View Full Version : New ultra-modern lift - our future in lift-serviced skiing ?
Frankontour
08-12-2003, 08:51 AM
Do you prefer the gondola cabins or the chairlifts ? (I know some of you just prefer hiking).
Well, it looks like starting next season, we will have a great choice to do at this level at Mt Orford.
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/news/images/orfordchondola01.jpg
Chairs for 6 persons
Cabins for 8 persons
Alternated ... 3 chairs, 1 gondi, 3 chairs, 1 gondi
This will run the mountain in 4,5 minutes, instead of 11-12 for the old lift.
It's the first one used in north America, if you don't count the one at Telluride which is located in the village and not in the trails. It looks like we should see more and more this kind of lift in the next years.
You can see this article for more details :
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/news/stories/106069129910131.shtm
Hmm I see that Marc Guido removed my most critical part of the article... so the article show only the good points for the ski area ;)
Depends on the Ganjula... I mean Gondola...
The one at Big Sky scared the crap out of me... It dangles between just two spots and does huge straight up vertical...
Medium sized gondolas like Killington are OK... they get a little cramped and sometimes I feel like skies are going to fall out of the slots...
The need more ventilation... :)
The big cable cars at Jackson, Snowbird and Sqawlywood are cool because they're huge...
Chairlifts withour bars scare the crap out of me too...
Also disslike chairlifts with poles in the center...
elwood
08-12-2003, 09:10 AM
I like chairlifts and gondolas. I really like the ones that go way up there. I like being really high. :D
You'd live the chair a Loveland in CO...
That one gets way the F up there... It services the ridge we used to have to hike.. At windsucking altitudes...
Bannick
08-12-2003, 09:17 AM
"Chairlifts withour bars scare the crap out of me too...
Also disslike chairlifts with poles in the center..."
Man you would so hate mount baker, tho they have replced some of the old centre pole, sans bar, double chairs with fixed grip quads as of late. The hairy thing is the elevated ramps at the unloads. They are not so bad late season when the base is big but early season they are like a drag strip. about 20-30 feet tall with a nice speed enducing incline. If you can't fgure out how to strap in on the lift you can pretty much count on a fall or 10 throughout the day.
There used to be a lift that had two of these doubles unloading on the same platform side by each.
Bannick
08-12-2003, 09:22 AM
the old peak chair on whistler had a nice drop. You don't seem to notice it as much now that it is a stable high speed detachable quad.
for these alternating chair/gondi things who decides who takes off the boards to load the gondi and who rides the chairs??? Double entrance lines? Seems pretty interesting to me.
Speaking of lifts. Has anyone ever seen the spinning tram in europe? I think it is in Italy or Austria. it is round and the cab rotates on a centre pin as it goes up. I thought I saw it in a warren miller movie once but know one can tell me where it is. If I did dream it then I have figured out how to make my millions cuz this architecture gig just don't pay. :D
elwood
08-12-2003, 09:25 AM
DMC,
I have never ridden the Loveland lift, but I have seen it. I'd like to ride it, but I usually hike to ski at Loveland pass...
One of my favorite lifts isn't that high. The good ol Castlerock lift at Sugarbush. The new one they put it is very spaced out so it doesn't take too many people up the mountain. But the thing is probably the most comfortable lift I have ever ridden. It's like riding up on a love seat.
Frankontour
08-12-2003, 09:51 AM
Personnaly, I don't really like the trams, when they go really high above the slopes. Just like the new tram between Les Arcs and La Plagne in the Alps. There is NO towers for the whole lift... only the tramhouse on both sides of the valley. So the cabin will pass at 1250' HIGH above the valley, somewhere. I would never enter in a place like that. It's a 200 people cabin.
I don't really like the gondolas, cause we need to remove our skis and put it on top. I guess the snowboarders shouldn't like that much, as it's a little bit longer than for skiers.
So YES, there will be 2 different lines-up. 1 for the ones who prefer the gondi and one for the ones who prefer the chairlift.
The big problem is that even with just the old double, there was already too much people on top for the capacity of the trail (there is also a high capacity triple chair just beside). So we actually wonder what they're going to do, as the main side (where the lift will be located) is the highest peak, but not the most popular of the resort. We all hope that they don't touch the woods and the natural trails which are the best in Quebec and equal with Jay Peak and Mad River Glen according to many sources.
5 trails on my overall top 10 best trails ever skied in my life are on this mountain side, so I'm really afraid to lose them, if there is too much skiers on this side. (#1 Contour, #2 Chevreuil, #5 Écureuil, #7 Super, #10 Passe de l'Ours)
Man o man, what's all the fuss about...Single chair preserves the snow! It's also a damn fine ale!
Frankontour
08-12-2003, 10:13 AM
Honestly, I would have prefered that they install a single chair instead of a chondola !!!
I agree to say that the single at MRG is the best lift in the east and it would really be fantastic if they were building a chair like that in Mt Shefford... which is probably the only other ski area where a single could perfecly fit.
At least, if they don't run the Rapido (triple chairlift) too much often, the snow conditions shouldn't be different than actually and it will be possible to ski more often in one day the incredible trails of the upper part of the mountain.
SkiStooge
08-12-2003, 12:57 PM
Chairs are best. (The smaller capacity ones are best, etc...Double, Triple, Quad, anything bigger, in that order)You can stretch out nicely unless you have someone with you on it. Gondolas are next best. Personally, I don't like the thought of being in what basically equates to being a ball if it were to separate from the cable in some manner. YEE HAWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! Next are Trams, which I WILL NOT use except in certain conditions, i.e. it's the only or best way up, etc. In general, they are full of too many people that are either smelly from skiing (or lack of hygene...not sure some times), pushy, rude, have major gas issues like belching, farting, etc...Also I dislike the thought of being trapped in the event of a cable separation with 50+ people as we all are sent to our crushing deaths on the piste below. Must be getting tired for rambling so...I guess I really don't care HOW I get up as long as I DO get up! lol Have fun, be safe. Al :skistooge:
Frankontour
08-12-2003, 02:09 PM
I agree with you, Stooge. Like I said to the guy who sent me the links for the new tram of 1250' above the ground : you have a much greater chance to be with an arsonist with 199 other persons than with 3 other persons in a lift :)
Btw, this is the link for this giga lift which will cost something like 30 000 000$ US. www.paradiski.com (http://www.paradiski.com)
And for the ones interested in learning the Finn, this is a link for the coming crosscountry skiing snowdome open all year long.
http://www.vesileppis.fi/leppisarena.htm
Castlerock
08-12-2003, 03:28 PM
Hey, I thought skiing was the point of all this. For my money, the best lift I know of, uncomfortable and foul smelling as it can be, is the Snowbird Tram. 3000 real vert, (no runout here) in 6 minutes.
Skilasnow
08-12-2003, 11:48 PM
RR:
Man o man, what's all the fuss about...Single chair preserves the snow! It's also a damn fine ale! HEAR! HEAR! or is it HERE HERE!
Try the 60 man Gondi at Aiguille du Midi at Chamonix on a windy day. The one ride up I took scared almost everyone on it. We were all looking at each other like it was our last ride.
Overall, a Ganjula with adequate ventilation is my fav. Next a peaceful ride on a single.
Mumster
08-13-2003, 08:16 AM
Castlerock:
For my money, the best lift I know of, uncomfortable and foul smelling as it can be, is the Snowbird Tram. 3000 real vert, (no runout here) in 6 minutes. Castlerock: I felt like I was in a cattle car going up in their tram. I can't argue with it's effectiveness. And, the cram factor keeps you warm. :cool:
Castlerock
08-13-2003, 09:06 AM
Yes, it truly is a cattle car, (also evidenced by the bovine noises from some of the passengers). If you can catch it midweek before Christmas, you might get a tram with as few as a dozen or so skier/riders. There can even be enough room to sit down! (actually difficult to do in ski boots). I guess this December might be a bit early for you. (Sorry) but then again, Spring is when THE season begins!
Mad River single is best. Castlerock next, both kinda the same terrain and both low-capacity.
Next would be the lifts which "the crowd forgot", like the north lynxx triple at the bush, and Cannonball Express Quad at Cannon. Lifts that don't go to the base lodge, and are less travelled, so you can hit them a bunch of runs in a row and have no lines even on the weekend. I guess castle rock falls into this category... and the single chair CAN beloaded mid-mountain, but it's almost impossible to find an empty chair on the weekend.
M@ :ducttape:
BladeGirl
08-13-2003, 10:16 AM
Frankontour:
Do you prefer the gondola cabins or the chairlifts ? (I know some of you just prefer hiking).
Generally chairlifts because you don't have to take off your skis (and waste all that time in the get off area putting them back on when you could be skiing!), but if the weather is bad enough (bitter cold, sleet, etc.) a gondi is a nice break.
-BG
pepperdawg
08-13-2003, 10:27 AM
Stinky Cattle car, yes but still great for people watching (Up close), and the tram at Jackson usually has jammin tunes to get ya in the right mindset....
If I remember correctly (haven't been in a few years) that Snowbird charges you extra $$ for a tram ticket....
Anywhoo - a crammed in a stinky tram beats sittign in my cubicle anyday!!!!!
:eek:
When we were traveling in Italy we saw lots of lifts that were a combination of a bench seat with a clamshel cover. Leave the skis on, but from the knees up, your'e covered...big plexi windows too!
elwood
08-13-2003, 10:41 AM
SkiStooge:
...I guess I really don't care HOW I get up as long as I DO get up! lol Have fun, be safe. Al :skistooge: What's that stoogie? Problems getting it up? :p
I agree with you guys, Trams are pretty bad. I hate the one at Jay, but you gotta do it for the good lines down...
BerkshiresBoarder
08-13-2003, 11:05 AM
Up until this year i never liked gondolas :gondola: because of how they cram as many people as possible in to them. So one day at killington, i discovered a way for my friends and i to get one for ourselves. While loading in to a gondola, make sure you get there before the other group who is suppose to ride up with you. And when getting in, take a really long time (make sure your skis or board is securely on the outside, walk slowly) Eventually, the other group will give up and load in to the next one.
Its worked 5 out of 6 times for me, and its far worth the relaxing ride up. ;)
elwood
08-13-2003, 11:10 AM
Berk,
We used to do that all the time. (I was a K-mart local for 6 years). Plus I went to school with all the lift ops, so they would hook us up. We would always get our own car, and 4:20 on the way up.
Instead of the Skyeship, we lovingly called it the Highship. :D
Bannick
08-13-2003, 11:12 AM
I used to think trams were kinda neat....the possibility of plummeting to your death with a butt load of your comrades, smelly or otherwise is kinda trippy. The novelty wore off pretty quick for me after I got beaned in the head by a set of skis that someone lost control of in the tram at Jay. Put a nice gash in the new helmet. I would have been split open if not for the lid.
I like the old rickity chairs the best especially the way they bounce and swing. Tho an emergency stop while riding the fixed grip double at Stevens Pass Washington made me lose my lunch half way down the next run. I think I used the Blackcomb Gondola more for shleping groceries up to my apartment then to get on the mountain.
I have friends who live to ride/ski and absolutely hate chairlifts of any kind. I was working at Blackcomb when that lift failed on Whistler so I make sure I recount the tale to my timid friends to pass the time on the lifts. It helps me to scope out untacked lines from the chair as they usually have their eyes shut.
Bannick
08-13-2003, 11:16 AM
RR:
When we were traveling in Italy we saw lots of lifts that were a combination of a bench seat with a clamshel cover. Leave the skis on, but from the knees up, your'e covered...big plexi windows too! Ah yes the bubble quads. They have em at whistler to shield you from the rain at lower elevations. They have em at Tremblant too to give your face relief from the bitter bitter cold.
Castlerock
08-13-2003, 12:04 PM
OK, who remembers the Onset ski area? That had a "Bubble Chair" probably similar to RRs sightings. By the way, in Googling Onset, I ran across this web site, for the history buffs..
New England Lost Ski Areas Project (http://www.nelsap.org)
Dave, they could be worth a link
BerkshiresBoarder
08-13-2003, 12:40 PM
Lol, elwood. Yeah we tried that one time and we kept the windows closed, so when we got to the top, a couple of people knew what we had been up to :clouds: . Luckily no one seemed to care. :)
Mumster
08-13-2003, 01:52 PM
Castlerock:
OK, who remembers the Onset ski area? New England Lost Ski Areas Project (http://www.nelsap.org) I remember the Crotched/Onset complex. But, I wouldn't have recognized it from the photos they posted. The Black Boar (?Bear) Inn was across the street.......
Frankontour
08-13-2003, 03:43 PM
Bannick : there was a bubble chairlift at Tremblant. They removed the chairlift when they installed the gondola on south side. This chairlift is now on the "Versant Soleil" and it doesn't have bubbles anymore.
Mont Sainte-Anne and Stoneham both have 1 covered high speed quad, in Quebec.
Personnaly, about Chairlifts vs Gondolas and Trams : I don't like the trams when they're higher than Chairlifts, which is quite common. For the rest, I don't care of the lifts, I just care for the terrain. So I have absolutely no problem to spend a 30 000' vertical day at Mont Shefford in the t-bars, to get their terrain. I prefer chairlifts if they can bring me to some equal terrain... like the ruin double chairlift of Mt Alta or the very old one of Mt Glen. I don't think any global terrain, within 4h of Montreal pass those 3 ones except The Single, Castlerock, the top of Orford (with the triple chairlift) and possibly sometimes Jay Peak. I would prefer to have some more modern lifts, but it looks almost impossible that they reach some better terrain anyway.
Bannick
08-13-2003, 04:09 PM
Looks like I need to get back to Tremblant this year. Guess there have been some changes. Tho I am not big on the crowds.
Sure, Tremblant...I'm turning right about 50 miles short and heading for Le Massif, unless I decide to go climbing on Chute Monmorency
Bannick
08-13-2003, 04:57 PM
I haven't been to Tremblant since my University days in Ottawa. I keep making the 7 hour trip to Jay instead.
Frankontour
08-13-2003, 05:17 PM
If you didn't see the gondola, there will be a lot of new things for you, in the village and in the mountain. This last one didn't changed so much, except the new side in 1999-00, but the village is now more than overcrowded by hotels, restaurants, condos, etc. There is even some condos on the flank of the mountain between the "Sentier des Pruches" and "Chalumeau" trails, with some developments everywhere. It's completely crazy and becoming quite ugly in my opinion. At least, this year, I think they're going to finally change the Lowell Thomas triple chairlift for a decent High Speed quad (info to confirm). So with that, I could ski Tremblant a little more than last years, as it will be a greater attraction than the old triple chair, to open in october or closing in june. I don't know what are their plans on this level, but there is a sure thing : if Killington is able, it's easier for Tremblant, due to the climate and due to the financial situation of Intrawest compared to ASC.
I can tell you it's a very good decision to go to Jay Peak rather than Tremblant. Why to go Tremblant anyway ?? I damn prefer to see it from Mt Alta than ski it.
RR : Hmm, le Massif... another soon Tremblant. I think the skiing will be more decent at the chutes Montmorency in few years than at the Massif:D:D:D (forget that Massif......try Massif du SUD !!!!!)
skicdave
08-13-2003, 05:35 PM
What about Tremblants latest in lift line management? Sure beats standing up!
http://timefortuckerman.com/gifs/tremblant20030806a.jpg
About lifts. I personally prefer T-Bars and 'some' (low) gondolas.
I used to ride any lift, anywhere... but after an incident on one of those chairs with the center pole at Sutton about 7 years ago (broken safety bar), I developed a fear of heights (mostly just suspended chairs over 20ft).
So thanks a lot Mont Sutton... I'm forever pissed at Management for offering me a bum chair.
Luckily steep pitches and high mountains aren't a problem... needless to say I just LOVE the lift system at Tuckerman!! :p
Dave
Mumster
08-13-2003, 07:03 PM
skicdave:
About lifts. I personally prefer T-Bars and 'some' (low) gondolas. Dave Hey Dave:
Ever ride a Poma? You might like them - ski up and down. :D
You also get to watch the inexperienced riders get launched into outerspace.......
K-Mart has one - Skidude and I got launched one day - we were the first riders up for the day and the tension was set wrong -> catapulted...fun.
I'm up for a tremblant trip this year, make a weekend of it. Kids will be old enough to do overnight at the Rent-in-Law's.
Lay some advice on me, where to stay, mid week or does it matter there? Weekend will cost me more in the long run (vaca etc...)
I've been there ONCE. I was a SoftMore in Koladge and decided I better get back into skiing cause that's how you get the chicks. (BTW: It worked!)
M@
Today I built a sand box and filled it with sand for my daughter. What'd you do?
Skilasnow
08-13-2003, 10:47 PM
How about the slingshot at Portillo? Poma designed it especially for Portillo. I've never been on it but I've heard some pretty funny stories of veteran skiers having a hard time with it the first time. Apparently the theory is simple enough but if the weight isn't even it can be awkward. slingshot (http://www.skiportillo.com/html-eng/skiing-3.html)
They also have a chair that goes over the main mountain crossing into Argentina that can look rather scary if an 18 wheeler happens to be cruising by when you get there. I guess you are about 25' up at that point which is precious close to a mere 5' above the top of the truck.
Frankontour
08-13-2003, 11:59 PM
Dave, Ishhh, what a story for Mt Sutton. I understand that you prefer the t-bars and similar stuff. When a chair from the ex-double chair "Mi-Orford" fell down, on late december last year, I was enough anxious to take a chairlift and I decided to ski a little bit in the t-bars of Mt Shefford before to retake some chairlifts ;)
About Tremblant, I have 2 little questions for you, if you want :) : did you hear if they're going to remove the mid-station they built on the Flying Mile chairlift (to access to the summer sliding run). It could be interesting during winter for the beginners. Also, did you see on summit if they were removing an old triple chair on north side to replace it by a new High Speed Quad ?
Hey, Las Lenas, it looks quite interesting, the sling shot of Portillo. It could be interesting to have some lifts in the kind here !!
M@ : for the places where to stay, even though I'm not far of the place, I don't really know. The hotels near the site are over-expensive. You can probably have better deals in mid-week, but I don't really know as I never had to stay there over 1 day.
Mumster:
Ever ride a Poma? Thank God the Poma bars are crooked at the end... Makes it easy to hook around your leg to ride up...
We rode Panorama in BC a couple days last year...
Had to take two Tbars to get to the top... That was really bad...
TBars are alot harder than Pomas...
JBars suck too... Fernie has one thats called "The Meat Hook"
skicdave
08-14-2003, 07:25 AM
Hey :ma: ,
Yup staying near the base of Tremblant is expensive, especially if you go through Tremblant Reservations ($200 Cdn+). Rent from an owner, or property manager. We sometimes stay at private rentals there (1 bedroom+kitchen), complete with fireplace and located right at the base for $100 / room / night. These are the old condolette units which were there before Intrawest purchased Tremblant. Many owners rent them out privately.
A good property manager to use would be Chez Tremblant (http://www.cheztremblant.com/). They have units at or near Tremblant. Also try accommodations right in the village of Mont Tremblant itself. Its 5-10 minutes by shuttle, but you'll save a bundle.
Loads of listings are available at http://skicentral.com/tremblant.html
Cheers
Bannick
08-14-2003, 08:40 AM
:ma:
Go to www.rsn.com (http://www.rsn.com) and check out the Tremblant Forum. There is a guy there with the handle of James Bond 007 that is an american (i think) turned local a couple of years back that knows it all. Post your question and he can tell you what you need to know. From lodging to discount tixs to snacks to booze. He is quite the resource.
I hate t-bars. The horstman T-bar on glackcomb always seemd to stop on me at the steepest part and would send me flying when is fired up again. A tip for snowboarders...Bridge the Snowboard/ski rivalry and ride a T with a skier. It is way easier. Lock your board against their ski, let them provide any required steering and vola....you are at the top and haven't taken anyone out.
There's a Poma at Burke Mtn., VT. It's right next to the racing slope. The upper section is fairly steep. The run is ideal for ripping big GS carves, bumps and trees can be found elsewhere on the hill.
Bannick:
Bridge the Snowboard/ski rivalry and ride a T with a skier. It is way easier. Lock your board against their ski, let them provide any required steering and vola....you are at the top and haven't taken anyone out. Their ass has to be the same or close to the same height to your own to ride those things though...
Bannick
08-14-2003, 10:31 AM
true but the skier rides up kness bent, which lowers their but a bit and I get the bar in the upper hip so to speak. I put my foot on the inside of the back binding and ride up kinda like i ride down. I am only 5-6 and most of the skiing types I have riddin t-bars have been way taller than me espcially with binding lifts.
Now being towed behind a skido is a different story.
Bannick:
I put my foot on the inside of the back binding Exactly... Gives you more control when you hit those inevitable ruts and bumps...
Steveboarder
08-14-2003, 11:35 AM
Now being towed behind a skido is a different story.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I cant get to a mountain we pull each other around on the skidoo!
http://home.comcast.net/~steveb1234/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-851365.html
Jolly J
08-14-2003, 01:19 PM
I skied Big Rock in Maine last year and it was my first experience with a poma, by the end of the day we were taking 20 foot airs (distance) when loading. It was pretty much impossible for the few snowboarders that were there. Then again there was only about 20 people on the whole mountain.
skicdave
08-14-2003, 01:44 PM
Fastest lift service on earth I bet...
http://railroaddave.com/phot/lswkph/ulyskitague.jpg
Dave
Frankontour
08-14-2003, 02:27 PM
For the surface lifts, I think the fastest in the world was the rope-tow of Chacaltaya, in Bolivia, before the ski area closed 2-3 years ago. Anyone here already skied there ? at 18 000' of elevation ?
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.