Sunday River Lift Falls Over

[Skivt2]

Not interested in skiing at a mountain without easy access to the car. Just not.

[machski]

It's been a month and not a peep out of Sunday River. This is what happens when a REIT owns a mountain: decision making is that much harder. I get that insurance settlements and permitting take time, but their options are rather limited: they need to make a decision, execute, and let the public know what is happening. Cynically, I'd say they already know they'll be no Spruce Peak lift this year, and are delaying disclosing that while there are still passes to be sold.

So, King Pine at Sugarloaf had its issue during the previius season and it took about 4 months for SL to announce what they were going to do. It's been what, about six weeks for SR? I have it on good intelligence they are awaiting insurance decisions currently, although patience on that is growing thin. My own gut says they will announce the plan by end of August if not sooner. Spruce is usable with a very short and easy hike up Serius and there is a snowmobile trail from further up Borealis to the top of Spruce. I have heard the idea floated of widening that up for access to Spruce from top of Aurora. Many options to keep the terrain in play this season.

[steamboat1]

Word is Killington will buy the chair (dirt cheap) as a South Ridge replacement.

[rogman]

It's easy to blame insurance companies, everybody hates them, but I think it's BS. No doubt the insurance company made their decision fairly quickly (lift is totalled). Seriously, what lift manufacturer in their right mind is going to fix it? Oh yeah, just flip it right side up again, and glue it down better this time? Would you trust that bullwheel after the shock it took hitting the ground? That's a lawsuit waiting to happen. That top terminal is not insurable.

And no, Sunday River isn't going to get replacement cost out of the insurance company, that would invite fraud. All they'll get is whatever it was worth before it fell over: i.e. not much. The notion that they are "still making decisions" is both ludicrous and likely. Ludicrous because they can fairly quickly get a ballpark cost and schedule from the lift manufacturers for a fast replacement (not a contract, just a "nope, not this year", or "yeah, ballpark is $$$". Personally, I can't see how they can get a lift in a few months without paying a hefty premium: lot's of people working a second shift to crank it out; it's not like they've got ski lifts on the shelf. However, it is likely CNL and Boyne are still arguing over who pays for the new lift. CNL: "We're not putting a dime in. We want out". Boyne: "It's your f'ing lift: replace it. We have a contract". Meanwhile, the insurance company is asking, "How well are your other lifts nailed down? Want insurance? We're gonna need proof".

And since nobody can understand simple declarative sentences on this board: the reason the whole walk to the lift thing is a red herring is that
1. Village buildout will take 10 to 15 years once it starts, and speaking of starting, its not like they're revving up the bulldozers.
2. Killington has a ton of options for maintaining the ability to walk to the lifts under the new plan.

[Andrew B.]

Anyone think Powdr will get a replacement for South Ridge before Boyne/CNL get a replacement for Spruce?

[junior]

Anyone think Powdr will get a replacement for South Ridge before Boyne/CNL get a replacement for Spruce?

Maybe yes. Maybe no.

[Dr. NO]

Since the chair went over in July, I would think finding a replacement on short notice AND getting it installed for the up coming season would be next to impossible. One of the big hold ups on the Snowdon triple was lack of available lift workers and the schedule for the chopper for installations. Good luck seeing a new lift by Christmas.

[Dickc]

Since the chair went over in July, I would think finding a replacement on short notice AND getting it installed for the up coming season would be next to impossible. One of the big hold ups on the Snowdon triple was lack of available lift workers and the schedule for the chopper for installations. Good luck seeing a new lift by Christmas.

All that ended up falling over is the top terminal. I would not think a new top terminal would be that hard to come by. Most are not a whole lot of steel, and, well, if they blast into that ledge to pour a good foundation, all they have to do is restring the haul rope, hang the chairs and then test the thing to the satisfaction of the Tramway board.

[Big Bob]

Since the chair went over in July, I would think finding a replacement on short notice AND getting it installed for the up coming season would be next to impossible. One of the big hold ups on the Snowdon triple was lack of available lift workers and the schedule for the chopper for installations. Good luck seeing a new lift by Christmas.

All that ended up falling over is the top terminal. I would not think a new top terminal would be that hard to come by. Most are not a whole lot of steel, and, well, if they blast into that ledge to pour a good foundation, all they have to do is restring the haul rope, hang the chairs and then test the thing to the satisfaction of the Tramway board.

And Dick C, will you be first in line to ride it??

[freeski]

I also think this is an easy fix. Replace anything bent. Maybe build a new top terminal. If the old bull wheel is okay use it. Maybe anchor it in a little better.

[skidogg]

what kind of stress did the towers have on them when the top let loose and how well are they anchored ? I won't what my name on quick fix

[Dickc]

Since the chair went over in July, I would think finding a replacement on short notice AND getting it installed for the up coming season would be next to impossible. One of the big hold ups on the Snowdon triple was lack of available lift workers and the schedule for the chopper for installations. Good luck seeing a new lift by Christmas.

All that ended up falling over is the top terminal. I would not think a new top terminal would be that hard to come by. Most are not a whole lot of steel, and, well, if they blast into that ledge to pour a good foundation, all they have to do is restring the haul rope, hang the chairs and then test the thing to the satisfaction of the Tramway board.

And Dick C, will you be first in line to ride it??

Don't know about first, but I would ride it. A properly anchored new top terminal should cure the issue.

[machski]

Not sure what they will do for this season coming up, but a chair will be in place one way or another for sure to start 2017-2018 on Spruce. Unlike South Ridge at K, that is just too big and central in the resort to leave without a lift for any significant length of time. South Ridge chair is nice, especially for those who are regulars and know how to utilize it to flow around choke points, but it does not serve the same function as the Spruce Triple at SR.

[steamboat1]

I think the last time I rode the South Ridge chair was when Killington had some kind of gas leak near the top of Skye Peak & couldn't run the SP chair. The only way out of Bear was to take the Bear chair to South Ridge. Otherwise they rarely ran South Ridge chair during the week so I didn't have much opportunity to ride it. I'm sure it would be the same if they ever install a new lift.

[DrJeff]

One thing that I don't think anyone knows, is when that top terminal failed, was it a quick, "violent" event where 1 second all is still normal and in place and then a few seconds later the top terminal and the effected chairs are on the ground? Or was it a slow, prolonged failure that occurred over minutes or even hours where the top terminal and effected chairs made their descent to the ground in a much slower, "controlled" fashion? That may play a role in what could be used again in a repair or what needs to actually be replaced?