Several lifts have been completed while others remain under construction.
Saturday, December 18, 2021, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Some new lifts are now in operation as the last snowstorm of calendar fall bears down on New England.
SkyTrac's sole New England installation has been load tested at Ski Butternut. The Paddy Wagon fixed grip quad serves lower mountain novice
terrain, replacing a Carlevaro & Savio double chairlift. Ski Butternut has not yet announced its opening day.
Nearby at Catamount, two lifts are slated for completion at some point this winter. Towers recently went up for the Catamount Quad, which replaces another SLI double chairlift. The refurbished Garaventa-CTEC lift was originally installed as the Yodeler at Holiday Valley in 2001. Meanwhile, a refurbished Poma triple chairlift is reportedly nearing completion, replacing an SLI double chairlift. The lift, which could be upgraded to a quad at a future time, will complement the workhorse Ridge Quad.
New England's largest lift project of the year was completed at Loon recently, as the Kanc8 started carrying West Basin skiers on December 10. The Doppelmayr eight-person heated bubble chairlift replaces a high speed quad. The former Kancamagus Quad will be reinstalled on the main mountain next summer, replacing the Seven Brothers Triple.
Okemo's newly installed Leitner-Poma chairlifts have both gone into operation this month. The Evergreen Summit Express, originally located on Jackson Gore, is a high speed quad with bubble chairs that should take some stress off the Sun Burst Six bubble. Jackson Gore now has the Quantum Six, a new six person non-bubble chairlift.
Saddleback's Cupsuptic T-Bar was completed earlier this fall. The new Doppelmayr T-Bar is awaiting snow to begin operation.
It is not known when Sunday River's Merrill Hill triple chairlift will operate. The new Doppelmayr was installed this off-season, but is now only expected to operate on "select dates only" this winter, as the real estate it serves is still in the early stages of construction.
Magic Mountain's Black Line Quad saga continues. Installation of the former Snow Bowl Quad at Stratton started in 2019 and has run into multiple issues, such as the government-ordered COVID-19 shut down, engineering problems, and supply chain difficulties. Adding to the mix is a $300,000 overhaul of the Red Chair, which is expected to divert the crew's attention until a planned Christmas week opening. Once that summit lift is operational, the crew is hoping to install sheave assembly parts on three towers in order to move the Poma quad closer to completion.
The 2022 off-season is looking even busier with Vail Resorts leading the way with four new chairlifts. Additional projects could be announced across New England in the coming months.
Waterville Valley already has a jump start with the installation of an MND six-person bubble chairlift. With much of the summer construction season restricted in the upper elevations due to Bicknell's Thrush habitat limitations, tower footings were poured this fall to ensure a 2022 deadline can be met. Components for the country's first MND detachable lift are already arriving.
