So It Begins...
Our maintenance crew has begun the process of dismantling lifts to prepare for the installation of the new Voyageur Express this summer. Over the past week, the team has been removing chairs one by one from the Voyager Quad using a special tool called a de-tensioner. Riblet lifts attach the chairs to the haul rope with an internal clip inserted into the core. To attach the clips, the cable needs to be pulled together and expanded so the core can be cut out and the clip inserted in its place. The photos below illustrate how this process works. Once inserted, the rope is released and the tension of the cable holds the clip in place.
To remove the chairs from the line, the reverse is done. The rope is expanded, the clip is pulled out and replaced with a small piece of plastic core to retain the integrity of the rope, then it is closed back up again. The quad has 154 chairs with two clips per chair, meaning the crew must remove 308 individual clips from the rope, a very time-consuming and laborious process. I expect this part of the process to be complete by the end of the weekend.
It's bittersweet to see the chairs coming off the line for the final time. As a lifelong skier of Indianhead, these lifts were staples of my experience, and have many memories tied to them. While it's a bit sad to see them go, the excitement of what's to come overwhelms the sadness. If you'd like to own your own piece of history, check out our online auction where the chairs are available for purchase. These quad chairs in particular make for an excellent addition to your backyard or front porch as a bench or swing. Once we finish on the quad our attention will move to the triple where we'll repeat the process 141 more times to remove those chairs. Stay tuned to my blog as we begin one of the largest projects in the history of the mountain. It is going to be an exciting summer!
- Benjamin