Less than a decade after Alta Ski Area installed its Supreme lift, it is making plans to replace it.
General manager Mike Maughan said a summer inspection of the lift revealed it is experiencing “accelerated metal fatigue” due to a unique feature of its alignment.
Alta installed the lift in 2017 to replace an older Supreme lift and the Cecret lift. The two, according to LiftBlog.com, ran in “consecutive alignment” to expert terrain on the east side of Devil’s Castle. When the new high-speed quad was installed, the resort opted to take the unusual route of running the chairs through an 8-degree bend.
The ride through the bend on the new Supreme lift has always been bumpy and jarring, according to LiftBlog.com founder Peter Landsman. In an attempt to tamp down the vibration, Landsman noted, Alta experimented with a different Leitner chair last winter. In addition to being rough on the skiers, however, the turn apparently took a toll on the lift’s chairs.
“Every one of those [chair pans] is cracked significantly,” Maughan told the Alta Town Council on Thursday. “And an additional investigation by engineers just said we’re accelerating fatigue on the chairs, the grips and chairs and the bend itself.”
The lift, built by Leitner-Poma, never had an accident, however, and Maughan said it will be a viable option for the 2024-25 season. The resort plans to replace the Supreme lift next summer.
“We are rapidly pursuing with the lift manufacturer and Forest Service potentially a realignment of the lift for 2025,” Maughan said.
Landsman said the typical lifespan of a lift is close to 30 years.
Alta opted for the bend in 2017 over two more conventional options: installing an angle station, which would have been more costly, or setting a new alignment, which would have resulted in more deforestation and soil this time around. If it goes with the realignment, which Maughan indicated is Alta’s preference, he said all towers and footings would have to be replaced. However most of the equipment, including the chairs, could be reused, he said.
Going with realignment would also give Alta a “simpler lift with less moving parts and less wear and tear,” Maughan said. However, he added that the final decision will depend on cost.
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