Sugarloaf Chairlift Accident

http://nypost.com/2015/03/21/7-injured-in-chairlift-accident-at-maine-ski-resort/

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jys_iGDpfw8

This is the second major lift failure they had within the decade and on a lift from the same company, Borvig.  Maybe it's because Borvig made bad lifts (there's a reason why Intrawest sent VVGG's to the scrap heap), or maybe it's because they squandered their maintenance resources to build Bracket Basin as cheaply as possible when their parent company didn't give them the $$$ to do it right with real trails and lifts.  They just wanted to one up Kmart and say they were slightly bigger when in fact, most of it was glades that were seldom open.  Anyone who's been to both mountains says that K skis way bigger.  Say what you want about Otten, but he never squandered the maintenance funds to build glades that never opened.

snoloco wrote

This is the second major lift failure they had within the decade and on a lift from the same company, Borvig.  Maybe it's because Borvig made bad lifts (there's a reason why Intrawest sent VVGG's to the scrap heap), or maybe it's because they squandered their maintenance resources to build Bracket Basin as cheaply as possible when their parent company didn't give them the $$$ to do it right with real trails and lifts.  They just wanted to one up Kmart and say they were slightly bigger when in fact, most of it was glades that were seldom open.  Anyone who's been to both mountains says that K skis way bigger.  Say what you want about Otten, but he never squandered the maintenance funds to build glades that never opened.

You forgot about a third possibility... perhaps it was just really really bad luck and the two Borvigs failing on the same hill was coincidence. Not that I believe that but I think speculation without including all of the possibilities isn't appropriate. The Loaf states that the lift has been inspected regularly according to schedule. Regardless Borvigs are freaky lifts, I've never been a fan.

It costs a lot more to replace a lift than clear out some glades, that is for sure. Suggesting that they blew lift replacement money on a summer of clearing out trees is crazy. Regardless, the lift passed its state inspection and was regularly maintained and inspected. It would be a major jaw dropper if Loaf knew that they had lift issues (especially after the last incident) and hushed the issue up and crossed their fingers on inspections. Could have happened, who knows.

K skis way bigger than the Loaf? That is crazy talk. Take a trip up there and find out for yourself. K skis wider than the Loaf but not in a better way, the Loaf is pretty wide and everything goes straight down the fall line. Loaf summit to base lodge is quite a run and the top part of the mountain is pretty darn steep. If they were both the same distance, I'd ski Loaf over K everyday.

Um, wait. After two lift failures in five years, you still trust getting on a Sugarloaf lift?

The lifts don't break at Killington.

What's the feeling on jumping off the lift if it is rolling backwards like that?  Right thing or wrong thing to do?  I hope to never experience a rollback like that, but watching that video and hearing that guy yelling, "jump", he's pretty convincing, but maybe he's giving bad advice.

https://youtu.be/ovQlkL5bGbk

This vid shows why you would want to jump.

Given the height of the chairs on this lift coming back into the terminal, jumping seems like a better bet. No one knew that the lift wouldn't continue to accelerate  and in this case come to a stop so quickly). Roll backs can be about as dangerous as they come for lift failures.

Well, that answers my question!  I'll jump!  

A rollback of 450 feet is a catastrophic failure of the lift and/or lift operators. This is a "save yourself" emergency.  This was a huge screw up by Sugarloaf. In any other lift stoppage,,just sit tight and let the ski patrol rescue you.

I guess you want to wait and tine jumping to just before the terminal but at those speeds that would be tough

I have not been to Loaf in quite some time but it's is better skiing than K

With all the gearing in a modern HSQ can they really spin backwards like this in a worst case failure?  I would think the gearing would supply significant friction and block this from happening.  Might be a fixed grip issue only?

Jump.  Always Jump.  

This happened at a place I used to ski in Wisconsin.  Luckly no one was killed.  14 people injured.

Coach Z wrote

With all the gearing in a modern HSQ can they really spin backwards like this in a worst case failure?  .....  Might be a fixed grip issue only?

Excellent question. Perhaps Sno has some idea.

Snowballs wrote

Coach Z wrote

With all the gearing in a modern HSQ can they really spin backwards like this in a worst case failure?  .....  Might be a fixed grip issue only?

Excellent question. Perhaps Sno has some idea.

A HSQ would still roll back, but it would be almost a non issue.  The chairs would come off the cable just as they do in normal operation.  The lift in this accident went backwards at a max speed of about 900 fpm.  A HSQ can easily run faster than that and has fewer chairs, so less weight.  There is also more friction because the cable has to turn the tires in the contours and a bigger motor and gearbox.  A HSQ would not roll back as fast in this scenario (motor and gearbox still connected) and the chairs would still detach at the bottom.  Even in a completely uncontrolled rollback like the Eskimo lift at Winter Park, the chairs would still detach and the results not nearly as bad.

A lot (but by no  means all) of detachable lifts are designed to run in reverse. They even have signs at the loading area that state something like "This lift may run in reverse".

In a situation where they did have to run it in reverse, my understanding is it's not uncommon for ski patrol to ski the lift line first and warn riders to prevent them from panicking and jumping off.

Doppelmayr detachable lifts can run in reverse.  Poma chairlifts cannot, but the grips will still work in reverse in a rollback.  I was on the South Peak lift at MC and it went backwards when I was on it, but very slow as it was just to get a frozen grip out of the terminal to deice it.  Ski patrol did not ski the line.

I was there all last week and left the day before the accident, pretty lucky on the timing.  

Having just been there I would choose Sugarloaf over Kmart any day of the week even with the risk on the lifts, the place is down right sick.  Best mountain on the east coast if you like some challenge and plenty good for those that don't.  I hope they can get their crap together and keep the lifts working because I am certainly going back at some point in the future.  

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wedeler wrote

He said the chair rocked forward and almost touched the cable. Then it rocked backwards.  If he hadn't had the safety bar down, he would have been dumped off the chair.

Interesting. Never would have thought of that.....bar down.

http://sugarloaf.com/x1650.xml
The plot thickens...

I find it interesting that the shaft that failed was vibration tested he day before.  Could that test contribute to metal fatigue?