PDA

View Full Version : Lift Accident @ Sugarloaf



gostan
12-28-2010, 12:31 PM
A ski area and skiers worst nightmare came true this morning at Sugarloaf as the Spillway East chair cable came off one of the sheave trains this morning bringing chairs down with some minor injuries being reported. I just spoke to a friend of mine who is at SL, and it appears that over 100 folks had to be removed from the lift, but he told me that it really could have been a lot worse. I hope that all are doing well.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Outdoors/Injuries-in-ski-lift-accident-at-Maine-resort,162538

The Spillway East chair is the longer of two older twofers that go up the center of the mountain. ASC & now Boyne, have long needed to replace them with some type of newer quad. Now, maybe, this chair replacement will come to fruition.

summitchallenger
12-28-2010, 01:53 PM
FWIW the line did not snap. The line came off of one of the sheave trains. Wind is one of the considerations.

gostan
12-28-2010, 02:13 PM
FWIW the line did not snap. The line came off of one of the sheave trains. Wind is one of the considerations.You are definitely correct, so I have edited my original post. Thx.

gostan
12-28-2010, 02:52 PM
CARRABASSETT VALLEY, MAINE (Tuesday, December 28, 2010) - Today, at approximately 10:30am, the Spillway East Chairlift experienced a rope derailment. At this time, we have 6 injured guests who have been treated and transported from the mountain.

All available mountain safety personnel are at the scene. The injured parties have been taken off the mountain. Additionally, the remaining guests on the lift have all been successfully evacuated from the lift.

As of now, the cause of the incident is still unknown and is under investigation.

The Spillway East chair is A 2 passenger monocable fixed grip chair manufactured and installed by Borvig in 1975. This lift was modified in 1983. Spillway East is 4,013 feet long with a vertical of 1,454 feet. This chair moves at a speed of 500 feet per minute and the chairs are 50 feet apart. There are 162 chairs on this lift each weighing 140lbs. Spillway East has a 250 horsepower motor and has a capacity for 1,200 skiers per hour.

The Spillway Chairs run parallel up the Spillway trail. Spillway East runs to the top of the Sluice Headwall and you can access all terrain below the Spillway X-Cut.

The chairlift receives routine daily inspections for safety. Additionally, the chairlift receives weekly, monthly and yearly maintenance and testing. The lift is also inspected annually for it’s safety from the State of Maine Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety.

Sugarloaf Mountain and its employees are concerned for the people involved, additionally the resort like to express gratitude to all the safety personnel that have responded to this incident.

shadyjay
12-28-2010, 02:55 PM
Its never a good thing to read about something like this. I hope everyone's okay.

Noticed in this link, it appears they have the Sugarloaf version of the Lincoln Limo... or am I seeing things?
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/12/28/maine.skiers.trapped/index.html?hpt=T1

summitchallenger
12-28-2010, 03:45 PM
Noticed in this link, it appears they have the Sugarloaf version of the Lincoln Limo... or am I seeing things?
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/12/28/maine.skiers.trapped/index.html?hpt=T1

They do, but they only use it for dinners at the lodge on the upper mountain and for mountain personnel. They don't use it for windhold days or powder skiing...

gostan
12-28-2010, 05:53 PM
Noticed in this link, it appears they have the Sugarloaf version of the Lincoln Limo... or am I seeing things?
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/12/28/maine.skiers.trapped/index.html?hpt=T1

They do, but they only use it for dinners at the lodge on the upper mountain and for mountain personnel. They don't use it for windhold days or powder skiing...
Bullwinkle's

gostan
12-29-2010, 07:10 AM
From Win's Word yesterday:
Today there was an unfortunate accident on a lift at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort in Maine. There were some erroneous reports that this accident happened at Sugarbush.
Sugarloaf Today is reporting that some of the injuries, although not life threatening, were more serious than originally reported...i.e back fractures, etc. & SL management has gone into silent mode, even temporarily shutting down its' Facebook page. My prayers & thoughts go out to all who are injured. This could have happened anywhere, but I was fairly surprised while watching last evenings' new on Channel 5-WCVB in Boston to hear the news anchor, Bianca de la Garza, announce that the lift accident took place at Sugarbush Ski Area in Maine.

I expect that on my next lift ride on SB or HG that I will be silently and vocally thanking all Sugarbush's lift attendants, maintenance folks and operations types for all of the steps they take in all types of conditions to keep us all moving up the mountain and safe! Thanks so much!!

cmoore
12-30-2010, 06:04 PM
Sugarloaf press release...UPDATE 3: Sugarloaf Mountain Spillway East Incident Update

Appears to be more than wind.
http://www.sugarloaf.com/Corporate/Media/PressReleases/Present/2010/12.29spillway_update.html