More lift problems today

[tristan]

More lift problems at Sugarloaf today. The lift attendant we talked to said it was sensor issues.

Bucksaw stopped at least 5 times that we saw. Mechanics came, checked it and restarted.

Wiffletree went down at least 3 times while we were there, ant least once after we left and twice each on Skyline, Timberline and the Quad.

While we were waiting with an ambassador for the lift to start again he got a call that Wiffletree was down again.

All the people fled after that and we had the end of the day to ourselves.

That emergency announcement system on Bucksaw is very loud and according to my kids “kinda creepy in a haunted amusement park kind of way”.

[goldenboy80]

If I were a ghost and haunting Sugarloaf I'd leave the lifts alone and haunt the Summit Building. It's far spookier if that's what you're trying to do. Here I am armchair quarterbacking again...

[Glade Monkey]

Is something wrong with Timberline? It has not been scheduled to run this weekend. Saturday made sense with the high winds but not so much Sunday.

[essslsclsact]

Odd since grooming shows Timberline trail groomed from the summit, though ice skates may be needed as it gets skied off. What’s with no groomed trails in Wiffletree area. Doesn’t make sense on a weekend when lift is running.

[Alpiner]

Is something wrong with Timberline? It has not been scheduled to run this weekend. Saturday made sense with the high winds but not so much Sunday.

I imagine it's a conditions issue. Take a gander up Tote or NG extension. Upper Timberline trail is probably unpassable now in one particular spot that previously required evasive action.

Got it straight from the horse's mouth yesterday that Timberline replacement will be summer 2026. Because you know, the DEP has to wring their hands and extort Sugarloaf some more over where the Bicknell's Thrush will possibly go to fornicate, nevermind the fact that there is Bicknell's Thrush habitat as far as the eye can see in all directions as viewed from the summit.

[Rossignolsoul7]

the DEP

Fingers crossed that some of it gets doged.

[DoubleBitter]

Is something wrong with Timberline? It has not been scheduled to run this weekend. Saturday made sense with the high winds but not so much Sunday.

I imagine it's a conditions issue. Take a gander up Tote or NG extension. Upper Timberline trail is probably unpassable now in one particular spot that previously required evasive action.

Today's Mountain Report says: "There is no beginner terrain off of Timberline."

[High Ball]

This morning's grooming report looked a little sparse in the central and east side, while pretty much everything on the west side was groomed. The mountain is definitely trying to drive traffic to the new terrain.

[gondicar]

Meanwhile in BC today….

Gondola Cabin Falls at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, BC, with 8 People Inside After Mechanical Failure

[WrathOfAramark]

https://liftblog.com/2025/03/10/gondola ... e-express/

Liftblog has a good picture that looks like metal fatigue failure on the metal carrier arm.

Scary shiat. Those people are just real lucky the failure happened right at the bottom terminal and not a the top of a tower.

[Pow on the Mao]

just returned from a day at Sugarbush Mt Ellen... or Glen Ellen from a time gone by. lifts are old as dirt. fleet of Poma quads that run loud, look like they need a refurb, and appear to all be the same age. that interconnect lift's days are numbered. imagine trying to maintain that ropeway. the risk factor will prematurely end its service life. they will not replace.

[Glade Monkey]

just returned from a day at Sugarbush Mt Ellen... or Glen Ellen from a time gone by. lifts are old as dirt. fleet of Poma quads that run loud, look like they need a refurb, and appear to all be the same age. that interconnect lift's days are numbered. imagine trying to maintain that ropeway. the risk factor will prematurely end its service life. they will not replace.

I went there recently too - agree on the lifts and that LONGEST chairlift in the world (11,000 fet!) which only goes sideways was out of order and I think taking the bus is quicker.
The skiing was FaNTASTIC and the mountain was buried!!! Other lifts there will probably be on the Alterra upgrade list soon

[essslsclsact]

just returned from a day at Sugarbush Mt Ellen... or Glen Ellen from a time gone by. lifts are old as dirt. fleet of Poma quads that run loud, look like they need a refurb, and appear to all be the same age. that interconnect lift's days are numbered. imagine trying to maintain that ropeway. the risk factor will prematurely end its service life. they will not replace.

Interconnect lift has not operated for at least the last 5 years. They replaced the lift that go3es to the summit this year, but yes the major lifts out of the base need upgrades. We do like skiing there but now have no one in college nearby so we won't be in Vermont to ski.

[SpillwayEast]

..........and in other lift news Big Sky gets a Gondola for next year.

[Glade Monkey]

..........and in other lift news Big Sky gets a Gondola for next year.

All part of their plan - 10 passenger gondola with a mid station where beginners can get off at a learning center and then connecting up to the new tram base station.
https://www.bigskyresort.com/2025/in-progress-projects/explorer-gondola
Guessing when they pull out the old 1970s Explorer double chair that the gondola replaces next montb they won’t ship it east to SL
Time to go back since I am pretty sure they’ve replaced more than half the lifts since my last visit

[SpillwayEast]

The Mineral Basin lift at Snowbird is still down and has resulted in that whole area being shut down for a few weeks............no bueno if your skiing Snowbird.

[Pow on the Mao]

forerunner quad at stowe on day 6 of maintenance closure.

[machski]

just returned from a day at Sugarbush Mt Ellen... or Glen Ellen from a time gone by. lifts are old as dirt. fleet of Poma quads that run loud, look like they need a refurb, and appear to all be the same age. that interconnect lift's days are numbered. imagine trying to maintain that ropeway. the risk factor will prematurely end its service life. they will not replace.

I went there recently too - agree on the lifts and that LONGEST chairlift in the world (11,000 fet!) which only goes sideways was out of order and I think taking the bus is quicker.
The skiing was FaNTASTIC and the mountain was buried!!! Other lifts there will probably be on the Alterra upgrade list soon

Maybe not GM. NRX was supposed to be replaced next season and that has been delayed indefinitely. That is a Poma HSQ that LBO moved from the GMX allignment to its current allignment using Dopp to do the relocation. Lets just say using the other lift manufactuer to do a reinstall isn't the best idea. That lift has been trouble since and also got hit by lightning a few years back. Not that the terrain NRX serves isn't accessible with the GMX and Summit Quad, but NRX makes for great terrain lapping.

Pow, depending on Alterra's goals, Slidebrook may not just find the scrapyard at some point with no replacement. They have been big on connection lifts elsewhere in their portfolio (Connect Gondi at Alpine/Pallisades, Wild Blue at Steamboat, looking at some type of connect Gondi at DV and Big Bear too). But so far, Alterra hasn't shown interest in tossing big $$ lift and terrain improvements at its Eastern properties. Time will tell I guess.