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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Banff
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    22,210

    Oldest chair lift, still running and used often?

    "the big chair" at Norquay, in banff, alberta is 65 years old this year. Fixed grip double, that gets you to 1300vertical ft of just black (double black) terrain.

    I'm sure that some small hill out east must still have some old school lifts running still?


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    here and there
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    18,583
    watch out for snakes

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,210
    nice, so it got moved, but is 75 years old....

    "Mount Eyak is currently serviced by a single chairlift (as well as the rope tow). The chairlift was purchased from Sun Valley, Idaho, and transported by train to Seattle, then by ferry to Cordova. The Sheridan Ski Club painted the towers and repaired the chairs before the army used its helicopters to put the towers in place in 1974.[2] The single chair lift was originally constructed in 1939 and serviced Bald Mountain. It is the oldest working chairlift in North America "


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
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    30,879
    If its still the original chair on red mountain in rossland that was a very old chair
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Way down in the Hole
    Posts
    1,419
    Wow 75 years?! Crazy...

    Eagle's Rest at Jackson Hole is the only chair left from the first season the Village was open, 64-65, pre-tram. Next year she'll be 50 year old! Enabling laps of the Pooh Bear Chutes, and the patented ER-Sweety-Casper to get onto the upper mtn when the lines are crazy. May not last too much longer though, plans for high-speed in the works.
    Skiing, whether you're in Wisconsin or the Alps, is a dumbass hick country sport that takes place in the middle of winter on a mountain at the end of a dirt road.
    -Glen Plake

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Canuckistan/Sverige/Montucky
    Posts
    2,973
    I've been on a couple of single chairs in Germany and Austria that must be up there.
    Flying the Bluehouse colors in Western Canada! Let me know if you want some rad skis!!

    "He is god of snow; the one called Ullr. Son of Sif, step son of Thor. He is so fierce a bowman and ski-runner that none may contend! He is quite beautiful to look upon and has all the characteristics of a warrior. It is wise to invoke the name of Ullr in duels!"

    -The Gylfaginning

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Rawesome, BC
    Posts
    1,392
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    If its still the original chair on red mountain in rossland that was a very old chair
    Think that one was put up in the 70s to replace the original put up in the late 40s.
    Life is simple. Go Explore.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    entrapped
    Posts
    2,497
    Mt Spokane oldest double. 68 years old and still in use.
    1946 The first double chair lift in the world is put into operation on the south face of the summit
    No matter where you go, there you are. - BB

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,210
    I miss fixed grip double chairs..


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    1,262
    The Looking Glass lift at Winter Park is the oldest in Colorado. Fixed grip double, center pole Riblet. Installed some time in the 50s, can't remember the exact year. Still runs pretty much every day.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    The Cone of Uncertainty
    Posts
    49,306
    The single at Mad River dates from 1947 but it's been rebuilt. Still the fastest fixed-grip chair in the world I believe though.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    4,547
    the padded seats at Alpental have been moving folks to the top of Denny Mt. since 1968.
    the motor ran smooth today.
    b
    .

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    88
    Pretty sure the original chairlift was moved from Sun Valley to Boyne Mountain and is still in use.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    cordova,AK
    Posts
    3,686
    The original Sun Valley chair is at MT Eyak. Due to insurance issues we had to replace the chairs. The towers are original. The electric motor that ran the lift from the top station has been replaced. The motor is now at the base. We have saved the original chairs. We are selling them to raise funds for the hill. If anyone is interested in purchasing they can contact me. Or Mt Eyak on! Facebook. The lift is in great shape but unfortunately is not operating due to no snow
    off your knees Louie

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    E WA / NW MT
    Posts
    248
    Quote Originally Posted by skinipenem View Post
    Mt Spokane oldest double. 68 years old and still in use.
    1946 The first double chair lift in the world is put into operation on the south face of the summit
    Pretty sure it's not still in use, the original bullwheel is there but chair 1 is a slightly newer old shitty riblet I do believe.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Northern BC
    Posts
    2,596
    Quote Originally Posted by mntlion View Post
    "the big chair" at Norquay, in banff, alberta is 65 years old this year. Fixed grip double, that gets you to 1300vertical ft of just black (double black) terrain.
    They haven't replaced it !?! Growing up, my family spent spring breaks in Banff. Spent lots of time at Norquay. I remember mustering up the courage to go up the that chair. Almost as a dare to myself. Probably 8 or 9 at the time. Scared shitless. From what i could see of the 'Widow Maker' (Lone Pine), I couldn't even understand how anyone could even make it down that thing. People had told me there were easier ways down the other side (skier's right of the chair). Making it down was such a rush / accomplishment. Still chasing that rush today I guess.

    I'm not sure it's very old, but the chair at Shames is an absolute classic. Anyone (possibly Gary) know the history of that thing?

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    3,449
    how about the old lifts on dollar mountain at sun valley? not sure if they replaced them!!!! then there is that tiny hill in hailey with prehistoric lifts!!!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Kootenays
    Posts
    1,496
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    If its still the original chair on red mountain in rossland that was a very old chair
    The original Red chair had wooden towers, and that has been replaced with a double Mueller (sp?). Still "only" 60 something years since that first chair went up.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    none
    Posts
    8,334
    Quote Originally Posted by BFD View Post
    We have saved the original chairs. We are selling them to raise funds for the hill. If anyone is interested in purchasing they can contact me. Or Mt Eyak on! Facebook.
    Those would be some really nice chairs to have, but I'd imagine the freight would kill me.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    522
    How old is big chief or 7th at Stevens

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    Quote Originally Posted by snoboy View Post
    The original Red chair had wooden towers, and that has been replaced with a double Mueller (sp?). Still "only" 60 something years since that first chair went up.
    The hardware tech at cominco told me the original chair was built with parts & expertise pilfered from cominco, everybody knew about it and everyone was in on it ... a community project
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Spokane/Schweitzer
    Posts
    6,741
    Quote Originally Posted by Charmander View Post
    Pretty sure it's not still in use, the original bullwheel is there but chair 1 is a slightly newer old shitty riblet I do believe.
    Actually, the 1946 chair was removed and Chair 1 was built in 1955. The original 1946 chair was located more westerly of the current 1955 chair. And yes, all Riblet chairs since Riblet (Sowder family) used to own the concession. Here's a history piece my friend did on it. Note the picture on the video. That's the original 1946 chair with the Vista House in the background. The 1955 chair terminates closer to the Vista House.


  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    the ex-Motor City
    Posts
    3,030
    Main lodge double at Caberfae Peaks (MI). not sure how old it is but Cab is one of the oldest resorts in the US (I think 2nd oldest?) This was their first chair and still in service. Has a rounded leading edge to the seat which is perfectly designed to cut off circulation in your legs in less time than it takes to reach it's lofty 350 ft of vert ...
    "Those 1%ers are not an avaricious "them" but in reality the most entrepreneurial of "us". If we had more of them and fewer grandstanding politicians, we would all be better off."
    - Bradley Schiller, Prof. of Economics, Univ. Nevada - Reno.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Bottom feeding
    Posts
    10,827
    Mt. Eyak/SunValley chair would be way cool for my deck, but $2K plus shipping from Cordova...
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
    I'm not a part of a redneck agenda

  25. #25
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    soaring on the shitwinds
    Posts
    7,322
    Wait a minute wasn't the double at West originally built in the 1800s for cargo use over a particular deadly pass on the Oregon Trail?


    Oldest working chair in NA if I remember correctly.
    "If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise." -Robert Fritz

    Quote Originally Posted by skifishbum View Post
    not enough nun fisters in that community

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