SAM Coverage
Lift Maintenance
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An Attractive Solution
Magnetic technology has the potential to give detachable lifts greater flexibility, easier maintenance, and longer life. The linear synchronous motor (LSM) could be the…
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A Splice in Time
Are wire rope inspectors and splicers a dying breed? We take a look at the veterans who have been serving the industry so well…
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Tune-Up Time
The snow will be flying before we know it, and here are what some areas do to get ready. When the winter season ends,…
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Ahead of the Game
Avoiding equipment failure while the season is in full swing can be done. I was visiting a ski area and planning on combining a…
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Give Yourself a Hand
On-site lift maintenance training and advance preparation make in-season fixes easy and economical. Modern lift control systems are highly sophisticated. What used to be…
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The Single That Could
When Mad River Glen needed to replace its aging single chairlift, the area opted to stick with tradition and refurbish the historic lift. Mad…
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Who Needs Sleds?
In 1994, HoliMont Ski Club, N.Y., banned all vehicles from the hill during public operating hours to avoid collissions. But the benefits go far…
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Raising the Bar
CSIA and Sierra College have teamed to create a training program for lift maintenance and electrical staff. The polar ice caps might be getting…
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Retrofitting the Ranch
New lift technology adds life to old lifts. In 2005, when Marshall and Janet Tuttle bought Donner Ski Ranch, they sought to improve guest…
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Playing Second Chair
With the cost of new lifts on the rise, many areas are turning to the second-hand market with a great deal of success. With…
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Halting the Brain Drain
A discussion thread at skilifts.org explores why it’s so difficult to attract and retain mechanics. Keeping qualified lift mechanics is a serious issue for…
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Making an Old Lift New Again
Converting an aging lift to DC power was the low-cost solution for transporting Angel Fire’s beginner skiers.
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When Strong Metals Fail
This is a piece on the principles of mechanical failure in metal parts aimed at the maintenance mechanic.
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Rules of Thumb
Dale’s primer on rigging haul ropes explains the minimum specs required for using gear on haul ropes of different diameters. He also explains the…
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Rules of Thumb
Dale’s primer on rigging haul ropes explains the minimum specs required for using gear on haul ropes of different diameters. He also explains the…
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Turnaround: Pisten Bully versus Lift Tower
This is a description of the repair of a lift tower at Brodie Mountain, Mass. a twisted, open-frame tower was pulled back into alignment…
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Preparing for Annual Lift Inspections
This is a practical manual on how ski areas should prepare for annual inspections, laying out the necessary documentation, tests and information that should…
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Rules of Thumb
Nils explains how to estimate water flow, the amount of snow that can be made depending on water volume and how to locate a…