What's your favorite current ski lift manufacturer?

[Conrad]

Did Poma ever do any substantial aesthetics changes to their lifts in the 90s? Fixed or detachable.

I don't know about then, but detachable lifts built by Poma now have wooden ceilling/floors (visible in one of the pictures I used at the beginning of the thread). A video explained that this was both for aesthetic purposes along with noise reduction.

Nice to see you here stupidestskier20

 

[BenedictGomez]

Klingons prefer Doppelmayr, The Federation is a big fan of Poma. I just like a lift that works and is not on wind hold.

 

[thetrailboss]

Nice. I was pretty partial to Poma, considering that most Sugarbush lifts were Poma. And most Vermont resorts use Poma since they have had an sales office in the state for a long time--first in Woodstock and now in Stockbridge. But most places out here use Doppelmayr/CTEC and I've got to say that their lifts are pretty nice.

 

[thetrailboss]

Yan! Yes, I'm serious. It's a great story with an owner who took risks and dreamed. Too bad he's either in Mexico or dead :-(

Though the guy is now pretty notorious, you have to admit that his company did a lot for ski lift technology and really fueled a lot of ski area expansion thanks to their overbuilt, relatively inexpensive to buy, and aesthetically interesting lifts. Look at Sunday River, Killington/Pico, Snow, and even Deer Valley. These places grew very fast in the late 1970's and through the 1980's. All Yan lifts. Now the detachable thing was a big mistake, but a lot of their fixed grips are still operating...albeit with probably different bullwheels.

For current manufacturers, I'd say Dopp. Their HS terminals look so futuristic with the black windows on white. Poma was great, but their lack of custom lifts really sent them down the drain, in my book. Did Poma ever do any substantial aesthetics changes to their lifts in the 90s? Fixed or detachable.

Yeah good point. The Alpha Terminal hasn't really changed much for the fixed grip line, but their detach lifts do have some pretty nice looking terminals (including the new one at Burke). Their chairs have changed a lot...as has their detachable grips. If I have time tomorrow I will post some pics from different Poma chairs through the years and from different places.

This is nothing compared to the forum at www.skilifts.org

OK, I'm a nerd. I like reading the technical stuff in there. Those guys are all lift techs at resorts. I personally think that lift engineering combines two interests of mine--tech stuff and skiing.

And someone mentioned Hall. As far as I am concerned there are enough of them still going, and in fact a lot of them are resold and wanted, to make them a current lift I guess you can say. Halls are damn good lifts. Lots of smaller places use them and they are well built.

 

[Rambo]

I read somewhere that there is a "high speed ropetow" that will go 13mph which is the same speed as a high speed quad.

 

[Smellytele]

I read somewhere that there is a "high speed ropetow" that will go 13mph which is the same speed as a high speed quad.

The poma at Burke is faster than the new quad.

 

[from_the_NEK]

The poma at Burke is faster than the new quad.

Burke's Poma (surface lift) used to be the fastest lift on the mountain until the lower HSQ was installed. I think it is capable of running at 700fpm but they only run it at 500-550fpm to reduce wear. The old Willoughby (CTEC) fixed grip quad runs at around 400 fpm. The new Mid-Burke Express which is capable of 1000fpm (they run it at 800) is definitely faster than the surface Poma.

My vote went to Leitner-Poma. There new terminals look really nice, and the wood paneling is a nice touch. And if I were a lift tech, I think I would prefer the Poma terminal over the Doppl. The interior looks like it has a lot more room to work on things.

 

[Newpylong]

Poma

 

[from_the_NEK]

This is nothing compared to the forum at www.skilifts.org

The SkiLifts site seems to be down. I love that site.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Anyone else having issues getting to SkiLifts.org? I hope the site hasn't shut down. I know they had planned on upgrading it about a year ago but it never happened.

 

[Smellytele]

Burke's Poma (surface lift) used to be the fastest lift on the mountain until the lower HSQ was installed. I think it is capable of running at 700fpm but they only run it at 500-550fpm to reduce wear. The old Willoughby (CTEC) fixed grip quad runs at around 400 fpm. The new Mid-Burke Express which is capable of 1000fpm (they run it at 800) is definitely faster than the surface Poma.

Last time I was there the Surface Poma was running faster than the new Quad. The New quad went down for 2 hrs or so and when they reopened it it was running slower than the Poma for the rest of the day.

 

[ss20]

Anyone else having issues getting to SkiLifts.org? I hope the site hasn't shut down. I know they had planned on upgrading it about a year ago but it never happened.

I've been unable to get to it for a week. BUT, I knew this day was coming. There haven't been any site updates. I tried joining the forum a year ago, and waited for an admin to let me in. Never did. SO, I decided to back-up all the instillation reports and the glossary on my computer's hard drive, since it appeared no one was running the site. Turns out nobody was. Anybody need any lift records can PM me.
RIP Skilifts.org and teachski

 

[vermonter44]

Ya I've been trying to get on but haven't been able to

 

[ss20]

Yes, skilifts.org has been down for about a week now. BUT, I knew this day was coming (that's a little more dramatic than I wanted it to come out). About a year ago I tried joining the forum there. I waited for weeks, but my confirmation e-mail never came (so I was never able to post). I tried to email one of the admins, but never got a response. That and the site never being updated led me to believe that nobody was taking care of the site, and one day, it would go dead. So I backed up all the instillation reports and the glossary. PM me if anybody wants some data, I'd be glad to help.

RIP Skilifts.org and teachski

 

[TheNotoriousZIG]

the fast ones!

 

[ScottySkis]

the fast ones!

And I like fast and slow ones that keep away crowds.

 

[Nick]

They shut down with no announcement or anything? anyone find anything else about it?

 

[Nick]

Yes, skilifts.org has been down for about a week now. BUT, I knew this day was coming (that's a little more dramatic than I wanted it to come out). About a year ago I tried joining the forum there. I waited for weeks, but my confirmation e-mail never came (so I was never able to post). I tried to email one of the admins, but never got a response. That and the site never being updated led me to believe that nobody was taking care of the site, and one day, it would go dead. So I backed up all the instillation reports and the glossary. PM me if anybody wants some data, I'd be glad to help.

RIP Skilifts.org and teachski

I never saw them but if there is a way to preserve that data we could re purpose it potentially somewhere on the site here so it remains available. Send me a PM or email (nick@alpinezone.com)

 

[Conrad]

I never saw them but if there is a way to preserve that data we could re purpose it potentially somewhere on the site here so it remains available. Send me a PM or email (nick@alpinezone.com)

Google has stored most of the data from skilifts.org except the photos. Like some other people, I downloaded all of the lift surveys so I can use it to research lifts. But I'm giving up on the website not coming back just yet.

 

[Nick]

Yeah absolutely. Hope it does come back. I meant if it does not. By Google, do you mean cached pages or is it stored by structured data? Either way there is always the Wayback Machine!