urungus
Well-known member
It’s official … cost reported as $20 million … opening date scheduled for December 9, 2025 … https://www.telegram.com/story/spor...high-speed-6-passenger-chairlift/75035454007/
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Wachusett replacing Polar Express summit lift with new 6-pack
- Thread starter urungus
- Start date
machski
Well-known member
Wow, $20 million for a UNI-G 6 Pack. And that line is nothing huge, damn things have gone up quite a bit.
A thousand vertical HS6 costs $20M now?
That's insane.
Waterville put theirs in for $9M in 2022.
That's insane.
Waterville put theirs in for $9M in 2022.
machski
Well-known member
Can't count Watervilles, they got a huge discount being the first to install an MND detachable chair in North America. And now that is a one and only lift since the collaboration between MND and Bartholet is dissolved.
How much was Loon's?
I tried searching that and couldn't find the cost.
I just find the $20M price suspect.
I tried searching that and couldn't find the cost.
I just find the $20M price suspect.
machski
Well-known member
I don't know exactly on Loon's Kanc8, but have heard SR Jordan 8 pegged around $40 million. But hat also came with a ton of blasting and excavation (basically they blew the top of Jordan off with that project). I think B6 was around $28 million. Both of those are D Line with heated and bubbled carriers, plus fully enclosed terminals to rack the chairs.
Nuts. NH should have taken that $30M Team deal I guess. $40M for a chairlift? Even with blast?
machski
Well-known member
I can't confirm but I have heard that number a bunch. Jordan wasn't just "a blast," the tope of that peak and into Oz was totally regraded in addition to the lift. The amount of earthwork they did is still staggering to me, not to mention the amount of blasting down Carumba as well. This could also include some of the new snowmaking infrastructure they ran up to Oz and Jordan.
Sugarbush's new Heaven's Gate is costing $3.2 Million and it's a FGQ. That $20 Million does seem steep unless the went D-Line, but Liftblog doesn't have Polar tagged as such.
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The more I think about this, the more I think this industry is screwed and heading for more contraction if a short HS6 costs $20M these days.
Doing some basic math, taking out the maintenance and operational costs (which I would be curious to know what those estimates are per year) and assuming cash was paid for a 30 year lift, that cost is mind-blowing.
Wachusett would need to sell 666 passes a year for 30 years at $1000 a piece just to cover the cash purchase price of that one lift.
Between worsening temps for skiing / snow and infrastructure costs like that, how does the industry maintain its current participation rate? Assume population growth keeps it going?
I would have guessed maybe $8M for that type of chair.
Owners at Dopplemeyer must be sitting pretty though.
Doing some basic math, taking out the maintenance and operational costs (which I would be curious to know what those estimates are per year) and assuming cash was paid for a 30 year lift, that cost is mind-blowing.
Wachusett would need to sell 666 passes a year for 30 years at $1000 a piece just to cover the cash purchase price of that one lift.
Between worsening temps for skiing / snow and infrastructure costs like that, how does the industry maintain its current participation rate? Assume population growth keeps it going?
I would have guessed maybe $8M for that type of chair.
Owners at Dopplemeyer must be sitting pretty though.
thebigo
Well-known member
I suspect we are going to find out this is a D-Line. Stephen Kircher refers to D-Lines as 50 year lifts in the Storm Skiing podcast.
Zand
Well-known member
That lift is a workhorse so that may be why they would go D-Line if it gets it a longer lifespan. It runs ~14 hours a day for 4.5 months and pretty much every weekend in the summer and fall.
The quad had its fair share of issues over the years but it doesn't feel nearly as old when you ride it as some of the Pomas of the early 90s (eg Rams Head, Bush North Ridge) feel. Dopps seem to hold together a little better.
The quad had its fair share of issues over the years but it doesn't feel nearly as old when you ride it as some of the Pomas of the early 90s (eg Rams Head, Bush North Ridge) feel. Dopps seem to hold together a little better.
Keelhauled
Active member
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Seems like that note about "auto-closure, self-locking restraining bars" might be a tell that it's going to be D-Line. I don't think that's a feature available on the UNI-G terminals(?).
Agreed that $20M is insane for this length lift. A D-Line seems overkill for Wachusett, but based on the price that's likely what this seems to be.
I'll bet Sugarbush's NRX replacement ends up being well under $20M. It won't be a fancy D-Line (which isn't needed anyway).
What is the cost difference for a D line vs standard? What do you get for that money?
Escort on the lift???
Escort on the lift???
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Park City's 10 person Sunshine gondola has a project cost of $27M ( it is going to be a significant 6,500 feet long), so these things are really creeping up in capex. That's said, that almost seems "cheap" compared to $20M for a much shorter chairlift.
$20 mill seems like a lot for a lift. Of course there may be some other related work (removal of the old lift, excavation, trail improvements, etc.) that are wrapped into that. But yes, $20 mill seems like a lot.
ss20
Well-known member
As others have said... if it's a D-Line, that cost may be justified. I am not sure if all D-lines are direct drive (no gearbox) but if that's the route they go I'd imagine that would save a ton of maintenance given that lift starts and stops every 90 seconds.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Yes they are all Direct Drive.
Lotta coin for that lift though, wow. It does make sense to go 6 and have the flexibility of adjusting uphill capacity though.
Lotta coin for that lift though, wow. It does make sense to go 6 and have the flexibility of adjusting uphill capacity though.