Published May 8, 2007 02:00PM
May 7, 2007
Mammoth Lakes, Ca (Mammoth Mountain Press Release)—Mammoth Mountain Ski Area has begun construction on anew high-speed six-pack chairlift that will be ready to load skiers when the2007/08 ski season kicks off in November. The “new Chair 9 is replacingMammoth’s legendary double-chair — a project that is costing $6.5 million.
The new Doppelmayr lift will whisk skiers from the Eagle Lodge side of themountain to 10,371 feet near Dragon’s Back in just over six minutes,providing access to hundreds of acres of intermediate and advanced terrainand cutting the ride time in half. Originally installed in 1969, thefixed-grip two-seat chair is famed for deep powder and runs like Dragon’sBack and Ricochet. Chair 9 services the secluded and often uncrowded easternslopes of Mammoth Mountain. The new lift will provide quick and efficientservice, enable the lift to operate under more acute weather conditions andgive more skiers the opportunity to enjoy some of the best terrain Mammothhas to offer.
“While we anticipate increased usage of the terrain around Chair 9, thechair upgrade will also provide more convenient access to the other side ofthe mountain, said Mammoth Mountain Chairman and CEO Rusty Gregory. “Onbusy days twenty-five percent of our skiers start their day at Eagle Lodge.We believe many intermediate and advanced skiers will use the new Chair 9 tomove across the mountain quickly.
Winds can be strong as weather blows in over Mammoth’s east side. Theheavier six-passenger lift is being installed instead of a quad lift toallow it to operate in higher winds. The six-pack chair is heavier and morestable in the wind, so the Lift Operations team anticipates more full daysof operation.
Chair 9 Name Contest
Mammoth Mountain is giving its loyal skiers and snowboarders a chance toname the new lift. During the month of May anyone can enter unlimited nameideas in an online contest on MammothMountain.com. Entries should besubmitted by May 25 in order to announce a winner Memorial Day Weekend. Thewinner will be given a Mammoth Mountain gift pack that includes lift ticketsand other prizes. If the same name is submitted by multiple people, theperson who first submitted the idea will be the winner.