[canadmos]

One of our local hills also had that problem with the lines. If the "hiker" line got too long, they'd start sending them up in the chairs normally used by bikers. Meanwhile us paying bikers would just have to sit there, twiddle thumbs, and just wait it out...while our line got bigger and bigger.

No worries though, they've solved that problem by completely closing the lifts off to bikes. We're no longer welcome.

 

[Westy]

Hikers who take lifts aren't hikers. Sitters perhaps?

 

[dump]

Hikers who take lifts aren't hikers. Sitters perhaps?

What is this hiking taking a ski lift phenomenon?!

 

[Da Peach]

What is this hiking taking a ski lift phenomenon?!

progress. everybody knows that.

 

[toodles]

Hikers who take lifts aren't hikers. Sitters perhaps?

*sweats in Enduro*

 

[Jm_]

What is this hiking taking a ski lift phenomenon?!

So you can go play frisbee golf or something.

 

[shelteringsky]

No doubt the Creekside gondola being out action has put extra pressure on the Fitz lift. That said, not sure what else the bike park could do as most of the time, chairs are running at full capacity.

people who complain about crowds often fail to recognize that they are part of the problem

 

[Jm_]

When stuff looks this steep on camera you know you'd be puckering or walking away

I recognize "In Deep" from the video, reviewing my Whistler vids. Fun trail!

 

[Kanye West]

No doubt the Creekside gondola being out action has put extra pressure on the Fitz lift. That said, not sure what else the bike park could do as most of the time, chairs are running at full capacity.

people who complain about crowds often fail to recognize that they are part of the problem

Build/utilize more lifts.

Yes, they're expensive ($10M-$50M somewhere). So is the collective time of hundreds of paying customers, day in and day out. That's called the cost of running and growing a business. Capital expenditure should be expected from an operation like that after 20 years.

 

[djjohnr]

Build/utilize more lifts.

Yes, they're expensive ($10M-$50M somewhere). So is the collective time of hundreds of paying customers, day in and day out. That's called the cost of running and growing a business. Capital expenditure should be expected from an operation like that after 20 years.

Or build trails on Blackcombe and start running the Excalibur gondola.

 

[vivisectxi]

^micro climate et al would get SO pounded.

they did run the magic chair for a season or so; just feeding a couple beginner trails.

my kid has the park bug currently; while i'm more that happy to earn my turns & avoid the maddening hoards, he's like PARK PARK PARK. damn lazy kids these days. that said, dusting off the jumpy trail skills has been fun.

 

[shelteringsky]

there are always gonna be times when lift lines are overly long (Crankworx; issues with lift) but for the most part, wait times are acceptable. Proposing new lifts/expanding the park has parallels with induced demand as a result of building new highways.

 

[SylentK]

^^ Didn't they widen the road to Whistler for the Olympics? Now look what they've done!

I would hate to spend all that time and money to get to the Whizz, only to spend time in that lift line maze. What a cluster. I have been, and lines weren't that long....this was back around 2007ish. Good times!

With the family, we now go to a more chill area here in CO where I can ride the ebike at the crack of dawn (not waiting for the lift to open) head up the hill, and ride down, repeat until done. Then head to the pool/hot tub time machine for lunch to hang out with the fam. I'll admit it's not as awesome as just riding the lift and bombing down all day, but doing things when I want to do them and not waiting in line is particularly attractive

 

[djjohnr]

Fitz line for us was running ~15-30 minutes on a Friday and Saturday. Gondola was pretty quick, probably half that. However, it was raining a bit and pretty cold up top, so I think a lot of people were avoiding the Garbo zone.

 

[sethimus]

flims laax is building what whistler needs:

https://www.flem.express/en

gondola on steroids, 5 bikes per gondola, each gondola can go to different locations, only run when needed

 

[shelteringsky]

^^ Didn't they widen the road to Whistler for the Olympics? Now look what they've done!

But the finished product has opened the door for a host of new challenges, like increased traffic — and swelling costs of living in communities along the highway.

"It's brought some big city problems that with grappling with for our community," she said. "The cost of housing, it went up very quickly. Our vacancy rate has been near zero since 2015."

 

[shelteringsky]

flims laax is building what whistler needs:

https://www.flem.express/en

gondola on steroids, 5 bikes per gondola, each gondola can go to different locations, only run when needed

Looks good but sooo expensive. Don't think Vail would spring for it...

A unique problem for bikers on chairlifts, as opposed to skiers/snowboarders, is that it takes two "chairs" to transport both rider and equipment. Unless I'm completely missing something, seems like it would be feasible (and with minimal upgrade cost) to place three hooks on the back of each chair so that each chair carries three riders and three bikes resulting in a 50% increase in capacity.

 

[sethimus]

most chairs in the alpes have the bikes behind the riders, riders put on and pick up the bikes from the chair in front of the riders

 

[Jm_]

More than often its the ratio that is all screwy IME, like 1 loading chair to 3 riding chair, or the Whistler gondola situation, which is egregious IMO.

 

[toodles]

I propose we put tiny little motors on bikes so people can twirl their legs in circles to get up the hill. No lift lines, and you can pretend its exercise. I'm sure there will be some pushback from purists, but I think this will revolutionise mountain bicycling and everyone will just get along peacefully.

 

[vivisectxi]

^may i suggest in lieu of twirling legs, we can just twist our wrists a bit? the legs may get unnecessarily tired.

 

[TrumbullHucker]

Was there for a week in mid July. It was def busy; Wednesday was a 45min fitz wait.

I couldn't complain, we were in the best place on earth (other than the gang shooting lol)

 

[SylentK]

Careful there. Industry may see the need for an e-Aline

You know, to go with eTires, eLube, eGrips, eMufflerBearings, eBlinkerFluid

 

[Westy]

Was there for a week in mid July. It was def busy; Wednesday was a 45min fitz wait.

I couldn't complain, we were in the best place on earth (other than the gang shooting lol)

Sorry
No, I'm sorry
No. I'm sorry
pew pew pew

 

[shirk007]

Wednesday was a 45min fitz wait.

Phat Wednesday race?

Smart money is to make sure you're there right when the lift opens and bang out laps fast first thing in the morning. Even on the busiest days you can rack up piles of laps before things get busy. Same with the end of the day. That mid day busy line gets smaller and you'll again get fast laps.

Same deal with bust ski days in Whistler, busy busy busy mid morning to mid afternoon.

New infrastructure in Creekside should help spread out the crowd when it's all back up and running next year.

If they could find a way to handle 6 people and 6 bikes per chair that would add some serious lift capacity upgrades.

LEITNER Bike Transport - LEITNER

Easy bike transport from the valley to the mountain with the new LEITNER bike transport. The innovative solution from the South Tyrolean cable car expert.

www.leitner.com

The Leitner bike option looks good...till you look at the details. A four person lift can only handle 2 bikes per chair, 3 bikes on a 6pack.

 

[Kanye West]

The hour lift line I'm referring to occurred on a Monday morning right as the lifts opened. It was the first clear day in a few days. There were no other events (or gang shootings) happening at that time.

 

[Da Peach]

Phat Wednesday race?

Smart money is to make sure you're there right when the lift opens and bang out laps fast first thing in the morning. Even on the busiest days you can rack up piles of laps before things get busy. Same with the end of the day. That mid day busy line gets smaller and you'll again get fast laps.

Same deal with bust ski days in Whistler, busy busy busy mid morning to mid afternoon.

New infrastructure in Creekside should help spread out the crowd when it's all back up and running next year.

If they could find a way to handle 6 people and 6 bikes per chair that would add some serious lift capacity upgrades.

LEITNER Bike Transport - LEITNER

Easy bike transport from the valley to the mountain with the new LEITNER bike transport. The innovative solution from the South Tyrolean cable car expert.

www.leitner.com

The Leitner bike option looks good...till you look at the details. A four person lift can only handle 2 bikes per chair, 3 bikes on a 6pack.

Every time I hear about adding more capacity to lifts, I have visions of traffic jams on the trails/runs

 

[dump]

For everyone that wants to “grow the sport”, this is the process.

 

[toodles]

For everyone that wants to “grow the sport”, this is the process.

But now the sport is growing look how affordable its made parts and how good the new trails are!!!

 

[HAB]

By far the biggest lift line issue today has been the psychopath who played Mambo #5 in the base area and got that stupid goddamn song stuck in my head.

 

[canadmos]

Soon, if not already, it'll be like going to an amusement park. I'm surprised they don't have an upcharge to skip the line.

Maybe they should put a limit on the available tickets for each day. Le Massif did this during the pandemic days (maybe still are.. Haven't checked). @Da Peach raises a good point about a more efficient lift adding to the clogging of trails.

I've been to Bromont when the trails are super packed and it's a total pain. You wait for the family in front to roll through...then 4 more roll by. Then you finally get tired of waiting and go, only to catch up to them blocking the trail somewhere. And then you have even faster people riding your ass - kind of like a traffic jam on the freeway. No bueno.

 

[dump]

Soon, if not already, it'll be like going to an amusement park. I'm surprised they don't have an upcharge to skip the line.

Maybe they should put a limit on the available tickets for each day. Le Massif did this during the pandemic days (maybe still are.. Haven't checked). @Da Peach raises a good point about a more efficient lift adding to the clogging of trails.

I've been to Bromont when the trails are super packed and it's a total pain. You wait for the family in front to roll through...then 4 more roll by. Then you finally get tired of waiting and go, only to catch up to them blocking the trail somewhere. And then you have even faster people riding your ass - kind of like a traffic jam on the freeway. No bueno.

trail congestion is a fair point. I don’t imagine this scenario in whistler is a concerted effort to avoid that. Seems more like they haven’t fully thought this through, don’t care or are just waiting until next year when everything magically improves.

 

[canadmos]

trail congestion is a fair point. I don’t imagine this scenario in whistler is a concerted effort to avoid that. Seems more like they haven’t fully thought this through, don’t care or are just waiting until next year when everything magically improves.

Owned by a publicy traded company, I'm guessing they don't care as long as the $$$ keeps coming.

 

[Jm_]

I'm surprised they don't have an upcharge to skip the line.

If it was DFW airport, they would.

 

[Jm_]

Soon, if not already, it'll be like going to an amusement park. I'm surprised they don't have an upcharge to skip the line.

Maybe they should put a limit on the available tickets for each day. Le Massif did this during the pandemic days (maybe still are.. Haven't checked). @Da Peach raises a good point about a more efficient lift adding to the clogging of trails.

I've been to Bromont when the trails are super packed and it's a total pain. You wait for the family in front to roll through...then 4 more roll by. Then you finally get tired of waiting and go, only to catch up to them blocking the trail somewhere. And then you have even faster people riding your ass - kind of like a traffic jam on the freeway. No bueno.

Did you try yelling "STRAVA!"? It works.

 

[shirk007]

In the winter Ski School jumps the line. Guys have signed up in a group for a "lesson" to try and game the line. Pretty sure you can do this in the summer too.

 

[Jm_]

This is definitely something that's wrong with all the industries. Lines to the highest bidder. Which is why I say fuck ski resorts and the bigger the bike park, the bigger a problem this will become. There's some awesome terrain on the opposite side of the valley and you can end at a brewery and send the middle finger to the lift line.

 

[jstuhlman]

fuck, fuck, FUCK "growing the sport." fuck it all to hell and back. ir's destroyed everything i loved about the trails in the woods here.

 

[Westy]

fuck, fuck, FUCK "growing the sport." fuck it all to hell and back. ir's destroyed everything i loved about the trails in the woods here.

I get a certain pleasure this time of year when dipshits on Enduro bikes start panicking when the flow trails they demanded get riddled with braking bumps.

"Someone please fix the results of me shitty desires and poor riding skills"

 

[Kanye West]

As for the trail congestion - the black and double black trails are always empty on a rainy day. Don't see or hear anyone. It's rather pleasant.

The jump lines there do next to nothing for me unless I'm showing a beginner around or something. That's what a motocross track is for.

What I can't decide is whether I'm grateful that they're there to keep all the gapers over there, or annoyed that those trails exist to bring all the gapers to the lift lines.