Great analysis and comparisons of the chairlift issue. I will say that "newer lifts are more comfortable" is a debatable statement, specifically Skytrac quads like Humphreys at Arizona Snowbowl. They are poorly designed in a way that makes them uncomfortable to sit on and more likely to bruise the back of your legs, hit your head, or slam your back than any other lift I can think of. They are so inferior that I can't believe it is a modern lift design or that they are still making them. Thankfully the new Aspen chair has chairback pads which is somewhat of an improvement to the design.
It does feel better advocating for things like classic lifts when you admit that some of the arguments might not be strictly "rational". I won't pretend that classic lifts are easier or cheaper to maintain, or that they are the fastest or most comfortable. But there's something about the character that, however hard to quantify or explain without sounding like a closed-minded old timer, many people resonate with. Ask many skiers who haven't been to MRG what they think of when they hear the name, and the Single would probably come up pretty often next to the terrain.
Of course there comes a time where business takes over. As a Magic skier I was admittedly a bit sad to see the janky-yet-cool Black lift come down, but I love having a new reliable Black lift to provide redundancy and ease the growing crowds at the much-loved and also classic Red lift. And that new lift was the biggest piece in a lot of investment done to take Magic from near-closure to a reliable operation that's become home to far many more skiers and yet retains every bit of its character. Great article.
We in the Puget Sound hang on to our nostalgia fiercely. This includes not just lifts but aging sports hero’s, musical groups, our coffee and microbrew snobbery. Add the haughtiness we have when comparing our part of the country to the rest of it and yeah, we are a little weird.
Great analysis and comparisons of the chairlift issue. I will say that "newer lifts are more comfortable" is a debatable statement, specifically Skytrac quads like Humphreys at Arizona Snowbowl. They are poorly designed in a way that makes them uncomfortable to sit on and more likely to bruise the back of your legs, hit your head, or slam your back than any other lift I can think of. They are so inferior that I can't believe it is a modern lift design or that they are still making them. Thankfully the new Aspen chair has chairback pads which is somewhat of an improvement to the design.
It does feel better advocating for things like classic lifts when you admit that some of the arguments might not be strictly "rational". I won't pretend that classic lifts are easier or cheaper to maintain, or that they are the fastest or most comfortable. But there's something about the character that, however hard to quantify or explain without sounding like a closed-minded old timer, many people resonate with. Ask many skiers who haven't been to MRG what they think of when they hear the name, and the Single would probably come up pretty often next to the terrain.
Of course there comes a time where business takes over. As a Magic skier I was admittedly a bit sad to see the janky-yet-cool Black lift come down, but I love having a new reliable Black lift to provide redundancy and ease the growing crowds at the much-loved and also classic Red lift. And that new lift was the biggest piece in a lot of investment done to take Magic from near-closure to a reliable operation that's become home to far many more skiers and yet retains every bit of its character. Great article.
Well, you can always come to RED Mountain and ride the Red Chair, a 1971 Mueller with Erector set lattice towers.
Elegiac.
Superb.
A hat-tip from your non-skiing Australian (paying) supporter, Paul S.
Great writing as always, Stuart.
We in the Puget Sound hang on to our nostalgia fiercely. This includes not just lifts but aging sports hero’s, musical groups, our coffee and microbrew snobbery. Add the haughtiness we have when comparing our part of the country to the rest of it and yeah, we are a little weird.