SAM Coverage
Lifts
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Conveyor Magic
An overcrowded beginner hill at Glen Eden Ski Area,Ontario, was transformed by a powerful conveyor lift manufactured by Barrie Welding and Machine, which doubled…
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A Salute to the Chairlift
David’s article looks back at North America’s chairlift history from the first rope tows installed in Quebec to the eight-place lifts of the modern…
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Sun Valley Singles: History Made
This is the story of how James Michael Curran (1903-1968) came to build the first chairlift at Sun Valley in 1936. He was a…
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Project Paradise
This article describes the logistics of building Doppelmayr’s Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas project. A twin-train funicular along an elevated, double-track guideway.
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Trends in Ski Resort Transportation-Two Views
This is a look at significant trends and advances in lift transportation that should spell the cutting edge of the technology over the next…
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Construction Site
Snowbasin lifts, terrain and snowmaking; Sunday River quad, snowmaking and ticket concourse; Crystal Mountain, Wash., six-pack; Mount Washington, B.C., quad; Copper Mountain lifts, snowmaking…
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Construction Site
Capital improvements at Deer Valley, Utah; Loveland, Colo.; Heavenly, Calif.; Mad River Glen, Vt.; Fernie Alpine, B.C.; Mountain Creek, N.J.
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Art Meets High-Tech
This article explores the construction of the Yantrak and Otis pseudo-funicular at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
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1998 LiftsÑA Year of Records
The annual Lift Construction Survey revealed capacities that soared through the roof, new gondolas and North America’s largest lift as 64 new lifts were…
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A Funitel for Squaw Valley
This article profiles the construction of Squaw Valley’s new funitel, opened in December of 1998. It is the biggest lift in North America with…
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Ropeway Database Goes Online
This is a brief announcement about the ropeway database available online from the Information Center for Ropeway Studies, Colorado School of Mines. There are…
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Lift Tips for Mini-Riders
These are tips for lift operators to consider when loading and unloading young snowboarders accompanied by adults.
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Bob Heron, Lift Pioneer
Renowned ropeway engineer Bob Heron has made an indelible mark on the ski industry during a remarkable career filled with firsts. Includes “A Lift…
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Technology In The Works
New lift technology is everywhere: a Poma detachable double for Ruthie’s Run at Aspen, Squaw Valley, Calif., gets North America’s first funitel from Garaventa-CTEC,…
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1997 Lifts–Big Surge In New VTFH
1997 was an impressive year in lift-building, with more jumbo chairlifts, a surge in replacement lifts, a spike in surface tows and a surprising…
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Unwelcome Nomenclature
Questioning a major resort’s use of the term “high speed” in conjunction with both detachable and fixed-grip lifts.
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40 Years Of Chairlifts In North America
An unusual chart reveals the growth pattern of chairlift construction from 1955 to the present.
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If You Build It, They Will Come
The history of the ski industry is the history of uphill transportation. Beginning a new series of features about lifts and their impact.