Midwest Whitecap lifts

[ED Post]

Be aware. Although Whitecap may have great terrain the lifts are terrible. The first three weeks of the season resulted in 2 derailments (diff lifts) with 4 chairs falling to the ground each time and 3 rope evacs already. Luckily the fallen chairs contained no skiers. The safety systems did not function and 1 of the operators had to scream into his radio for the bottom terminal to shut the lift down. Very dangerous! Quad lift is down for season.

 

[Nathanvg]

Did you personally witness all of these things? I looked and didn't find any new stories about these events.

 

[CalG]

From a 5 minute search of the web, the OP appears to be some level of not accurately portrayed.

I've not found yelling into a radio an aid to communication, though in certain instances, emotion dominates. ;-)

 

[ED Post]

Did you personally witness all of these things? I looked and didn't find any new stories about these events.

Yes. Witnessed. They do not report these as they should nor do they keep current log books.

 

[ED Post]

From a 5 minute search of the web, the OP appears to be some level of not accurately portrayed.

I've not found yelling into a radio an aid to communication, though in certain instances, emotion dominates. ;-)

This instance just shows that the safety system is not working. Id imagine I would yell into the radio if I was the lift operator on that lift.

 

[Dwight]

Be aware. Although Whitecap may have great terrain the lifts are terrible. The first three weeks of the season resulted in 2 derailments (diff lifts) with 4 chairs falling to the ground each time and 3 rope evacs already. Luckily the fallen chairs contained no skiers. The safety systems did not function and 1 of the operators had to scream into his radio for the bottom terminal to shut the lift down. Very dangerous! Quad lift is down for season.

You talking Wisconsin?

 

[ED Post]

From a 5 minute search of the web, the OP appears to be some level of not accurately portrayed.

I've not found yelling into a radio an aid to communication, though in certain instances, emotion dominates. ;-)

This instance just shows that the safety system is not working. Id imagine I would yell into the radio if I was the lift operator on that lift.

You talking Wisconsin?

Yes. I apologize. I should have made that clear.

 

[Dwight]

They said the quad was up this weekend and currently running.

Though, their lifts probably are some of the sketches out there. Just be sure to never take the lift over to Eagle's Nest Mtn. If that fails, the evac procedure is helicopter.

Being in the Upper Wisconsin area and almost U.P. area, lift problems out not going to make the news.

 

[ED Post]

They said the quad was up this weekend and currently running.

Though, their lifts probably are some of the sketches out there. Just be sure to never take the lift over to Eagle's Nest Mtn. If that fails, the evac procedure is helicopter.

Being in the Upper Wisconsin area and almost U.P. area, lift problems out not going to make the news.

Not so much making the news as it is that it should never happen. A friend of mine had to help do a rope evac off the main chair last week. The poor customer was up ther for an hour in the bitter cold. Next time youre there look at the base of the Main drive terminal and eyeball the first tower.

 

[CalG]

They said the quad was up this weekend and currently running.

Though, their lifts probably are some of the sketches out there. Just be sure to never take the lift over to Eagle's Nest Mtn. If that fails, the evac procedure is helicopter.

Being in the Upper Wisconsin area and almost U.P. area, lift problems out not going to make the news.

Does no one in UW carry a "|personal electronic device" to document these transgressions? ;-)

 

[Dwight]

Not so much making the news as it is that it should never happen. A friend of mine had to help do a rope evac off the main chair last week. The poor customer was up ther for an hour in the bitter cold. Next time youre there look at the base of the Main drive terminal and eyeball the first tower.

As someone who was helping a friend do financials to purchase the place 4 years ago, trust me, I know it's bad. I'm not sure how they get certified.

 

[ED Post]

As someone who was helping a friend do financials to purchase the place 4 years ago, trust me, I know it's bad. I'm not sure how they get certified.

The bad part of that long lift is that if something catastrophic would happen the local Emergency Services are not equipped to handle a situation like that. I guess that is one good thing to WC not being busy. Just imagine if that lift was 50% full.

 

[Dwight]

The bad part of that long lift is that if something catastrophic would happen the local Emergency Services are not equipped to handle a situation like that. I guess that is one good thing to WC not being busy. Just imagine if that lift was 50% full.

At least the main patroller (i hope still is. ), is the county's main emergency responder.

 

[ED Post]

At least the main patroller (i hope still is. ), is the county's main emergency responder.

He is no longer there and hasnt been for about 2 years now. He finally got fed up with Dave L not adhering to better safety procedures.

 

[focker]

Didn't this place almost not open last year or this year? I imagine their not making much of a profit to try and improve the lifts to operate more safely...

 

[ED Post]

The don't make any money at all. Last season they sold less than 5000 lift tickets and less than 300 rounds of golf. The area is actually owned by a group of stockholders and the guy running the place (Dave L) has been lying to those folks for years. He continually asks them to borrow money to "keep the lights on". He has repaid only a few of those debts bit only after being pestered to do so. He owes other people there as much as $80,000. and doesn't even care. It has come to light that Dave and Barb(the office mgr) are under investigation by the State of Wi. How thoise lifts continue to be OK'd to run is beyond me. The current inspector has not even inspected lifts before this season and admits to problems at Whitecap. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION1

 

[Dwight]

The bank has basically owned it for years. 4 yrs ago, you could have got it for 1.2Million. Now they want double.

@ED Post, sound like you know this place pretty well.

The big lodge is actually owned by separate people too. This place is crazy how it is divided up. I tried to help market some stuff 5 years ago and they said no. We don't need flyers distributed. Nuts.

 

[ED Post]

There is a stinky situation with the bank too. That relationship goes back almost 40 years. The hotel is owned by shareholders also with Dave L's wife being the majority owner(supposedly). The split that place up to lure "investors" to give them money. One individual was approached to purchase 25% of the bar area in the lodge. There are numerous things in the works which I believe will re shape WC for the future. None of these include the current management. If everyone knew what I know you wouldn't ski there. Why do you think I don't?

 

[focker]

5,000 total skiers that is like 50 per day for the season??

How do they even pay their employees?

 

[Nathanvg]

The don't make any money at all. Last season they sold less than 5000 lift tickets

Yikes, that's only about 40 people per day. Whitecap is one of the best ski areas in the whole Midwest but sadly, I think their days are numbered. If they close, I doubt they will reopen.

The ski area has clearly been mismanaged in a number of ways but Midwest skiing is consolidating, especially the stuff far from major cities.