Sugarloaf Gondola poll.

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Permalink Reply by Timberliner on November 9, 2009 at 10:19pm

Hasn't this already been discussed?

I would chose B, because then we would have amazing access to all terrain on the mountain. However, it would need to be wind resistand and run more (much more) than Timberline. This lift would probably be the lift from which the most terrain in the east can be accessed from.

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Permalink Reply by SKIER iZ PrO on November 10, 2009 at 7:42am

Not that this discussion really matters at all

the obvious answer is B, and what do you mean there is no expert terrain if it is base to summit? You have 2 advanced runs, 2 expert runs that have snowmaking, plus powder keg usually gets the man made snow from nitro ext with the wind and im sure the same will happen to bubblecuffer ext from gondi ext snow, plus you can ski every trail on the mountain since your at the summit.

there was a sign at the base of timberline last year that said "how many trails can you ski from the timberline lift?- All of them cause your going to the top baby!!"

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Permalink Reply by somedevil3441 on November 10, 2009 at 8:56am

SKIER iZ PrO said:

Not that this discussion really matters at all

the obvious answer is B, and what do you mean there is no expert terrain if it is base to summit? You have 2 advanced runs, 2 expert runs that have snowmaking, plus powder keg usually gets the man made snow from nitro ext with the wind and im sure the same will happen to bubblecuffer ext from gondi ext snow, plus you can ski every trail on the mountain since your at the summit.

there was a sign at the base of timberline last year that said "how many trails can you ski from the timberline lift?- All of them cause your going to the top baby!!"

The obvious choice is A, to be honest. How many windholds a year do we see? A gondola from base-to-summit would not be a simple "put it up where it used to be" situation. There'd need to be a mid-station somewhere. The lift would probably need to run up around towards Bullwinkle's, and then get tacked around where Timberline is. Logistical nightmare.

In the meantime, you could wind up running a new quad from base to top of Spillway. This gives you 3 direct routes up to mid-mountain (Whiffletree, SuperQuad, and the new Spillway), which can be lapped, or you can continually go higher (from SQ or Spillway to Timberline, from Whiffletree or Spillway over towards King Pine). Less congestion in the middle of the mountain.

In theory, you'd also still be able to run one side of DRC and Spillway West; granted, it'd cause replacement of those current towers, among other things, but theoretically it'd be possible, giving as many options to get from A to B.

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Permalink Reply by The Lorax on November 10, 2009 at 10:30am

Option B is the way to go!!

Install a gondola up the old Gondi line, or up West Mtn, then bang a left at Bullwinkle’s and head to the summit.
If you are worried about making the non expert skiers happy, Boyne already has a gondola which flips the bill. They can take in some nice cruisers by riding the Chondla to North Peak for a cup of hot cocoa and a sticky bun.

The spillway chair does a great job with vertical lift transportation and it maintains crowd control on the trails.

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Permalink Reply by T. Bradley Abbott on November 10, 2009 at 7:41pm

B

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Permalink Reply by Eric Moss on November 10, 2009 at 8:43pm

I said nothing about no expert trails at the summit. I said it takes a long time to open the summit. If your lucky late december. They do not blow snow on it mid November. They wait until they get the mountain open from the Spillway Cross cut down before they blow snow on the summit. Mid mountain always has more snow because the wind does not blow it over the top of the mountain. It takes lots of snow to open the summit. I know they have new pipes up top, but I don't see them blowing snow up there until mid December. I just think the better value to Boyne and the skiers is the high speed quad to the top of Spillway from the base.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Rolfson on November 10, 2009 at 9:21pm

B with midstation

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Permalink Reply by nathan d. on November 10, 2009 at 9:37pm

i think your missing the part where there is a huge difference between an old gondola like sugarloaf once had and what a newer gondola is like. The gondola at jackson is capable of running in winds up to 80 miles per hour. Now ik the loaf gets windy but honestly if its blowing 80 plus its guna be tough for any lift anywhere to run.

somedevil3441 said:

SKIER iZ PrO said:

Not that this discussion really matters at all

the obvious answer is B, and what do you mean there is no expert terrain if it is base to summit? You have 2 advanced runs, 2 expert runs that have snowmaking, plus powder keg usually gets the man made snow from nitro ext with the wind and im sure the same will happen to bubblecuffer ext from gondi ext snow, plus you can ski every trail on the mountain since your at the summit.

there was a sign at the base of timberline last year that said "how many trails can you ski from the timberline lift?- All of them cause your going to the top baby!!"

The obvious choice is A, to be honest. How many windholds a year do we see? A gondola from base-to-summit would not be a simple "put it up where it used to be" situation. There'd need to be a mid-station somewhere. The lift would probably need to run up around towards Bullwinkle's, and then get tacked around where Timberline is. Logistical nightmare.

In the meantime, you could wind up running a new quad from base to top of Spillway. This gives you 3 direct routes up to mid-mountain (Whiffletree, SuperQuad, and the new Spillway), which can be lapped, or you can continually go higher (from SQ or Spillway to Timberline, from Whiffletree or Spillway over towards King Pine). Less congestion in the middle of the mountain.

In theory, you'd also still be able to run one side of DRC and Spillway West; granted, it'd cause replacement of those current towers, among other things, but theoretically it'd be possible, giving as many options to get from A to B.

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Permalink Reply by SKIER iZ PrO on November 10, 2009 at 9:55pm

Eric Moss said:

My logic has to do with the length of time it takes the summit to open and the lack of choices for non expert skiers at the summit.

Alright i guess i read those as two different subjects
however i still pick B, i dont think there is enough room at the top of spillway for a terminal to be placed.
now i know the vote is still many months away which gives more time to complete this plan, but would it start over next summer, or more down the road?

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Permalink Reply by somedevil3441 on November 11, 2009 at 12:01am

nathan d. said:

i think your missing the part where there is a huge difference between an old gondola like sugarloaf once had and what a newer gondola is like. The gondola at jackson is capable of running in winds up to 80 miles per hour. Now ik the loaf gets windy but honestly if its blowing 80 plus its guna be tough for any lift anywhere to run.

One of the main reasons the Jackson Hole gondi can run at those wind speeds is because of wind direction. Most of the wind concerns at the Loaf come across the mountain, blowing chairs sideways...whereas at Jackson Hole, the majority of the wind comes straight through that hill. Big difference in being able to move things around. That's why in order to do a Gondi, they'd have to take it up from base to Bullwinkle's, and then up the Timberline line...to be honest, I think capacity and terrain wise, it's much better to go to top of Spillway. Lesser environmental impact in terms of cutting new lines, e.g. and probably would be cheaper, allowing Boyne to utilize more investments in snowmaking.

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Permalink Reply by 2TheLoaf on November 11, 2009 at 10:33am

Build it and they will come.
I have been a Sugarloafer since 1980 and the Loaf had a Base to summit Gondi back then. I agree with Seth Wescott Sugarloaf needs a signiture lift. Replace Gondi with a heavier more wind resistant version and Sugarloafs ratings will soar. Sugarloaf is the best mountain on the east coast lets access all of the mountains outstanding terrain in a more efficient manner.

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