The History:
Sugarloaf's Timberline Quad, when not on wind hold, services the Summit of Sugarloaf including their famous Snowfields. It began its life in 1988 as the Whiffletree Quad and was relocated to its present location in 1997 when that lift was replaced by a detachable quad. While there was a Timberline T-Bar along a similar alignment, that lift was removed in the 1980s leaving the upper gondola as the only way to access Sugarloaf's summit from the mid 1980s until 1997. The gondola's low capacity and wind exposure meant that it was not a reliable summit lift, thus making the Timberline Quad an improvement. That being said, Timberline still has its flaws. Its wind exposure leaves it seemingly closed more often than open, its slow speed leaves a bit to be desired, and it is inaccessible from the Bullwinkle's restaurant and Bucksaw Express lift. Sugarloaf plans to replace this lift in the next few years, but it is unclear how they will manage to solve all of Timberline's current problems.
The Lift:
Sugarloaf's Timberline Quad was originally the Whiffletree Quad and was built by Borvig in 1988. It was relocated to its present location in 1997 and features a bottom Borvig drive terminal with hydraulic tensioning, newer-style Borvig quad carriers, Leitner sheaves, a Borvig top return, and newer-style Borvig towers. Capacity is around 2,300 p/h with a design speed of 450 ft/min, although it runs slightly slower.
8 окт 2024
