The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Hawk]

They are awfully quiet about this installation. When sunday river did the last two they have updates and videos almost weekly. It's great advertising this time of year and gets people thinking about planning trips.

 

[mikec142]

They are awfully quiet about this installation. When sunday river did the last two they have updates and videos almost weekly. It's great advertising this time of year and gets people thinking about planning trips.

Was thinking the same thing. Assuming things are on or close to schedule, it's great advertising. And if things are behind schedule, it's always better to be upfront about it.

 

[cdskier]

I saw a couple photos on Facebook from some random person that was hiking up on the summit. Based on what is there so far, I'm not surprised Sugarbush hasn't shared much. It isn't a whole lot to brag about so far...

 

[jimmywilson69]

They just flew concrete not that long ago, right?

 

[mikec142]

Whatever the case, it's smart to keep your customers updated.

 

[cdskier]

Here's the photos that someone posted 2 days ago on Facebook (I'm assuming they were current at the time posted, but don't know for 100% certainty):

 

[mikec142]

For the uninitiated...what am I looking at here. Clearly the top terminal. But why the structure?

 

[jimmywilson69]

The intent is they are raising the unload at the top and likely bringing in a bunch of fill to do so. that way the uphill to Jester is not so bad.

 

[chuckstah]

Looks like the helicopter will be in action again tomorrow. More concrete? Or are they further along....

 

[drjeff]

For the uninitiated...what am I looking at here. Clearly the top terminal. But why the structure?

The 1st picture is of the top terminal and the structure around it is the forms for the concrete pour. The 2nd picture is of the bottom terminal, with just the rebar in place and no forms for the concrete in place.

Once the concrete is poured and cured, the steel work that will comprise the top and bottom terminal and towers, goes up relatively quick, as the vast majority of all of that, including the drives and bullwheels are all pre assembled components where the numerous pieces go in place quickly. Like a top or bottom terminal can go from just the concrete to looking like a basically fully assembled terminal in a day or 2

 

[jimmywilson69]

Especially since this is a fixed grip the top terminal is basically that tower and the bullwheel.

 

[tumbler]

They were saying that the new profile will be better at preventing wind holds but that is a very tall top terminal compared to what was there. The top 2 or 3 break over towers and unload are going to be very exposed. I like the new grading to OF and Jester but I think there will be just as many wind holds, it's on top of a 4,000' peak.

 

[Hawk]

The formwork is a Perry or symonds system. Good stuff. Goes together and strips quickly. Strong as hell. I'm Prety sure where the safey rail is in the first picture is where the off loading deck will go. It is up a bunch but keep in mind that this is now a quad chair with a slatted back so they are saying wind friction is lower and the weight of the quad chair helps a great deal.

Once they build that up it should be a nice pitch right into Ripchord and Paradise. Also the second picture shows that they did infact move the bottom terminal up the hill a bit to lengthen the loading platform and hopefully make the line area better and less conjested. Maybe.

 

[Hawk]

While they have all the equipment up there they should upgrade the snow making on the bottom half of Ripchord.

 

[tumbler]

Heavier chairs and slatted backs might help but I don't think a lot. I think your right about unload height, that's significantly higher than the old terminal. What's the issue with snowmaking on lower ripcord? The only thing to change would be to move hydrants to skiers right after the entrance to lower paradise.

 

[Hawk]

I disagree. These chairs will make a big difference but we will see.
Over the last 10 years they have struggled build a great base on the lower half of the trail. Especially on the last pitch down to the lift. Last year they blew the lower section for 4 to 5 days and there were several nearly bear patches that they had to push snow around. The middle section is really wide and could use more guns and maybe a line on both sides to cover. Why not improve it now when they have the equiment.

 

[Newpylong]

I disagree. These chairs will make a big difference but we will see.
Over the last 10 years they have struggled build a great base on the lower half of the trail. Especially on the last pitch down to the lift. Last year they blew the lower section for 4 to 5 days and there were several nearly bear patches that they had to push snow around. The middle section is really wide and could use more guns and maybe a line on both sides to cover. Why not improve it now when they have the equiment.

Not only is the equipment on site not applicable to snowmaking installation, neither are the employees/contractors.

Ripcord at no point is particularly wide, certainly nothing that would require pipe on the opposite side which very rarely could be used anyway due to prevailing wind. It sounds like they either had some operational difficulties, had flowing water, or the hydrant/gun spacing is not dense enough.

 

[cdskier]

Not only is the equipment on site not applicable to snowmaking installation, neither is the staff.

Ripcord at no point is particularly wide, certainly nothing that would require pipe on the opposite side which very rarely could be used anyway due to wind. It sounds like they either had some operational difficulties, had flowing water, or the hydrant/gun spacing is not dense enough.

I feel like lower Ripcord often takes a rather lengthy amount of hours to get coverage. My suspicion is the last item you mentioned with the hydrant spacing density not being sufficient.

 

[tumbler]

There are enough hydrants on lower rip, to Hawks point they needed more run time. With the lift they can't have towers like upper rip so they have to move the land guns around. I didn't see it as an issue last year though.

 

[Hawk]

Not only is the equipment on site not applicable to snowmaking installation, neither are the employees/contractors.

Ripcord at no point is particularly wide, certainly nothing that would require pipe on the opposite side which very rarely could be used anyway due to prevailing wind. It sounds like they either had some operational difficulties, had flowing water, or the hydrant/gun spacing is not dense enough.

My thought was since the trail is ripped up and they have access installed with a worn in work path up the trail it would be a good time. There are excavators there including sugarbush's so that equiment is certainly applicable. And the point is also why rip up the trail twice.
Also I have had many coversations with people within sugarbush mamagement in passing conversation on the lifts and in the bar. The issues with lower Ripchord have been discussed. The land guns and the width of ripchord and proximity of the lift make it hard and slow to cover it from side to side from the bottom of the steep pitch all the way to the bottom. Im not guessing or making this up. I have watched this for the last 20 years. Of course not the biggest priority but it would make sense now.