The big news coming out of Snowbird for next year’s ski season is that they will be replacing the Little Cloud and Gad 2 chairlifts with detachable high-speed quads. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort officially made the announcement on Friday, April 13, along with the news that a new water pump will be installed that will increase their snowmaking capabilities.
For some skiers and snowboarders at Snowbird, this news doesn’t come a day too soon as many spin tales of enduring the painful, cold ride on Little Cloud, one of the most exposed chairlifts in Utah. The double chair, which was installed in 1980, is notorious for being hammered by high winds as it crawls up the higher reaches of the Gad Valley. The chair was also extremely uncomfortable, with a hard seat that dug into the backs of skier’s legs. General Manager Bob Bonar seems to have heard the complaints, saying, “Our guests have told us replacing Little Cloud is a top priority and they welcome the faster ride to Little Cloud Bowl and Mineral Basin.”
The new lift will wisk skiers and snowboarders to the top of Snowbird with a high speed, detachable quad that is being built by Doppelmayr, a European company with its North American headquarters here in Salt Lake City. The new chairlift will be located on the footprint of the existing Little Cloud chairlift and be operational for the winter of 2012/13.
Gad 2 will also be eventually replaced, pending an environmental assessment. Gad 2 is one of the original double chairlifts at Snowbird, and it will also be replaced with a detachable high-speed quad chair. However, Snowbird says the new lift will be lower-capacity than the new Little Cloud chair to minimize overcrowding on the terrain. This issue is big for many people as Gad 2 has historically been a powder haven for skiers who avoid the feeding frenzy that occurs around the Tram on snow days. Snowbird also plans several run modifications in the Gad 2 area during installation, scheduled for summer 2013. The new Gad 2 lift will be operational for winter 2013-14.
Snowbird will be selling its old, original chairs, and proceeds will benefit Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS). WAS offers year-round therapeutic recreational activities to people of all ages with special needs, with a special program for wounded veterans. WAS operates year-round and provides many rewarding activities including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and adaptive hockey in the winter; hiking, fishing, orienteering, bicycling and tram rides during the summer. Stay tuned to find out how you can score your own and build a killer ski chair swing in your backyard.
So the question is this: are Snowbird’s loyal skiers for or against replacing Little Cloud and Gad 2 with high speed quads? Is this a much needed improvement, or will it take away the slower-paced personality the Gad Valley is known for?
Of course for more information, visit www.snowbird.com