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skidrew

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I disagree, there have been a number of times the Powder Seeker has been on wind hold and lifts like Challenger and Headwaters have kept turning. Moving the current Ram Charger HSQ to Shedhorn will be interesting as both the current Sheddy double and the Ram Charger HSQ struggle to stay running in a cross wind. I am also curious how the racers will get their gear up on the new 8 pack with the bubble, restrictive foot rests and high chair back, it is tough carrying a pack on the Powder Seeker with 5 others who want the bubble and leg rest down.

Easy - load 4 at a time with 4 spots for packs.

I think I've ended up with a full car (6 pax) on Powderseeker only about 5% of the time.
 

Talisman

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Easy - load 4 at a time with 4 spots for packs.

I think I've ended up with a full car (6 pax) on Powderseeker only about 5% of the time.

Yes the Powder Seeker doesn't have a full load most of the time and it pretty roomy with the bar and bubble up and most people don't have packs for beacon, probe and shovel. Like the old Lone Peak Triple, the Powder Seeker rarely gets a line after the morning rush to tram line, but the 6 pack can certainly move the masses.
 

graham418

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Just getting back from there, and it seems that having the 8 would make more sense on the Swifty chair. Or would that overload the Powder Seeker, and make the line to the tram even longer?
Putting bigger cars on the tram would be a better use of money, wouldn't it?
 
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skidrew

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Just getting back from there, and it seems that having the 8 would make more sense on the Swifty chair. Or would that overload the Powder Seeker, and make the line to the tram even longer?
Putting bigger cars on the tram would be a better use of money, wouldn't it?

It would make sense, except the long term (2-3 year) plan is to put a gondola from base where Explorer lift is, which makes an 8-pack on Swifty more than needed in 3 years. Plus Ramcharger fits Shedhorn well. So basically two lift upgrades next year vs. one now and 3 later.
 

BS Slarver

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Agreed that the timelines for new lifts makes perfect sense. Heard explorer gondi will have mid unloading at current top location and then top out at the powder seeker base. 3 high speed lifts leaving the base when there already isn’t much of a line anyway except for the opening bell, that works for me.
It will put me at the challenger / headwaters even faster and I only care for the tram on epic powder days anyway and they will get that replaced soon enough.
Haven’t heard of to many resorts upgrading that many lifts in that short order.
 

Talisman

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Heard explorer gondi will have mid unloading at current top location and then top out at the powder seeker base
I heard the same thing about the proposed gondola route. It will be interesting to see how much love there is for the new gondola, as there are typically lines for the gondola even on mild days at other areas. On those crisp -15*F mornings it will be nice to have a box to cower in while heading up hill. Explorer sees very few people now unless Swifty is down and becomes the escape route to the Challenger lift.
 

Tytlynz64

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What is the outlook for the weekend be fore close 4/12 thru 4/16? Thinking of a season ending trip around that time. Will there be decent conditions barring a drastic heat wave?
 

milkman

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What is the outlook for the weekend be fore close 4/12 thru 4/16? Thinking of a season ending trip around that time. Will there be decent conditions barring a drastic heat wave?
In all honesty nobody will know until about 4/5. It will probably be spring conditions, hard and slick early, slushy late, ski mid day, better high than low. Typical spring weather all over the Rockies.
 
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skidrew

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Explorer sees very few people now unless Swifty is down and becomes the escape route to the Challenger lift.

That's because Explorer is the worst! So slow, and only accesses learning terrain plus, as you note, Challenger or Moonlight if needed.

Of course, if Swifty gets bubbles and higher speed at the same time a gondola comes in, both may be attractive. (Also, they'll have to work out how to get "uphill" to the current explorer base from the main area at Swifty/Ramcharger.
 

Talisman

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That's because Explorer is the worst! So slow, and only accesses learning terrain plus, as you note, Challenger or Moonlight if needed.

Even worse is a BS opening with a WROD or two off of Explorer and the magic carpets as the only options.
 

Rio

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While Explorer is mostly abandoned during the winter, it is their busiest lift in the summer. It services a good collection of beginner and intermediate mountain bike runs. It will be interesting to see what they will do to extend those runs when the new gondola is in place.
 

milkman

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A number of points here. I never know what is a wind hold and what is another issue like avalanche control. Powder Seeker , like other Alpine chairs, will not open until ALL avalanche control above the chair is completed. FYI, I'm told the same pitch that provides great expert skiing is the critical range for avalanches. Steeper and the snow will fall off on it's own, a little shallower and it is less challenging but also less likely to slide.

One or two additional blue runs will be added near the new Shedhorn Quad to allow more intermediates to share the experience of the backside of Lone Peak.

Powder Seeker proves the adage that "If we build it they will come". The line is usually short but there are 4-5 or 6 folks on most chairs when conditions are good in th eBowl and Upper Morningstar. The improved char has attracted a lot of skiers and everyone I know agrees there is enough terrain to absorb the traffic. I'm guessing they're expecting the same thing with the new chair on Andesite.

2020-2021 gondola design is not finalized but it will probably be a two stage with a mid mountain stopover. It may provide space for ski school students at a new mid mountain location. Food, restrooms and other facilities would be there to support ski school. The second stage of the gondola line will take guests to an as yet undetermined terminus near either the base of the Tram or the Powder Seeker. Another smaller restaurant would be located at this location. Moving the ski school and most of the magic carpets would relieve congestion in the base area and take a lot of traffic off Swift Current. Explains why new chair next year goes toward Andesite Mtn.

The complete repurposing of the top floor of the old Mall building will be the favorite upgrade for a lot of folks. It's a classy upgrade to the Base area and the first step of a complete remodeling of this building. Everything goes away except the bones of the original building.

More info is available from the "2025 Plan" section of the BS website.
 

Talisman

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I never know what is a wind hold and what is another issue like avalanche control.

Ask BS Ski Patrol or Lift Operations and they will explain if a lift is shut for avalanche control, wind hold or mechanical issues. You raise a good point about the Sheddy trails being under utilized now and many guests have never seen or ridden the Sheddy or Dakota lifts. Even with a HSQ to replace the Sheddy double, Cow Flats will have to be traversed by guests unfamiliar with the worm hole through Bacon Rind to Dude Park.
 

milkman

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Thanks for added info @milkman

Here's Additional info from the "Lone Peak Lookout" newspaper coverage:
The new Ramcharger 8 includes " 2inch wider (seating) than Powder Seeker, in-chair communication system, a rising loading carpet for kids and a plan to add VIP gondola chars." "Nightskiing (on Andesite) likely to begin in 2020". "Twelve lifts throughout the resort, from Lone Mose to Headwaters are planned to be moved or upgraded by 2025." "Final phases of the plan will also include replacing or upgrading the Lone Peak Tram".

Most major resorts are implementing or planning significant upgrades. I'm glad to see BS is doing their part to keep up.
 
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skidrew

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Is that code meaning they are going to play ads at you on the chair?

Yikes! The write-up said it was so they could communicate as to why the lift was stopped.

(Or maybe if it suffers a reversal as in Georgia - "jump!")
 

dbostedo

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Yikes! The write-up said it was so they could communicate as to why the lift was stopped.

(Or maybe if it suffers a reversal as in Georgia - "jump!")

Well that's a better use... I was envisioning a screen playing ads, like some gas stations have now.
 
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skidrew

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"Nightskiing (on Andesite) likely to begin in 2020".

Maybe if I were local I'd feel differently, but I'm trying to figure out the use case for night skiing. If I'm there I'm usually pretty gassed after a full day from 9-4. I suppose I might want to do a few more turns, like the Spring saturdays with Ramcharger going until 5. Only thing else I could come up with is if I get in on a filght midday you might be able to ski from 2pm to close (say 8pm) when you arrive. I usually think of night skiing for local hills catering to folks who come after work.
 
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skidrew

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Well that's a better use... I was envisioning a screen playing ads, like some gas stations have now.

Agree that would be unfortunate . . . of course, they couldn't even get the funding from advertising to support the trail maps on the lift bars a few years ago.
 
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