Gore Mountain Adirondack Express Replacement.

I'm voting for a high speed quad for Jibland. There is always a terrible line getting on the lift and the kiddies are falling all over the place. Then the racers come in when they are doing tall pole training for the U12s. It just chaps my ass.

There is a small issue called money for installing an HSQ in an area better served by a fixed grip rather than installing one to replace a long slow lift with a 10 minute ride.  A loading carpet is a proven concept to reduce stops and it sure is a lot cheaper than an unnecessary detach.  It is used a lot for short lifts where a detach isn't necessary, but a higher speed and fewer stops is.

bigger and faster is not always better, a long slow ride can be very enjoyable

I like that idea a lot.  Rode them at Alta this year and they work great though I wonder if it would be with inexperienced skiers.  Evidently it works well for Libery.

This Also would be an excellent idea for Belleyre that has the lift stoppage issues

Does anyone know when the lift project is starting?  I can probably make it up plenty this summer because I can go to Six Flags Great Escape as an excuse to get in the area and then stop by Gore as well.  Great Escape opens Memorial Day Weekend, so I can probably report as soon as I can make some trips there.

I was in NC for the weekend and took a ride up to the mountain on Saturday. Everything was locked up tight. I mean tight. Gates closed and locked with barriers/cones up below the lower lot (right where the old lift chairs go over the road). I got out of the car and walked about 3/4 of the way up the lower lot. Chairs are still on the wire so I don't think anything is happening yet. A few pockets of snow visable from the parking lot, but not much left down below. Sure looked like a good amount of snow on the summit when I came around the bend into weavertown though.

Spoke to Mike yesterday. They are moving ahead with disassembling the triple and are surveying the new tower locations. Not much to see yet.

I wonder what the loading and unloading will be set up like for the new ADK Express.  On the triple, you loaded facing up the line.  You unloaded this way too.  I am hoping that on the new lift, you have 90 degree unloading like Hunter's 6-pack has.  It would eliminate the 180 degree gooseneck turn when you get off and reduce misunloads.  I am guessing that they will have clockwise rotation just like the triple had as it would make this arrangement possible.  The other variable I am wondering is where they will put the drive on the new lift.  The triple was a bottom drive, and the BRQ is too.  ORDA's lifts are mostly bottom drive because they do everything as cheaply as possible.  However, a top drive lift is more efficient, and they already have electric at the top for the Saddle Lodge and North Quad.  I guess they could go either way on this.

I'm not a huge fan of the way the Hunter six pack unloads.  If you are on the end you have to be careful.

If (when) they lower the landing area of the AEX2 it will be fine IMO.

Harvey wrote

I'm not a huge fan of the way the Hunter six pack unloads.  If you are on the end you have to be careful.

If (when) they lower the landing area of the AEX2 it will be fine IMO.

Oh, please. Are you scared that someone is going to make you ski the West Side?

I hate those 90 degree loads and unloads.  You have to float your skis to make sure they are not ripped off.  You also get josseled around more then I like.  No reason to change it...  

And on the "ORDA does everything as cheaply as possible", please let me know what area in the northeast has been installing lifts, opening new terrain, and expanding snow making at the rate that ORDA is.  The 5 years I have been living up here Gore has added 3 lifts and a dozen marked runs.  This will be the 4th new lift.  I don't think that is cheap... they are doing it frugally, but as long as the thing gets me to the top I don't care if it is a bottom drive, top drive, or warp drive.    

Footer wrote

And on the "ORDA does everything as cheaply as possible", please let me know what area in the northeast has been installing lifts, opening new terrain, and expanding snow making at the rate that ORDA is.  The 5 years I have been living up here Gore has added 3 lifts and a dozen marked runs.  This will be the 4th new lift.  I don't think that is cheap... they are doing it frugally, but as long as the thing gets me to the top I don't care if it is a bottom drive, top drive, or warp drive.

+1. Beam me up Footer

I agree, ORDA is not doing things on the cheap, but have they been doing things that have provided a proportionate benefit to the area? Would $6M invested in a new lift help N Creek as much as $6M invested in renovating down town? I don't know the answer, but let's not forget why NYS is in the ski industry.

Footer wrote

warp drive.

We need more lifts with warp drives.  I have a need for speed when it comes to getting up the mountain, meaning I want to get up as fast as humanly possible to take lots of runs.

I couldn't find correct docs but I think ORDA exists to use the venues to drive development.  Whether that's the best way to do it or not, I have no idea.  Ultimately though if you are going to have ski areas you have to at least replace lifts. Obviously you don't have to expand.

Would be awesome to see what $6M could do in downtown NC. Although... slowly but surely the locals are doing it themselves. With help from the demand created by Gore and other attractions like rafting etc.  Main Street ain't perfect but it is greatly improved IMO over 10-15 years ago.

Snoloco what's the rush bro?

From what I have read, High Speed Detachable lifts only last 20 years and are TWICE as expensive as a fixed grip lift. Seems a fixed Grip Quad will last twice as long at half the cost.

You are correct.  The average useful life of a detach is 20 years while the average useful life of a fixed grip is 40 years.  A detach does cost about twice as much too, so with a fixed grip, you save 75%.  However, do you want to get to the saddle in 7 minutes or 15 minutes?

Would $6M invested in a new lift help N Creek as much as $6M invested in renovating down town?

build it an they will come . . . .

The amount of Google, Bing, Yahoo search on phrases like...

"gore mountain lodging" (hotels, motels, accommodations, etc etc)
"gore mountain dining" (restaurants etc)
"gore mountain real estate" (etc)
"gore mountain ocktoberfest"
"gore mountain wedding"
"gore mountain outfitters"

...is a clear indication that Gore is driving some business in the Southern Adirondacks.

There is no doubt in my mind.

From what I have heard N Creek is getting a Dollar store, that's a real good sign of a booming economy.

 I can't fault ORDA for putting in a new lift, but I don't think it will substantially help the economy. If anything it will likely take fewer employees to man and maintain it.