Last winter, we announced the installation of not one but two brand-new SkyTrac fixed-grip quad chairlifts. From helicopters and explosives to dirt farming and preserving ponderosa pines, this summer has been packed with exciting improvements and milestones. Check out all of the progress we’ve made!
New Chairlifts, New Riding Experience
It’s been an all-hands-on-deck effort to remove the existing lifts and then lay sturdy foundations for the new and improved Coach and Bitterroot Chairlifts. The two brand-new chairlifts are going to enhance the experience for riders of all levels. By doubling the number of guests they can transport per hour, these additions improve access to the beginner and low-intermediate terrain on the Bitterroot Basin and Coach runs. Moreover, the new chairlifts help reduce lift lines during peak weekends, allowing you to get back on your favorite runs more quickly.
Coach’s Corner
Big improvements are coming to Coach’s Corner this winter – will you recognize them all?
We’ve spent much of the summer digging and grading the Coach’s Corner extension, making the run 3.5 times as long. Early this fall, we’ll install lights and snow-making pipelines on the entire Coach’s Corner run so you and your crew can get the most out of the winter season.
The Bitterroot Basin
Speaking of more riding time… We are excited to announce our plans to operate the Bitterroot Chairlift seven days a week this winter! That’s right midweek riders – you can now enjoy laps in the Bitterroot Basin Monday through Friday.
Not only did we expand our operating hours in the Bitterroot Basin — we also added new terrain! Earlier this week, our trail crews completed a new beginner to low intermediate run accessible from Smuggler. Additionally, we have been busy brush-cutting the entire Bitterroot Basin to make this area more family-friendly. Stay tuned for more terrain and program updates as the winter season approaches!
What is a fixed-grip quad chairlift?
SkyTrac Lifts, a U.S. manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, is upgrading both chairlifts from two-person fixed-grip chairs to fixed-grip quad chairs. A fixed-grip chairlift has chairs that do not detach at the loading and offloading terminals like detachable chairlifts. Fixed-grip chairlifts move at a slow, consistent speed, which makes loading and unloading easier and more predictable. These new lifts create the ideal experience for newer riders who are skiing and snowboarding on the terrain off of the Coach and Bitterroot chairlifts.
Morning Star Express, Deer Point Express, and Pine Creek Express are high-speed detachable quad chairs – why aren’t the new chairlifts detachable high-speed quad chairs as well? Buy choosing a less complex lift system, we were able to install two brand-new fixed-grip chairlifts for the price of one detachable high-speed quad. Learn more about the decision to purchase fixed-grip chairlifts here.
New Chairlifts: Demolition & Installation
The Mountain Operations team has had an exciting summer so far. We’ve used helicopters, cranes, explosives, and a wide variety of big yellow machines (pictured left) to remove the old and install the new.
There’s still a lot to do before the snow flies in November, including installing terminals, engine rooms, haul lines, chairs, lights, and snowmaking lines. Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take it back to where this journey began.
Spring Demolition
Last Call for Bitterroot
Sunday, March 24th, 2024, was the last day of operations for the Bitterroot Chairlift after 50 spectacular seasons. The historic chairs from one of Bogus Basin’s oldest chairlifts are available to win in an auction or raffle. Stay tuned to our social media and newsletter for upcoming raffle and auction events!
Hardware Removal
As the 2023/24 season wound down last April, the Mountain Operations team was hard at work dismantling the Bitterroot and Coach chairlifts. The team began removing hardware, including sheave trains, haul ropes, com lines, and chairs, to prepare for cutting towers.
The Chairs
Removing chairs from their haul rope after 50 years is no easy feat. While our lift maintenance crews might make it look easy, it takes a hefty amount of torque to detach the grip that is twisted into the haul rope. The lift maintenance team spent many long hours carefully removing the historical chairs one by one, which are now being repurposed in the community.
“Chairlifts are home to many great memories – We are excited to welcome a new era for the next generations of Bogus Basin Locals”
Nate Shake, Director of Mountain Operations
Sheave Train
Following the removal of all chairs, the team detached all sheave trains, which are a series of sheave wheels assembled in a line and mounted on a tower’s cross-arm to help guide and support the haul rope as it travels along the lift line. Where did the sheaves go? We sent sheave trains in good condition to other mountains to be repaired or repurposed.
Haul Rope
The haul rope is a twisted metal cable that supports the weight and movement of the chairs. Haul ropes are heavy, durable lines designed to carry riders up the mountain, rain, snow, or shine. After removing the sheave trains, the Lift Maintenance team cut and spooled the haul rope.
Dropping Towers
After we closed for the 2023/24 winter season, it was time to drop the towers one by one. Our experienced team used a torch to cut the metal at the base. Check out the video for a front-row view of the towers going down!
Terminal Demolition
The torches returned later in May to deconstruct the bottom Coach lift terminal. After a crane removed the terminal, we used bulldozers and other heavy machinery to demolish and remove the old concrete foundations.
New Chairlifts: Summer Construction & Installation
Lift Tower Foundations
In July, Timberline Helicopters flew in a Blackhawk helicopter to pour concrete into the new lift tower foundations for both the Coach and Bitterroot chairlifts. Each foundation is six feet deep and six feet wide. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the helicopter edit our team put together!
Towers & Heads
Timberline Helicopters returned in late August to install 8 towers for the Coach Chairlift and 12 for the Bitterroot Chairlift. With the help of our own Lift Maintenance crews, the Timberline pilot and SkyTrac crew flew and installed all 20 towers and heads in approximately 4 hours!
The Process
As the pilot approaches with the tower dangling from the Blackhawk helicopter, 4 – 6 people prepare to catch it at the foundation.
The ground crew aligns the tower onto the foundation bolts and signals to the pilot to lower it. Then, the crew works quickly to tighten and secure the bolts, attaching the tower to its concrete foundation.
After bolting the tower into place, two people climb up it to catch and secure the tower head. The ‘head’ refers to the entire top unit, including the cross arm, lift frame, and sheave trains.
Coach Engine Room
After the tower installation, a crane installed the bull wheel and engine room for the bottom terminal of the new Coach chairlift.
Slopes & Grades
When designing the new Coach’s Corner run, we envisioned a wide-open slope that gives beginners ample space away from other riders, allowing them to comfortably practice and develop their skills. You could say we like to ensure that the rider experience is a blast from the start ;)
Two sections of explosives, each covering approximately 200 by 70 feet, were used to help shape the Coach’s Corner slope. The blasts leveled the terrain by roughly 6 to 10 feet, enabling us to maximize the width of the slope. Each explosion expanded the rock surface by about 30%, providing additional material to work with for the slope’s development.
Preserving & Reusing Resources
Dirt & Rock Farming
Many of you might wonder why we chose to replace two lifts at once. There are large cost savings on equipment rentals, and taking on both projects at once allowed for strategic staff deployment.
The new Bitterroot lift line location requires a significant amount of dirt and rocks to raise and level the unloading ramp. On the other hand, we needed to clear a significant amount of rock and dirt from the Coach’s Corner run area. Replacing both lifts at the same time allowed us to repurpose the excess dirt and rocks from the Coach chairlift blast project to the top terminal of Bitterroot for a smooth unloading experience for Bitterroot Chairlift riders.
Fun Fact: the concrete foundation for the top terminal of the Bitterroot Chairlift is 18 feet deep!
So far, our team has moved about 125 loads of rocks and dirt from Coach’s Corner Run to the top terminal of Bitterroot. Each load is transported in the haul truck (pictured above), which carries roughly 30-35 yards of material per trip. Once our teams are finished, the ground will be roughly 25 feet higher from where it stood last winter.
The Legacy Ponderosa
Ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa) are a defining feature of Idaho’s diverse forest landscapes, including Bogus Basin. These iconic trees can tower up to 200 feet tall and live to over 1,000 years old! Ponderosa pines are valuable resources for native animals, such as squirrels, chipmunks, sparrows, chickadees, eagles, hawks, and more!
On a tour of our proposed expansion of the Coach’s Corner run, the U.S. Forest Service identified a Legacy Ponderosa tree that is between 150 and 250 years old! Because it is a Legacy Ponderosa, we protected it and incorporated it into the new Coach’s Corner run.
The Legacy Ponderosa tree stands proudly in the center of the new Coach’s Corner run. Be sure to snap a photo with this beautiful piece of living history when you ride by it this winter!
Where is the Timber Going?
In line with our commitment to sustainability and community partnership, we are proud to participate in the Wood for Life program by donating timber from trees removed during the construction of the new Coach and BItterroot runs to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe. This initiative ensures that the resources from our land are put to meaningful use while also strengthening our bond with the local community. The donated timber helps provide the indigenous community with firewood for the cool fall and winter months. Through our collaboration with Wood for Life and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe, we aim to honor both the land and its people, fostering a spirit of stewardship and mutual respect.
Stay Tuned for More Updates!
As we head into the fall, stay on the lookout for more chairlift construction updates on our website, newsletter, and social media. If you’re interested in bidding on a historic Bitterroot or Coach chair, place a bid in our online Bogus Bash Online Auction, which is live from September 2nd through September 9th, 2024! You can also enter a raffle to win a chair at one of the summer Music on the Mountain events.
About Bogus Basin Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area is a 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to engaging the community to provide accessible, affordable, and fun year-round mountain recreation and education. Opened in 1942, Bogus Basin offers 2,600 acres of daytime skiable terrain and 200 acres for night skiing, seven chairlifts and three people-mover carpets, and an 800-foot tubing hill. The Nordic Center offers 37 kilometers of groomed trails for skiing and snowshoeing. Environmental education and community outreach programs, primarily youth, serve over 20,000 individuals annually. Summer activities include The Glade Runner Mountain Coaster, The Mine Shaft Challenge Course, mountain biking, events, hiking and chairlift service for hike and bike transport. Bogus Basin is located 16.5 miles north of Boise, Idaho, and operates under a special use permit with the Boise National Forest. www.bogusbasin.org
