Jackson Hole: New summit chair built for 2006/07

East Ridge Summit Chair and More Lift Capacity

This winter skiers and riders will be able to access Rendezvous Bowl, Corbet’s Couloir and the backcountry gates via the Bridger Gondola and a series of chairlifts including the new East Ridge Chair.

The East Ridge Chair will rise 600 vertical feet from the top of the Sublette Chairlift to just below Corbet’s Cabin. This temporary double chairlift will take skiers and snowboarders up Rendezvous Bowl this winter and until a permanent tram replacement lift is installed. At this time, the chair will be recycled into a different location at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

In addition to construction of the East Ridge Chair, JHMR is adding capacity to the Bridger Gondola and Thunder Chair to ensure seamless mountain access next winter. The Bridger Gondola will have 18 more cabins and Thunder Chair will have 16 more chairs added. From the base, the Gondola will now offer an uphill capacity of 2400 skiers per hour (vs. 1800 previously) - this increase alone will be double the uphill capacity per hour of the tram!

Jackson Hole Aerial Tram News

JHMR Concept Tram (designed by CWA)

We continue to move forward with tram replacement plans. Below is a review and estimated future timeline around tram replacement decisions. If the estimated timeline stays on track, a tram replacement lift would require a minimum two summer construction phase.  For the interim, plans are being finalized to ensure guestscan ski or ride 100% of the mountain, lift out of the base is quick and efficient, and lift access to the summit of Rendezvous Bowl remains.

1. We will purchase 18 new cabins for the Bridger Gondola (our main "workhorse" lift that operates from the base to the Headwall, 2730' vertical rise). This will increase uphill capacity from the base by an additional 600 skiers per hour from 1800 to 2400 on this lift. (The aerial tram currently represents uphill capacity of approximately 265 an hour from the base)

2. Pending Forest Service approval we will construct a temporary double chairlift up Rendezvous Bowl . The alignment will follow skiers left through the trees to just below Corbet's Cabin. Named East Ridge Chair, the five minute ride will be accessable via Sublette. The design for East Ridge Chair is taking into consideration the sometimes severe weather conditions in Rendezvous Bowl, with an attempt to maximize the available operating time.

Still under consideration
1. Increase Thunder Chair Capacity from 1400-1650 by adding chairs

Timeline and associated research to date:

May to July 2006- Reviews, Decisions and Conclusion
Phase 5: Review each option and determine preferred financing and outcome.
Phase 4: Receive and finalize complete bids from Dopplemeyer and Poma for financial review.

Jan to May 2006 - The Research and Process
Phase 3: The alternatives were narrowed to 2. We identified we wanted to replace the 4,139 vertical access in one lift rather than a combination of lifts. The final two options were:
1. Tram or
2. Bi-Cable Gondola - this is a new type of gondola that runs on one support plus one haul cable to withstand high winds. Its performance is much better than a traditional mono-cable gondola in high winds.
Ongoing work has the following two goals:
1. Develop specific RFP for two manufacturers to submit complete bids on both options.
* Dopplemeyer  * Poma (Leitner)
2. Continue to weigh both private and public financial alternatives including bonds, commercial debt, grants and possible private funding sources.