Mammoth Mountain Ski Area
Encyclopedia
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area is a large ski resort
located in Eastern California
, along the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the Inyo National Forest
.
, located in the volcanic Long Valley Caldera
. Overnight guests stay in the town of Mammoth Lakes, California
, and occasionally in neighboring towns such as Bishop
. Mammoth has more than 3500 acre (1,416.4 ha) of skiable terrain, serviced by 28 lifts, including 3 gondola
s. The area has 3100 ft (944.9 m) of vertical, rising to an elevation of 11053 ft (3,369 m). The top of the mountain has challenging chutes and open mogul runs. There are eight Unbound terrain parks. Unbound Main, located adjacent to Main Lodge, is highly praised by extreme snowboarding and skiing enthusiasts, and is one of the major attractions of the ski resort. Many of the top professionals in the sport, including 2006-
and 2010 Winter Olympics
gold medalist Shaun White
, come to practice and compete in the world famous 18 ft (5.5 m) Super Pipe and 22 ft (6.7 m) Super-Duper Pipe. There are only a handful of SuperDuper pipes in the world. There is also a Mini Pipe. Mammoth Mountain is one of only a handful of resorts in the world to offer a halfpipe of this size and is the only resort in North America to offer three different-sized halfpipes.
Mammoth Mountain also has one of the longest ski seasons in North America, which averages from November to June. Mammoth does occasionally open earlier, such as in 2005, when the resort opened in October, and did not close until the 4th of July
. Mammoth Mountain's longest season, over ten months, was thanks to the 1994-1995 winter season when the resort opened on 8 October and did not close until 13 August. Mammoth receives an average of 354 in (899.2 cm) of snow per season, though during the 2010-2011 season the resort recorded a record accumulation of 661 in (1,678.9 cm).
As recently as the 1980s, senior citizens skied Mammoth for free. , those aged at least 80 years may ski free. Following the tradition established by Dave McCoy, no Mammoth Mountain employees are permitted to have beards.
, Mammoth is much closer for Southland skiers and riders than the Lake Tahoe
area resorts, which are more accessible to the San Francisco Bay Area
. Mammoth Mountain is a more popular destination than Southern California resorts, because of these areas' heavy reliance on snowmaking, lighter precipitation, and their notably shorter seasons. Although Mammoth is physically closer to San Francisco and central valley cities than Los Angeles, mountain passes along the Sierra crest are closed after the first major snowfall, and this lack of a trans-Sierra travel route creates an unusually long drive to Mammoth from the Bay Area and most of Northern California. For example: during the summer, the distance from Fresno to Mammoth Lakes is 189 mi (304.2 km), while the same excursion in winter involves 366 miles of driving.
In recent years, Mammoth has had increased visitors from outside of California and Nevada. Ski season commercial flights are now available to Mammoth Lakes Mammoth Yosemite Airport
via Los Angeles
, on Horizon Air
. In December 2009, Alaska/Horizon started nonstop flights from LAX and seasonal flights from San Jose, California
. In December 2010, SkyWest Airlines
started seasonal flights from San Francisco to Mammoth Lakes. Skywest Airlines added two more seasonal flights from San Diego & Orange county to Mammoth Lakes which will begin In December 2011.
, a hydrographer
for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
. As a member of the Eastern Sierra Ski Club in the 1930s, McCoy noticed that Mammoth Mountain consistently held more snow than other mountains. The Ski Club had a portable rope tow
. McCoy bought the rope tow from the club in 1941 and usually kept it at Mammoth. In 1953, the United States Forest Service
awarded a permit to McCoy to operate the ski area. The first ski lift was built in 1955.
, an avalanche in 1979 that destroyed a ski lift, and a prolonged drought that led to layoffs in 1991.
Similar to other ski resorts, Mammoth had a number of associated fatalities in its history:
The Village at Mammoth was built in a style similar to other Intrawest properties, such as Whistler or Keystone
. The Village Gondola was built in the early 2000s which transports skiers from the Village to the Canyon Lodge base.
, a private equity fund specializing in real estate, run by Barry Sternlicht
. The sale price was $365 million.
Because of a poor economy in California, beginning in 2007, many of the stores and restaurants in The Village closed. However, in the fall of 2010, with the help of local business owners, the Village has seen a resurgence of new restaurants and stores.
Almost all the old, slow, double chair lifts were replaced with high-speed quad, and six-seater lifts. Several old lifts were also removed. The Mid-Chalet, which once had picnic tables on its roof, was completely remodeled in the early 2000s, re-named McCoy Station, and now features gourmet foods and a cafeteria. Large vintage photos of McCoy and his family can be found hanging from the ceiling there. The Mill Cafe, a small rustic bar and snack area was added in the early 2000s.
In 2011, Chair 5 was chosen to be upgraded for the 2011-2012 season. Chair 5 was upgraded from a Yan-fixed three person chair to a Doppelmayr
high speed quad. The ride time is reported to be half as long, and the capacity was increased from 1800 an hour to an estimated 2400 people an hour. In line with tradition, the chair was also given a new name: High Five Express.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
located in Eastern California
Eastern California
Eastern California is a term that refers to the eastern region of California, United States. It can refer to either the strip to the east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada, or to the easternmost counties of California.-Culture and history:...
, along the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest is a federally administered forest in the United States. The forest covers parts of the eastern Sierra Nevada of California, and the White Mountains of California and Nevada. It contains two wilderness areas: the John Muir Wilderness and the Ansel Adams Wilderness...
.
Description
The ski area is built on the north side of Mammoth MountainMammoth Mountain
Mammoth Mountain is a lava dome complex west of the town of Mammoth Lakes, California in the Inyo National Forest of Madera County and Mono County. It is home to a large ski area on the Mono County side....
, located in the volcanic Long Valley Caldera
Long Valley Caldera
Long Valley Caldera is a depression in eastern California that is adjacent to Mammoth Mountain. The valley is one of the largest calderas on earth, measuring about long and wide . The elevation of the floor of the caldera is in the east and in the west...
. Overnight guests stay in the town of Mammoth Lakes, California
Mammoth Lakes, California
-History:The European history of Mammoth Lakes started in 1877, when four prospectors staked a claim on Mineral Hill, south of the current town, along Old Mammoth Road. In 1878, the Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a gold rush. By the end of 1878, 1500 people...
, and occasionally in neighboring towns such as Bishop
Bishop, California
Bishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...
. Mammoth has more than 3500 acre (1,416.4 ha) of skiable terrain, serviced by 28 lifts, including 3 gondola
Gondola
The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in...
s. The area has 3100 ft (944.9 m) of vertical, rising to an elevation of 11053 ft (3,369 m). The top of the mountain has challenging chutes and open mogul runs. There are eight Unbound terrain parks. Unbound Main, located adjacent to Main Lodge, is highly praised by extreme snowboarding and skiing enthusiasts, and is one of the major attractions of the ski resort. Many of the top professionals in the sport, including 2006-
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
and 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
gold medalist Shaun White
Shaun White
Shaun Roger White is an American professional snowboarder and skateboarder. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He rides regular stance, twelve and negative three degrees on his board.-Early life:Shaun White is an Irish American...
, come to practice and compete in the world famous 18 ft (5.5 m) Super Pipe and 22 ft (6.7 m) Super-Duper Pipe. There are only a handful of SuperDuper pipes in the world. There is also a Mini Pipe. Mammoth Mountain is one of only a handful of resorts in the world to offer a halfpipe of this size and is the only resort in North America to offer three different-sized halfpipes.
Mammoth Mountain also has one of the longest ski seasons in North America, which averages from November to June. Mammoth does occasionally open earlier, such as in 2005, when the resort opened in October, and did not close until the 4th of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
. Mammoth Mountain's longest season, over ten months, was thanks to the 1994-1995 winter season when the resort opened on 8 October and did not close until 13 August. Mammoth receives an average of 354 in (899.2 cm) of snow per season, though during the 2010-2011 season the resort recorded a record accumulation of 661 in (1,678.9 cm).
As recently as the 1980s, senior citizens skied Mammoth for free. , those aged at least 80 years may ski free. Following the tradition established by Dave McCoy, no Mammoth Mountain employees are permitted to have beards.
Logistics
Mammoth Mountain is located in California's Eastern Sierra approximately 100 mi (160.9 km) south of the Nevada state line and 50 minutes from the Eastern Gate of Yosemite National park. Even though the ski area is located in Northern California, the resort is mainly frequented by skiers and snowboarders from Southern California. Though it is a five-hour drive from Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Mammoth is much closer for Southland skiers and riders than the Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
area resorts, which are more accessible to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. Mammoth Mountain is a more popular destination than Southern California resorts, because of these areas' heavy reliance on snowmaking, lighter precipitation, and their notably shorter seasons. Although Mammoth is physically closer to San Francisco and central valley cities than Los Angeles, mountain passes along the Sierra crest are closed after the first major snowfall, and this lack of a trans-Sierra travel route creates an unusually long drive to Mammoth from the Bay Area and most of Northern California. For example: during the summer, the distance from Fresno to Mammoth Lakes is 189 mi (304.2 km), while the same excursion in winter involves 366 miles of driving.
In recent years, Mammoth has had increased visitors from outside of California and Nevada. Ski season commercial flights are now available to Mammoth Lakes Mammoth Yosemite Airport
Mammoth Yosemite Airport
Mammoth Yosemite Airport is a public airport located six miles east of Mammoth Lakes, serving Mono County, California, USA. The airport has one runway and is mostly used for general aviation but is also served by two commercial airlines....
via Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, on Horizon Air
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico....
. In December 2009, Alaska/Horizon started nonstop flights from LAX and seasonal flights from San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. In December 2010, SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
started seasonal flights from San Francisco to Mammoth Lakes. Skywest Airlines added two more seasonal flights from San Diego & Orange county to Mammoth Lakes which will begin In December 2011.
History
Mammoth was founded by Dave McCoyDave McCoy
Dave McCoy founded the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in 1942.-Early life:McCoy was born in El Segundo, California, just south of the future Los Angeles International Airport in 1915. He spent the first six years of his life there while his dad worked at the oil refineries in the area...
, a hydrographer
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving over four million residents. It was founded in 1902 to supply water and electricity to residents and businesses in Los Angeles and surrounding communities...
. As a member of the Eastern Sierra Ski Club in the 1930s, McCoy noticed that Mammoth Mountain consistently held more snow than other mountains. The Ski Club had a portable rope tow
Ski tow
thumb|right|A rope tow or ski tow.A ski tow, also called rope tow or handle tow, is a mechanised system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill....
. McCoy bought the rope tow from the club in 1941 and usually kept it at Mammoth. In 1953, the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
awarded a permit to McCoy to operate the ski area. The first ski lift was built in 1955.
Incidents
As the ski area grew, McCoy faced adverse circumstances: the 1973 oil crisis1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, an avalanche in 1979 that destroyed a ski lift, and a prolonged drought that led to layoffs in 1991.
Similar to other ski resorts, Mammoth had a number of associated fatalities in its history:
- In 1973 the resort bought Sierra Pacific AirlinesSierra Pacific AirlinesSierra Pacific Airlines is an American airline based in Tucson, Arizona, USA. It operates passenger charters and sub-charters for other airlines, as well as for the United States Forest Service, United States Military and the United States Marshals Service....
from 3-D film3-D filmA 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
cinematographerCinematographerA cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
Chris CondonChris CondonChris J. Condon was the inventor of 3D lens used by his company StereoVision, a cinematographer, and founder of Sierra Pacific Airlines.He was born in North Chicago, Illinois...
. On March 13, 1974 a film crew for Wolper Productions filming a National Geographic history of AustralopithecusAustralopithecusAustralopithecus is a genus of hominids that is now extinct. From the evidence gathered by palaeontologists and archaeologists, it appears that the Australopithecus genus evolved in eastern Africa around 4 million years ago before spreading throughout the continent and eventually becoming extinct...
at the resort was killed when the Corvair 440 plane flew into a 7000 feet (2,133.6 m) ridge after take off from Eastern Sierra Regional AirportEastern Sierra Regional AirportEastern Sierra Regional Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles east of the central business district of Bishop, in Inyo County, California, United States...
in BishopBishop, CaliforniaBishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...
killing all 35 on board including 31 Wolper crew members—although not Wolper himself. The filmed segment was recovered in the wreckage and was broadcast in the television show Primal Man. The NTSB never determined the cause of the accident and the resort sold the airline.
- On December 13, 1973, Martin R. Critton, a ski patroller died from an explosives accident.
- On January 26, 2006, 16-year-old Benjamin Trees was skiing with a group of friends on an intermediate run. He took a jump too fast and missed the roughly 25-foot-wide landing. Benjamin was wearing a helmet and was a sophmore at Canyon Crest AcademyCanyon Crest AcademyCanyon Crest Academy is a public high school in San Diego, California. Founded in 2004, the school is a member of the San Dieguito Union High School District...
in San Diego.
- On January 27, 2006, 39-year-old Bronislaw Tanski, a marketing representative from Laguna Niguel, was skiing with a group of friends on an intermediate trail when he lost control and hit a tree head-on. Officials believe he was traveling at excessive speeds. Tanski, who never regained consciousness, was flown to Washoe Medical Center in RenoRenoReno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
, where he died four days later. His wife and two young children were at his bedside.
- On January 28, 2006, 61-year-old Luther Sartor Jr., was skiing with several other members of the Four Seasons West ski club, a group of African American skiers from Southern California, when he apparently became disoriented and failed to see a wall of rock in front of him. He struck a 30-foot-high boulder straight on at full speed. His friend said he believed Sartor became disoriented in whiteout conditions caused by wind and snow in the bowl-like canyon, but resort officials said visibility was not a factor, based on photographs taken at the accident scene.
- On January 29, 2006, 63-year-old James Ferguson, and his lifelong friend Jan Flory, both members of the Fountain Valley Ski Club, skied down the mountain several times that morning. About 11 a.m., they decided to head to the bottom to meet friends for lunch. Coming to a wide curve, Flory skied ahead of Ferguson and waited for him a short distance below. When Ferguson didn't follow immediately, Flory asked two snowboarders who had stopped among some trees up the hill if they had seen her friend. They said they could see a man farther up, resting. But when they said he was lying down, Flory knew something was wrong. James Ferguson was a diabetic. By the time the ski patrol arrived minutes later, the snowboarders had administered cardiopulmonary resuscitationCardiopulmonary resuscitationCardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
on Ferguson. But it was too late. He had died of a massive heart attack, said Shannon Kendall, a spokeswoman for the Mono County Sheriff's Department.
- On Febuary 1, 2006, Johanna Carlsson was skiing off-duty in a desolate area just west of Twin LakesTwin Lakes-Communities:Canada*Twin Lakes Indonesia* Twin Lakes , aka Danau Kembar, West SumatraUnited Kingdom*Twin Lakes, a family theme park in Melton Mowbray, LeicestershireUnited States...
near BridgeportBridgeportBridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut.Bridgeport may also refer to:-Places:In Canada:* Bridgeport, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:* Bridgeport, Alabama* Bridgeport, California, in Mono County...
with two other Mammoth ski patrol members, Josh Feinberg, 30, and C.J. Pearson, 27. At one point, the three decided to cross a steep slope one at a time, to avoid all three of them getting hurt should the snow slide. Feinberg was the first to go up and triggered a small avalancheAvalancheAn avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
, sending him down about 20 feet, Burak said. But that slide set off a second avalanche that swept Carlsson 600 feet through a glade of pine trees. Her back and one leg were broken, her head was injured and she was fading in and out of consciousness, Kendall said. Pearson was able to hold onto a tree. Carlsson later passed away.
- On April 6, 2006, three ski patrollers at the ski area perished due to a combination of CO2 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) poisoning. Both gases are present on a known dangerous fumaroleFumaroleA fumarole is an opening in a planet's crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emits steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. The steam is created when superheated water turns to steam as its pressure drops when it emerges from...
on the mountain and were more concentrated on that day because the fumarole had been covered by snow for days. Four patrollers, including John "Scott" McAndrews and James Juarez, were raising the fence around the fumarole, which had become buried due to heavy snowfall. The fumarole had melted a cavern below the snowbridge which collapsed under James and Scott. The pair of men fell 21 feet (6.4 m) and perished within a matter of minutes. Another ski patroller, Walt Rosenthal, perished and seven others were injured trying to rescue James and Scott. Unfortunately, the only type of oxygen mask used by the Mammoth Mountain ski patrol was of the kind that does not completely seal outer gases from coming in.
- On March 12, 2010, 27 year old Joshua Hernandez died. He reportedly lost control en route to a chairlift. He collided with a building. He left the mountain for the day and went home. He soon decided to go to the hospital. Joshua was treated for internal bleeding but later died of cardiac arrest.
Sale to Intrawest
In January 1996, Intrawest Corporation and Mammoth Mountain Ski area announced that Intrawest Corporation had purchased 33% of Mammoth and June Mountain ski operations, as well as all of the developable real estate owned by Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. In 1998, Intrawest increased their partnership interest to 58%. The development of three new village areas: The Village at Mammoth, Sierra Star, and Juniper Springs, has brought new developments to the resort.The Village at Mammoth was built in a style similar to other Intrawest properties, such as Whistler or Keystone
Keystone Resort
Keystone Resort is the largest ski resort in Summit County located in Keystone, Colorado, United States. It was founded on November 21, 1970 by Max Dercum. The resort is owned and operated by Vail Resorts which also operates three other resorts in the state and Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar...
. The Village Gondola was built in the early 2000s which transports skiers from the Village to the Canyon Lodge base.
Sale to Starwood Capital
On February 23, 2005, Dave McCoy announced that he would be selling his stake in Mammoth Mountain, after 68 years of running the ski area. On October 5, 2005, Mammoth announced that a majority stake will be sold to Starwood Capital GroupStarwood Capital Group
Starwood Capital Group is a private investment firm headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. The businesses owned by the firm include Starwood Property Trust, Inc., Starwood Energy Group Global, L.L.C., Starwood Real Estate Securities, L.L.C., and SH Group....
, a private equity fund specializing in real estate, run by Barry Sternlicht
Barry Sternlicht
-Barry Sternlicht:Barry Sternlicht is the founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Starwood Capital Group, the private investment firm focused on global real estate, energy, infrastructure and securities trading. He is also Chairman of Starwood Property Trust, now the largest commercial...
. The sale price was $365 million.
Because of a poor economy in California, beginning in 2007, many of the stores and restaurants in The Village closed. However, in the fall of 2010, with the help of local business owners, the Village has seen a resurgence of new restaurants and stores.
Changes and re-development
Before and during the changes of ownership, the ski area underwent major changes. The resort went from 16 chairs in the 1980s to 25 today. A new gondola was built that ends at a visitor center at 11053 feet (3,369 m). The visitor center has telescopes and historical displays.Almost all the old, slow, double chair lifts were replaced with high-speed quad, and six-seater lifts. Several old lifts were also removed. The Mid-Chalet, which once had picnic tables on its roof, was completely remodeled in the early 2000s, re-named McCoy Station, and now features gourmet foods and a cafeteria. Large vintage photos of McCoy and his family can be found hanging from the ceiling there. The Mill Cafe, a small rustic bar and snack area was added in the early 2000s.
In 2011, Chair 5 was chosen to be upgraded for the 2011-2012 season. Chair 5 was upgraded from a Yan-fixed three person chair to a Doppelmayr
Doppelmayr
The Doppelmayr Garaventa Group is an Austrian-Swiss company that manufactures chairlifts, cable cars, gondolas, surface tows for ski and amusement parks as well as urban people movers and material handling systems. To date, Doppelmayr and Garaventa have produced over 13,700 installations in 78...
high speed quad. The ride time is reported to be half as long, and the capacity was increased from 1800 an hour to an estimated 2400 people an hour. In line with tradition, the chair was also given a new name: High Five Express.