Lifts 1977

As an index of industry health and growth, new lift construction has its limitations. For instance, a great deal of the lift work being done today involves re-engineering existing lifts for greater capacity, efficiency and safety. We cannot get a good quantitative handle on this, so our tabulation of new lifts is only a partial measure of the new lift capacity being added.

Nonetheless, flawed though it may be, we continue our 17-year tabulation of new lift construction because it is still a basic and important index.

The bullish news is that lift construction, measured in numbers of new lifts coming on-stream for the first time in the October 1977 — April 30, 1978 ski season, is up from 78 last year to 84 this year. A modest, but welcome upward jog on the graph. However, the bearish news is that the total VTFH added (60,057) is the lowest on record, and down 8.7 per cent from last year. And VTFH (Vertical Transport Feet per Hour: the number of skiers who can be carried 1,000 feet vertically in one hour) is a more sensitive measure of investment.

The East, coming off a banner snow year, went from eight new lifts in 1976 to 15 this year, and the new VTFH is more than triple last year’s. The Midwest also bounced up, while the West, reflecting last season’s snow drought, was down 58 per cent in new VTFH. In Canada, through the number of new lifts remained constant, the VTFH dropped markedly.

The trend was continuing towards shorter, higher capacity lifts. Of all chairs installed, 44 per cent were either triples, quads or double doubles. There was even a double quad built.

The total number of new areas was four, the lowest ever recorded. And—in no way to disparage them—these four are of very modest size.

We have eliminated one table this year: the total number of lifts in North America. At last count (1976) it was 1,546 surface, 1,484 chairs and 45 gondolas or trams. Since we cannot keep accurate track of lifts that become inactive, our cumulative total has become potentially too misleading for us to continue it.

Errors of omission and of calculation find their pesky way into tabulations such as we present here. If any, we will publish corrections in the Spring issue.

Manufacturer	New Tows	VTFH
Harusch	5	600
Stadeli	4	400

Region	New Areas	New VTFH	Surface	New Lifts — Chair	New Lifts — Gondola	Total
East	2	12,338	4	11	0	15
Midwest	0	9,591	1	19	0	20
West	0	23,551	0	25	0	25
Canada	2	14,577	13	11	0	24
Total	4	60,057	18	66	0	84

Region	New Lifts ’77	New Lifts ’76	New Lifts ’75	New Lifts ’74	VTFH ’77	VTFH ’76	VTFH ’75	VTFH ’74
East	15	8	16	21	12,338	4,046	12,923	13,431
Midwest	20	12	13	7	9,591	4,749	4,901	2,436
West	25	33	37	50	23,551	40,666	24,927	41,335
Canada	24	25	31	28	14,577	19,200	17,534	11,521
Totals	84	78	97	106	60,057	68,661	60,285	68,723

Manufacturer	Surface	Chair	Gondola	Total
Borvig	2	16	0	18
CanaPoma	2	1	0	3
Doppelmayr	3	3	0	6
Hall	1	7	0	8
Lift Engineering	—	12	0	12
Mueller	—	1	0	1
Poma	1	—	0	1
Riblet	—	15	0	15
Samson	5	2	0	7
Skyway Engineering	4	2	0	6
Stadeli	—	1	0	1
Thiokol	—	6	0	6
Totals	18	66	0	84

Manufacturer	total Aerial	total Surface	Percent Aerial	Percent Surface
Borvig	11,803	556	21	11
CanaPoma	1,118	173	2	3
Doppelmayr	4,778	564	9	11
Hall	4,017	317	7	6
Lift Eng.	11,962	—	22	—
Mueller	821	—	2	—
Poma	—	72	—	2
Riblet	10,524	—	19	—
Samson	1,858	2,252	3	45
Skyway Eng.	790	1,120	2	22
Stadeli	1,140	—	2	—
Thiokol	6,122	—	11	—
Totals	55,003	5,054	100	100

LIFTS BY STATE

EAST

Location	Type	Manufacturer	Length	Vert.	Cap.	Speed
CONNECTICUT
Sundown, New Hartford	3C	Borvig	1993	554	1800	450
MASSACHUSETTS
Brodie Mt., New Ashford	2C	Stadeli	4500	950	1200	450
● Prospect Hill, Waltham	T	Samson	1040	110	1000	450
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Pat’s Peak, Henniker	3C	Borvig	2888	677	1800	450
Waterville Valley	3C	Borvig	4553	844	1800	450
NEW JERSEY
Vernon Valley	P	Borvig	1108	133	400	650
NEW YORK
Beartown S.A., Plattsburgh	P	Poma	626	107	720	421
Belleayre, Pine Hill	2C	Hall	2883	787	1440	465
Tamarack Ridge, Golden	2C	Borvig	2718	465	1200	450
PENNSYLVANIA
Camelback, Tannersville	2C	Borvig	2531	654	1200	425
Elk Mountain Union Dale	2C	Borvig	3291	870	1200	450
● Saw Creek, Bushkill	2C	Borvig	1313	191	800	450
VERMONT
Killington (triangular lift)	3C	Lift Engineering	4381 / 4128	875	1800	450
Stratton Mountain	2C	Borvig	4765	1317	1200	450
Suicide Six, Woodstock	J	Borvig	391	40	600	270

MIDWEST

Location	Type	Manufacturer	Length	Vert.	Cap.	Speed
IOWA
Sundown, Dubuque	3C	Borvig	1823	436	1800	450
MICHIGAN
Blackjack, Bessemer	2C	Riblet	2188	420	1200	450
	2C	Riblet	1920	418	1200	450
	2C	Riblet	2093	414	1200	450
Crystal Mt., Thompsonville	4C	Riblet	1300	285	2400	375
Porcupine Mt., Silver City	T	Hall	1976	352	900	450
Royal Valley, Buchanan	4C	Riblet	1400	240	2400	400
Timber Ridge, Gobles	3C	Hall	1374	208	1800	400
MINNESOTA
Mankato Alps	4C	Hall	611	177	1950	360
	4C	Hall	704	192	1950	360
Powder Ridge, Kimball	2C	Riblet	1000	220	1200	400
Wild Mt., Taylors Falls	4C	Borvig	1490	271	2400	400
OHIO
Boston Mills, Peninsula	2C	Borvig	525	77	800	300
	3C	Borvig	1169	207	1800	400
Brandywine, Northfield	4C	Borvig	886	189	2400	400
Snow Trails	3C	Thiokol	1187	197	1800	450
Sugar Creek, Bellbrook	4C	Riblet	1012	167	2400	400
SOUTH DAKOTA
Deer Mt., Lead	3C	Riblet	1250	287	1200	450
WISCONSIN
Majestic Hills, Lake Geneva	4C	Hall	1037	202	2400	400
Trollhaugen, Dresser	4C(dbl)	Borvig	1037	215	2400	400

WEST

Location	Type	Manufacturer	Length	Vert.	Cap.	Speed
CALIFORNIA
June Mt., June Lake	2C	Riblet	1250	350	1100	300
Kirkwood Meadows	2C	Lift Engineering	1420	169	1200	400
Mountain High	2C(dbl)	Lift Engineering	2095	354	1200	450
Ski Sunrise	3C	Thiokol	1540	302	1800	425
Snow Summit, Big Bear Lake	2C	Hall	2326	674	1200	400
Tahoe Ski Bowl	3C	Thiokol	4512	1087	1200	400
COLORADO
Copper Mt.	2C	Lift Engineering	5110	1103	1200	500
Keystone	2C	Lift Engineering	3970	905	1200	500
Loveland Basin	2C	Lift Engineering	3280	662	1200	475
Steamboat	2C	Lift Engineering	4820	1352	1000	500
	2C	Lift Engineering	2350	848	1000	500
Winter Park	2C	Lift Engineering	2360	632	1200	475
IDAHO
Sun Valley	2C	Lift Engineering	2760	637	1200	475
	3C	Lift Engineering	3745	1319	1700	500
MONTANA
Red Lodge	2C	Borvig	962	401	1200	450
Rocky Boy, Havre	2C	Riblet	2465	877	720	450
NEW MEXICO
Red River	2C	Riblet	1250	287	1200	450
Sierra Blanca, Ruidoso	2C	Riblet	5307	1276	1125	450
OREGON
Mt. Hood Meadows	2C	Lift Engineering	5945	1405	1350	550
Timberline, Govt. Camp	2C	Riblet	5721	1642	900	500
UTAH
Solitude	2C	Thiokol	4900	1561	1050	500
	2C	Thiokol	3472	1087	1200	500
	3C	Thiokol	2852	488	2000	475
WASHINGTON
Mt. Baker, Bellingham	2C	Riblet	4655	1500	1030	500
Mt. Spokane, Mead	2C	Riblet	1115	165	1200	300

LIFTS BY PROVINCE

CANADA

Location	Type	Manufacturer	Length	Vert.	Cap.	Speed	Code
ALBERTA
Fairview	P	Doppelmayr	1427	297	520	472
Mistie Sepee	P	Doppelmayr	600	150	800	472
Pidgeon Mt. Canmore	2C	Mueller	3200	684	1200	555
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Big White Mt.	3C	Doppelmayr	3270	800	1600	450
Harper Mt.	3C	Doppelmayr	4480	1336	1100	450
Hemlock Valley	3C	Doppelmayr	3950	1127	1800	475
Smithers	T	Doppelmayr	2322	535	543	590
ONTARIO
Battawa SC	T	Skyway	681	164	1200	400
Beaver Valley SC, Markdale	2C	Skyway	1025	381	800	450
Calabogie Peaks	2C	Samson	3660	725	1200	485
Devils Glen CC, Glen Huron	2C	Hall	2070	429	1200	475
Glen Eden, Milton	3C	Skyway	1257	231	2100	425
Horseshoe Valley, Barrie	3C	Borvig	1311	299	2100	425
Oshawa SC, Kirby	T	Skyway	1550	265	1200	450
	T	Skyway	1600	276	1200	450
QUEBEC
Blue Mt., Collingwood	3C	CanaPoma	3020	660	1800	450
Chantecler, Ste. Adele	P	CanaPoma	945	184	500	360
Mont Gabriel	T	CanaPoma	800	180	450	360
Mont Ste Anne, Beaupre	T	Samson	1262	1052	1200	600
● OTJ Ski Center, Gaspesie	T	Samson	1750	382	1200	430
● Sakami, Riviere La Grande	T	Samson	2045	350	1000	450
Val d’Irene, Ste. Irene	2C	Samson	2930	823	1200	495
	P	Samson	940	143	500	390
SASKATCHEWAN
Battlefords SC, N. Battleford	T	Skyway	2000	337	812	450

● New area