Whitewater to install new Glory Ridge Chair
By Contributor
This summer, Whitewater Ski Resort plans to install its new Glory Ridge Chair. The chair was formerly identified as the BS1 lift in the Master Plan, and will service the terrain currently referred to as the Backside. “The mountain crew, in cooperation with mother nature, hope to have the lift ready to load as conditions permit this coming season” says General Manager Brian Cusack.
The Dopplemayr triple chair has been purchased from Vail Resort in Colorado and is on route to Nelson. The British Columbia based Summit Lift Company, headed by Randy Gliege, a 25 year veteran in the ski lift business, has been contracted to do the lift installation. His crew will consist of a mix between local and out of area, experienced ski industry workers.
The goal for the summer is to have a good portion of the skiable terrain in the Backside area developed, creating a combination of 8 selectively logged and gladed runs which will offer great fall line skiing and an overall unique mountain experience. “We have our license to develop the ski runs and have selected Juggernaut Development Inc. to do the work” says Outdoor Operations Manager Kirk Jensen. “This summer we will focus mechanical harvesting on the area to the skiers left of the chair with further gladed advanced /expert tree skiing developed to the skier’s right of the lift line. We plan to start on the lift line first to allow the lift installation crew access and then proceed with the remainder over the summer.”
The harvesting of the Backside area will be spread over two years and, once complete, the Glory Ridge Chairlift will service a total of 303 hectares consisting of 18 gladed, treed and groomed runs of primarily intermediate and advanced / expert terrain. The expansion will effectively double the developed ski terrain at Whitewater with an increase of total vertical drop to 2,042 feet.
