[Lotso]

HG back and running.

BTW- My mention of ME parking was just to point out that the Red Headed Stepchild of VT (Pico is its sibling) is bringing them in like the olden days of Glen Ellen (yes, I am that old) as it should with its terrain.

As for Inverness, the tarp went up on Tuesday I think. Must be something significant.

 

[Kingslug20]

Back at ellen....lookin good...

 

[KustyTheKlown]

could get used to a view like this out my living room window. ellen trails upper right

my dad mentioned yesterday that he wanted to buy a unit in high ridge at killington as a rental property in the 90s but my mom didn’t want to rent to strangers. goddamnit mom.

 

[tumbler]

So you need to buy a rental condo up here and use it. Air BnB doing very good here.

 

[shadyjay]

Yup...I noticed that too. That chain drive system in the terminal is problematic. I feel like I remember trailboss pointing out this as a potential (or past) issue with NRX several years ago as well.

Never did like working that lift. 1990 detach tech (NRX) vs 1995 detach tech (SBX/SB/GH) is completely different. Granted, two different manufacturers, but still.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Never did like working that lift. 1990 detach tech (NRX) vs 1995 detach tech (SBX/SB/GH) is completely different. Granted, two different manufacturers, but still.

First gen detach tech is challenging, regardless of manufacturer. The old Dopp DS model had a similar set of challenges to the early Poma machines. That cadence chain issue has been tricky on NRX for a while. I remember being frustrated with it in the mid-aughts. But I'd wager cost to retrofit the system would be prohibitive. Wonder if it's on the replacement list anytime soon. So much incredible terrain easily lapped from that lift.

 

[Kingslug20]

At Bolton..looking at bravo webcam..looks a bit empty?

 

[cdskier]

At Bolton..looking at bravo webcam..looks a bit empty?

Most lifts were virtually ski on at LP pretty much all morning. Maybe if you timed it wrong you waited a minute or two.

 

[thetrailboss]

Yup...I noticed that too. That chain drive system in the terminal is problematic. I feel like I remember trailboss pointing out this as a potential (or past) issue with NRX several years ago as well.

NRX had a cadence chain system when I was there way back when. Sounds like it is still in operation. I thought I had read that they had retrofitted it but apparently not.

If it were me, this lift would be next on the replacement list. It is a critical lift and is now 30+ years old and one relocation that was done half-assed by the competitor. I posted in here years ago the summary of stories of its relocation I had heard from SB longtimers or staff. One was that Doppelmayr folks showed up one day at the mountain ops office with a box full of parts after moving the lift. They had one question--"where do these go?"

 

[Kingslug20]

Guess everyone went home?

 

[Kingslug20]

Anyway..hope it snows..

 

[thetrailboss]

Guess everyone went home?

All left to you, now.....

 

[WinS]

Not sure if that is correct but it may be. When the Poma lift was installed by Poma under Claneil’s owner in the 80’s it was a top drive and thought to be the “fastest lift in America. Les Otten had it relocated by Dopplemayr the summer he made his $20 million in Capital Improvements. Thus, neither manufacturer took full accountability. We had Dopplemyr install a new drive system a few years ago which helped and we had a new motor installed, and all the towers were re-wired too, so a lot is newer than 30 years old. The chain system is still there I believe. It was when sold to AMC. We did wonder if it was haunted at times

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Yea I got a shit load of skiing done from 8-1045 this morning at LP. no crowds at all. great weekend just got home

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Not sure if that is correct but it may be. When the Poma lift was installed by Poma under Claneil’s owner in the 80’s it was a top drive and thought to be the “fastest lift in America. Les Otten had it relocated by Dopplemayr the summer he made his $20 million in Capital Improvements. Thus, neither manufacturer took full accountability. We had Dopplemyr install a new drive system a few years ago which helped and we had a new motor installed, and all the towers were re-wired too, so a lot is newer than 30 years old. The chain system is still there I believe. It was when sold to AMC. We did wonder if it was haunted at times

It definitely gets tricky when mixing manufacturers. We had a similar situation here - CTEC retrofitted our 1983 Poma Alpha triple in 2001. After a few years neither manufacturer was particularly interested in supporting the machine. In the last three years we've basically returned it to a 100% LPOA lift with a new drive, new brake pump, and new tensioning system from Poma. I'm of the belief at this point that whenever possible all relocation, reengineering, or retrofitting should be done by the OEM (assuming it's one of the two big players still in the game), even if the pricetag is higher. That's probably not always possible given their extensive workload on new installs. But it would definitely be my first choice.

 

[Newpylong]

Yea...I was at ME all morning. I can verify that singles on GMX and North Ridge was about 5 minutes. Longest line I waited on was GMX around 8:30ish when it went down for 10-15 minutes. (NRX did open about 30 minutes late though...although I suppose that could be due to the GMX issue if the lift mechanics were needed to focus on that instead of opening NRX).

On the topic of lifts...anyone know what's up with Inverness lift? I heard while waiting in line some people talking about it having a potentially not-so-simple/quick issue but they didn't know more details. There's also a tarp over the front of the bottom terminal, which would also lead me to believe there's something pretty significant going on with it.

Are they letting the public on the T instead?

 

[cdskier]

Are they letting the public on the T instead?

Not that I'm aware of. You can still get to the Inverness trails via Northway...right now not a major issue as Walt's and Semi-Tough are a bit on the thin side so less traffic isn't a bad thing on that pod. The bigger issue is there's no real backup if GMX goes down for any reason. At least if Inverness is running that gives you a way out of the base to get to NRX.

 

[thetrailboss]

Not that I'm aware of. You can still get to the Inverness trails via Northway...right now not a major issue as Walt's and Semi-Tough are a bit on the thin side so less traffic isn't a bad thing on that pod. The bigger issue is there's no real backup if GMX goes down for any reason. At least if Inverness is running that gives you a way out of the base to get to NRX.

Is Inverness (the trail) still mostly closed for race training? I liked skiing that run every now and then. The Inverness area was not at all skied and pretty fun IMHO.