In a significant announcement, Alpental, part of the Summit at Snoqualmie ski area in Washington, has revealed that it will close a few weekends earlier than expected this season. The adjustment is aimed at accommodating the replacement of the aging Edelweiss chairlift with a new Doppelmayr triple, an important upgrade for the ski area.
This decision was communicated through Alpental's social media platforms, stressing the challenges involved in the project. "This summer we’re embarking on the third major chairlift project at Alpental, replacing Edelweiss with a new Doppelmayr triple chairlift," said an Alpental representative. "This project has an even more challenging timeline than the Internationale Chair because we must remove the old lift and install the new one in a single summer."
One of the hurdles mentioned involves the lack of road access to the construction site, which complicates logistics. "No part of the construction site has road access – whereas on the Internationale project we were able to get a temporary construction road to the base of the lift," they added.
As the current timeline stands, the final day for skiing at Alpental will be Sunday, April 13. "That tight timeline dictates the need to close Alpental a couple weekends earlier than average," the statement noted. The urgency of the removal and installation process allows the ski area to utilize appropriate snow conditions for transporting lift components off the mountain.
The importance of avalanche control during the construction phase cannot be overstated. The entire mountain must shut down since the lower portion's avalanche work requires access to the top of the soon-to-be-replaced chairlift. "The avalanche control work that allows almost all of lower-mountain to safely operate relies on access to the top of Edelweiss," said the representative. "Since we have to start removing the existing lift on April 14, avalanche control work for normal ski operations has to end that day as well."
While many skiers are accustomed to enjoying the slopes well into the spring, the tight schedule has made this early closure necessary. "While we would love to keep Alpental open later, and know everyone loves late spring days at Alpy, it just isn’t possible without seriously jeopardizing the timeline of this massively important project," they explained, highlighting the challenges their team faces in managing construction amidst unpredictable spring weather.
Despite the early closure, Alpental assured its patrons that there are no major projects slated for next year and expressed optimism about the new lift’s potential. "We’re looking forward to having this amazing new lift and the potential of getting back to normal spring operations," they stated.
As the final day approaches, ski enthusiasts will want to take advantage of the remaining weekends at Alpental before the mountain closes for the season. The entire Summit at Snoqualmie area is expected to remain open a bit longer, with the last ski day scheduled for Summit Central on April 20.
As the ski area gears up for the summer project ahead, this significant lift replacement stands as a testament to the commitment to enhance the skiing experience in the region. Skiers and snowboarders will undoubtedly look forward to what the new Doppelmayr triple has to offer in the coming seasons, solidifying Alpental's reputation as a premier skiing destination.