Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire wrapped up its season on April 17th, and it was certainly a historic one. The popular New Hampshire ski resort opened up the Kancamagus 8, the first bubble chairlift in the state. Now, work this summer will focus on the replacement of the Seven Brothers Triple chair with the former Kancamagus Quad, and the moving of mountain biking operations to the Kancamagus 8.
Seven Brothers Becomes a High-Speed Quad: The main offseason project is the replacement of the Seven Brothers Triple with the old Kancamagus Quad. The detachable lift will be more than double the maximum rope speed of its predecessor, going from 450 feet per minute to 1000. Another perk of this replacement will be added capacity, along with the ability to run it on windier days when the Gondola may not be able to run. The old Kanc Quad has been renovated, with the top and bottom terminals being updated, new operator houses are currently under construction, and much of their mechanical equipment has been rebuilt. The Seven Brothers Express Quad will likely open during the 2022-23 season.
Kanc8 Becomes Hub For Mountain Biking: On Memorial Day Weekend, the Kanc8 reopened for its first-ever summer of mountain biking operations. Originally, the Seven Brothers Triple served as the hub of mountain biking for the past couple of years. The advantage of moving over to Kanc8 though is that it serves an additional 300 vertical feet, and it is 50% faster than the Seven Brothers triple. The Kanc8 has removed their bubbles for the summer and has added Doppelmayr bike clips to the chairs. Doppelmayr said the following about the lift:
“Doppelmayr developed an innovative bike carrier assembly, especially for the transportation of mountain bikes. It is comprised of three main components: bike clip, clip carrier, and bike stabilizer. When the biker inserts the front wheel of the bike between the pivot-mounted upper arm and the rigid lower arm, the cradle is moved by the self-weight of the mountain bike, causing the bike clip to fix the wheel in position.”
Adding new mountain biking trails continues to be a priority for Loon. Five new trails are part of Loon’s future: Lowline, Hotshot, Highball, King Pin, and Lower Roundhouse. Lowline opened last weekend. This is a green circle freeride trail “that stems from the end of Mainline and Spur.” The trail passes the J.E. Henry Railroad and gives direct access to the Kanc8 lift and Governor Adams Lodge.
The following trails are still under construction: Hot Shot is the most direct route down the Kanc8, and is a “blue-square freeride trail [that] branches off from Cinder and features intermediate-sized rollers and jumps designed to give you a quick shot back to the base area.” Work has also started on Highball, an intermediate freeride trail with “intermediate-sized jumps, big berms and an optional drop as the trail crosses Loon Mountain Park.” After the trail crews complete work on these two trails, they will begin work on King Pin. This will be an advanced freeride trail that“will be fully loaded with features designed for advanced riders looking to perfect their freeride skills.” Another trail that is aiming to open this fall is Lower Roundhouse, which is a blue square trail that will connect to the East Ridge Trail Network. It will feature “tight berms, rock gardens, and more natural elements.” By the end of this summer, these projects will help Loon add four more miles of Mountain Biking trails. 
Image Credits: Loon Mountain Resort, @kanc8thegreat
