COMING SOON: New chairlift at Liberty Mountain!

Parts and pieces of a new chairlift system will begin arriving at Liberty Mountain towards the end of July and into early August. The new chairlift will replace the Eastwind Quad and will become the main lift for the backside of the mountain which is huge for guests, especially snowboarders! So how is this exciting project completed and what exactly does it mean for the guest experience? Here's an idea of what our project timeline will look like over the next few months:

After nearly all parts of the existing Eastwind Quad are taken down, a crane will be brought in and set in place to help with the project. The new lift towers will quickly be set in place and the top terminal will be moved farther down the slope to allow for more unloading room for guests. The new motor is expected to arrive in early September, followed by the new chairs and seat pads. Every part and piece will be put in its place and preparation for the load test of the new chairlift should take place in early November, just in time for the start of the 2009-2010 season. That doesn't sound too bad, does it?

After talking with Mountain Manager Ron Crozier, we found out that the steepness of the backside of the mountain will present a great challenge for the project. Ron is confident in his team and will push to have the new chairlift in its place and ready to go for the new season. You can watch all the action by viewing our Backside Base Area webcam at skiliberty.com.

So what does this new lift mean for our guests? First and foremost, the new lift will provide greater rider comfort. While the lift will provide the same number of uphill capacity (2400 guests per hour), the comfortable chairs and seat pads will make a world of difference. Just think of how amazing it is to ride up the backside of the mountain, atop freshly groomed trails and trees lightly dusted with snow, all while blissfully enjoying your seat!

Another exciting thing to note about the new chairlift is that it will provide access to both the left and right side of the back of the mountain when guests unload at the top. Snowboarders should especially be excited about this since they won't have to trek as far at the top of the mountain to get to their destination.

Mountain Manager Ron Crozier nicely summed up the new lift when it comes to the guest experience: "New and improved lift means reliability - state of the art lift, more comfortable chairs, smoother ride, easier access for snowboarders at the top of the mountain."

Make sure you check out our backside this summer and fall by viewing the webcam, and by visiting the new Eastwind Quad in the 2009-2010 winter season!