Colorado Lift News
5th Year Anniversary Edition: Summer 2006
This chairlift survey marks ColoradoSkiHistory.com’s fifth anniversary on
the Internet.  Since 2002, the number of new chairlifts installed annually
has increased by 78 percent.  This year resorts are reaching deep in their
financial pockets, building expensive projects that reflect last winter’s
record skier numbers.   

Breckenridge contracted Leitner-Poma last spring to construct the long
awaited gondola from the free parking lots to developments on Peak 7,
moving to the Peak 7 base, and finally up to the Colorado Super Chair.  
The system will cost about twenty million dollars and will feature eight-
passenger cabins built by the Swiss company CWA.  

Aspen Skiing Company is continuing with their one billion dollar
renovation of Snowmass.  For this season, look for two new lifts: the Elk
Camp Gondola and Assay Hill Quad.  Both projects are being
constructed and engineered by Leitner-Poma of Grand Junction.  The
gondola will replace the old Riblet Funnel lift and extend down to the base
of Fanny Hill.  Weitz is overseeing additional base area construction
located at the bottom of the Village Express, which will eventually include
new lodging, a conference center, retail shops and restaurants.

Doppelmayr CTEC has two projects this year in Colorado, including an
eight-passenger gondola at Beaver Creek and a high-speed quad at Wolf
Creek.  The gondola will originate in the town of Avon and will connect to
the Beaver Creek Mountain lifts near the free parking lots off of US
Highway 6.  The new high-speed quad at Wolf Creek is their first express
lift and their fourth new CTEC brand chair.
Modified Lifts:
Silver Queen Gondola
The Old Cabins at
Aspen
Telluride Gondola
New Ski Lifts:
Area
Lift Name
Type
Manufacturer
Capacity
Avon/Beaver Creek
River Front
HSG8
Doppelmayr CTEC #
N/A p/h
Breckenridge
BreckConnect
HSG8
Leitner-Poma
3,000
Crested Butte
East River
HSQ
Leitner-Poma
2,400
Kendall Mountain
Main Lift
FGD
Poma *
1,200
Snowmass
Elk Camp
HSG8
Leitner-Poma
N/A
Snowmass
Assay Hill
FGQ
Leitner-Poma
2,400
Steamboat
Sunshine
HSQ
Poma **
2,400
Winter Park
Eagle Wind
FGT
Yan ***
1,800
Wolf Creek
Raven Express
HSQ
Doppelmayr CTEC
2,400
Notes: Lifts relocated from: * Vermont, ** The Canyons, UT, *** Outrigger at Winter Park, ^ Snowmass,

# Lift will not be completed until the '07-'08 season
Removed Ski Lifts:
Area
Lift Name
Type
Manufacturer
Capacity
Crested Butte
East River
FGT
Poma
1,800 p/h
Snowmass
Assay Hill
FGD
Hall
1,200
Snowmass
Funnel
FGD
Riblet
1,200
Steamboat
Sunshine
FGT
Doppelmayr
1,800
Vail
Chair 1/Giant Steps
FGD
Riblet
1,200
Wolf Creek
Dickey
FGD
Borvig
1,200
Modified Ski Lifts:
Area
Lift Name
Type
Manufacturer
Capacity
Aspen Mountain
Silver Queen
HSG6
Poma
2,400 p/h
Gondola cabins were replaced with new CWA Omega models.
Copper
R & S
FGT / FGT
Yan / Yan
1,800
Yan carriers replaced with new Doppelmayr CTEC chairs.
Keystone
A-51 &
Checkerboard
FGD
Yan
1,200
Yan carriers replaced with new Riblet double chairs.
Steamboat
Headwall &
Southface
FGT / FGT
Yan / Yan
1,800
Yan carriers replaced with Doppelmayr chairs from the former Sunshine triple chair.
Telluride
Gondola: 1, II, III
HSG*
CTEC Garaventa
N/A
Unspecified modifications by Doppelmayr CTEC
Lift Construction Pictures:
* Removed Chairlifts:
East River
Assay Hill
Funnel
Sunshine
Dickey
Giant Steps
* Lift Removal Pictures:
Removal of Funnel at Snowmass
Dickey at Wolf Creek
* Lifts Being Constructed:
Breckenridge:
Breck's gondola as of mid-June
Pictures of the lower terminal in late August.
More lower terminal pictures.
Pictures of the Shock Hill mid station.
Shock Hill
Peak 7 mid station
Peak 8 Terminal
Snowmass:
Various projects including the Elk Camp Gondola at Snowmass
More pictures of the Elk Camp Gondola.
Beaver Creek:
The new gondola from Avon to the Beaver Creek Landing off of US Highway 6.
The gondola terminal on the Beaver Creek Landing side.
The gondola terminal on the Avon side.
Echo Mountain:
Early snow hits Echo's slopes as they enter their second season.
Previous Editions:
2005-2006 Season
2004-2005 Season
2003-2004 Season
2002-2003 Season
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All Rights Reserved.

Pictures thanks to: Vons, John Holm,
Patrick from Austin, Aspen SkiCo, Brad C., Lift
Dino