Sun Valley | Christmas

Christmas was one of the first American Steel and Wire single chairs at Sun Valley. Installed in 1939, it was the third lift on a 3 lift route to the top of Christmas Ridge and Lookout Bowl. In 1957, a homemade double chair, called Ridge, was added next to Christmas. This increase in capacity to the top of the ridge was likely due to popularity of the bowls that were then accessible from a hike off the top of the ridge. One would then take Cold Springs, which would go right to the bottom of Christmas. Christmas was then replaced with a newer Hall triple in 1971, following the expansion of the Warm Springs area as well as the Sunnyside lift, all Riblet double chairs. Just 17 years later, in 1988, Christmas was replaced with a Yan high speed quad, along with two more at Warm Springs. Christmas, of course, was retrofitted by Doppelmayr in 1996, following accidents elsewhere. The total cost of retrofitting all seven Yan detachable lifts at Sun Valley was around 9 million dollars, something they could barely afford.
Christmas is a Yan-Doppelmayr high speed quad. It uses the same Yan and Doppelmayr parts as the others, except for the chairs. It is one of two lifts to keep the Yan teardrop chairs, which are much more comfortable than the ej chairs Doppelmayr offered at the time. Due to the height of the chairs, the hanger arms are actually a more normal length, compared to the five lifts that received ej chairs.
Recorded on February 13th, 2021

[@kristidietz1227]

Sun valley is such a great place hope you enjoy it

[@Ishygog]

Strange to think that the original Christmas lift is still in operation, too.

[@sorenjones]

Where does it still operate? Haven't been able to find it. Great history for a lift.

[@Ishygog]

@@sorenjones
Mt Eyak, Alaska:
www.mteyak.org/
Might be the world’s oldest operating chairlift at this point. 80 years and going strong.

[@pistepickers]

@@sorenjones Is there any chance that it's the chairlift at Mt. Eyak?

[@sorenjones]

@@pistepickers Yes, that's the one. I was able to find out where it was.

[@ellstackeradventures]

Cool

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

For the 2023-2024 season, this lift and Frenchman's had their teardrop chairs replaced with Doppelmayr EJ chairs from the retired Challenger and Greyhawk lifts: czcams.com/video/nBCjHDO6V20/video.html&pp=ygUZY2hyaXN0bWFzIHN1biB2YWxsZXkgbGlmdA%3D%3D

[@adventurercarlo115]

Let's goo

[@ellstackeradventures]

Yooo

[@skimansskilifts]

Yo yo yo

[@yobb1n544]

how comfortable are the teardop chairs?

[@sorenjones]

They are quite comfortable, maybe not the best of the best, though. All the other lifts with the ej chairs are definitely not the most comfortable, except Broadway, with the newer model ej chairs.