(ii) MADONNA LIFT (1963 Hall 2-CLF) Smuggler's Notch VT
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2024
- Original Mfg: Hall
Original install year: 1963
Relocation year:
Modified by: Doppelmayr/CTEC
Drive: Bottom
Tensioning: Top Hydraulic
Length: 6719 ft
Est ride time during recording: 12:56
Calculated est speed during recording: 520 fpm
Notes: The Madonna Chair measures at well over a mile long, and was the Notch's first lift built. Constructed new in 1963, it features a fixed vault drive at the base, and a replacement tensioned return up top, which replaced the original, much larger Hall tensioned return terminal
It's iconic alright. I've been riding this thing for 30+ years and love those little bumps when you go under the depression towers.
As others have noted they did indeed change the top terminal I think a decade ago as part of lowering many of the top towers. M1 has crazy wind exposure and any shutdowns were very hard on the resort (the upper mountains only having one lift to the top of each of Madonna and Sterling). They did build M2 in the 70s but although rather long it doesn't really go anywhere and offers very limited terrain, so it was imperative to get M1 open more often. So the mighty tension block disappeared and was replaced by the current setup.
Average speed is 530 feet per minute although I didn't watch it all the way through to see if there was any slows or stops.
Edit: had the time to watch all the way through. No slows or stops so 530 fpm it is.
This Lift is awesome! I believe before it was retrofitted, the top terminal was like sterling’s and village’s with the massive “cage” Model 2000 tension return. I could be wrong though
New England Chairlifts And Skiing possible, however I can see why they replaced the top terminal because there isn't too much room up there. A 2000 return would make it very cramped on the summit.
You can see where the old return was directly past the unload point. That lift is a vault drive meaning it has to be top tensioned, and the only top tension terminal Hall ever offered was the cage model 2000. With the old return, they would've had a big mound where the unload point was and the chair would've continued overhead to the bullwheel. When they modified it, they likely lowered the breakover towers which also allowed the lift to operate in higher winds. You can also see that they added several towers that all appear to be hold downs, which was to lower the lift and allow it to operate in higher winds.
Yep, the towers with the letters. Lift 2 at Greek Peak had a few towers with letters, but they were renumbered two years ago. In my old videos earlier in my channel the depression tower can be seen as #13, where now it is #10, which doesn't make sense. Wouldn't the number be higher?
Also you knew you were getting on a long lift. So you should've just chilled out and enjoyed the ride.
How is smugglers notch? Is it great place to ski overall?