Arizona Snowbowl Continues With New High-Speed Agassiz Lift Construction
Take a deep breath – what you’re about to read is not a test. Arizona Snowbowl is excited to officially announce that for the winter 2020-2021 season, Agassiz Chairlift will be replaced with a high-speed combination lift.
“Skiers will have the option of riding a six-person chair or an eight-passenger cabin,” explained J.R. Murray of Mountain Capital Partners, Snowbowl’s management company. “The winter uphill capacity [people per hour] will remain the same as the existing chairlift; however, the ride will be faster and more enjoyable.”
The Agassiz Lift was closed in mid-January because of mechanical failure inside the large bull wheel at the bottom drive terminal. “We tested bearings and gears and found small cracks in one large gear,” added Murray. “It took time to find a machine shop in the U.S. that could make the gear to exact specifications.”
Since its inception, Agassiz has been the beating heart of Snowbowl. With the replacement of the lift, they’re ushering in a new era – more than an upgrade, the new Agassiz lift completely redefines the Snowbowl experience.
“Right before we signed the decision on this, the Agassiz Chairlift went down. So this is good that we are replacing a longstanding infrastructure for the ski area. We felt, and Snowbowl felt, that it was about time that it was replaced.” said Mike Dechter, Coconino National Forest National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) coordinator. “In addition, it’s being replaced with current technologies that allow for better visitor experience, such as pulldown covers. You won’t have to worry about hail hitting you or heavy rains in the summer. The combination lift meets all ADA requirements. So it will make the lift more accessible,” Dechter added.
One of only six of its kind in the United States, the high-speed combination lift will take the place of the current chair, with six-person chairs interspersed with eight-person gondola cabins. The new Agassiz combo lift will transport passengers up 2,000 feet of vertical in just 7 minutes – less than half the time of the existing lift.
Agassiz Combination Lift Quick Facts
- One of the largest lift installation projects in North America in 2020
- High-speed detachable chairlift and gondola combo
- Gondola cabins will be spaced between every two chairs
- Accesses 2,000 feet of vertical in 7 minutes
As Arizona’s only high-speed combination lift, the new Agassiz combo will set a new standard for the alpine experience in Arizona. Skiers can choose to ride the six-person chair or take a leisurely ride to the top in the 8-person cabin. In the summer and fall, scenic chairlift riders will benefit from passenger cabins in chilly or inclement weather, and passengers that need more assistance boarding a lift can be accommodated more readily.
The current Riblet Agassiz chairlift was installed in 1986, and there has been a chairlift in this location for 59 years, since 1961. Times (and fashions) have changed, but the incredible views and the character of the lift have remained. The climb and length is 604 m and 1965m respectively, running at a speed of 2 metres per second with a transit time of approx. 18 minutes and a carrying capacity of 1500 people per hour
Arizona Snowbowl is proud of their commitment to guests and passholders, and they’ll continue to work hard to improve the guest experience across all areas at Arizona Snowbowl throughout future seasons.
We are also working with the Coconino National Forest on a new Master Development Plan (MDP) that adds facilities to accommodate our existing skier capacity,” said Murray, chief planning officer at Mountain Capital Partners. “The MDP includes year- round and more summer activities like mountain biking, alpine slide and ziplines.”
To learn more about additional planned improvements, please see the Master Development Plan.
