By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
GILFORD – Both Gunstock Mountain Resort and Pats Peak in Henniker are planning upgrades or replacement of lifts this year after both have been dealing with mechanical failures.
Robert Drake, president and general manager of the Belknap County-owned recreation area, said “we are committed to investing more than $2 million in our lift infrastructure over the next two years, which includes a full refurb of the Panorama.”
The 2003 quad chairlift was down Tuesday morning along with the Pistol lift due to a power outage very early in the morning, but both were back up in the afternoon.
He said the incident was separate from a mechanical failure on the Panorama chair which idled it for six days during the Massachusetts school vacation week last week.
“The repair included nine of our vendors and a team of about 10 individuals to complete,” said Drake.
On Facebook, the resort said that on Feb. 18 a gearbox that transmits power to the driver of the lower terminal of the Panorama chair unexpectedly failed.
While other lifts were operating, guests were offered a rain check or credit to their account. Those here on vacation waited days for the necessary parts for the lift to arrive from Utah and then the team at Gunstock worked around the clock to repair the lift and get it operating.
Drake said that “while the total cost of the repair is still coming in, the biggest cost was to our guests and our team did an amazing job in working tirelessly to get the repair completed to get our guests back to the summit as quickly as possible.”
On Tuesday, Pats Peak in Henniker announced that the 1977 Hurricane Triple Chairlift will take its final ride at the end of March, making way for a new fixed-grip quad.
It is not the same as the Peak Triple Chair which had to be evacuated Feb. 17 and required ski patrol and Henniker firefighters to lower about 120 people safely to the ground over a period of an hour and a half during high winds and cold temperatures.
“The Hurricane Triple Chair has been a reliable part of the mountain’s lift system for nearly five decades. While its retirement marks the end of an era, this new quad lift represents the future of Pats Peak, offering enhanced comfort, accessibility, and efficiency for both beginners and experienced skiers and snowboarders,” a press release said.
The Patenaude family, owners and operators of Pats Peak since its founding in 1963, remain committed to delivering the best possible snow experience. Immediately following the close of the season, work will begin to dismantle the Hurricane lift.
The new quad will be installed in the same location but with several key improvements aimed at making the lift more family-friendly and efficient. It will include a gentler approach for easier loading, reducing hesitation and improving guest comfort and a state-of-the-art loading conveyor to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.
“This new lift is an exciting step forward for Pats Peak,” said Kris Blomback, Pats Peak general manager. “We are dedicated to continuous improvements that enhance the skiing and riding experience for all of our guests, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to enjoy the benefits of this new quad next season.”
The announcements come after a spate of evacuations with guests lowered by ropes from lifts at Attitash in Bartlett and at Cannon Mountain in Franconia.
Each year, lifts are inspected by the state within the Department of Safety and daily the lifts at all ski areas are tested.
Preliminary reports show the incidents were due to mechanical failure or wind issues.
The New Hampshire Passenger Tramway Safety Board, whose duties include investigations, complaints and issues related to emergency shut downs is conducting joint investigations with the State Fire Marshal’s office related to all the incidents including the one at Attitash where one person was injured.
The preliminary investigation in the Attitash incident on the Flying Bear lift showed it appeared to be a mechanical failure caused by one of the chairs being dislodged from the cable and tumbling 20 feet to the snowy trail with an adult male on the chair.
The report said he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after the accident and he was not identified.
On Feb. 5 at 11 a.m. Cannon Mountain’s Peabody Express Quad chair became incapacitated with passengers needing to be evacuated. No injuries were reported and the state preliminary report shows there was a mechanical issue.
At Pats Peak, it was concluded the wind was responsible for the Feb. 17 triple chair malfunction and it was no mechanical in nature.
On Wednesday, the Executive Council will be asked to pay $21,621 to Doppelmayr USA of Salt Lake City Utah for bull wheel bearing replacements for the Peabody Chair which were done this past summer and fall.
The contract is retroactive and was also authorized by the state’s Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee to be paid for from the Cannon Mountain Capital Improvements Fund.
Brian Wilson, parks director, said Doppelmayr recommended such replacement every 20 years.
“This preventative maintenance dramatically increased the durability of the Peabody Quad Chair for another 20 seasons,” he wrote, prior to the mechanical issue Feb. 5 at Cannon does not appear related.
According to the agenda for the council meeting, there is also a request to draw from the same improvement fund $26,550 for a new gearbox for the Eagle Cliff Chairlift, also retroactive and done by ARTEC Machine Systems of North Branford, Conn.