Park City, Utah — This past weekend marked a major milestone for Deer Valley. Helicopter crews installed the lift towers for two lifts that are part of the Expanded Excellence development. Twenty lift towers were installed for the East Village Gondola (the lower towers were installed earlier this summer), while all of the towers (11) were put in place for the Pinyon Express chairlift.
To celebrate this occasion, Deer Valley hosted a viewing party. Called “Future in Flight,” the event had guests ride up the Sterling Express chairlift, then grab a spot atop Bald Mountain to see helicopter crews drop off the lift towers.
According to the Park Record, nearly 1000 people assembled at the top of Bald Mountain to witness the spectacle.
“I’m a dedicated skier and helicopter enthusiast,” said Michael Joseph Vasquez to the Park Record. “We were really excited to find out it was a Chinook [helicopter]. That thing’s got two jet engines and can carry 12,000 pounds at altitude. It’s so orchestrated and just very intriguing.”
One of the lifts that saw its lift towers installed was the East Village Gondola. Starting in the East Village, the ten-person gondola will feature a mid-station over on Dutch Peak. This mid-station will allow the first or second sections to run independently or together, depending on the wind and other weather factors.
The second lift tower installation on Saturday was the Pinyon Express. This six-pack bubble chairlift will serve as a high-alpine learning area for Deer Valley Resort. The lift’s base terminal will be between the Trump and Ontario trails. Its top terminal will be near the top of Park Peak and the summit terminal of the East Village Gondola.
These are two of the seven lifts that will make their debuts next ski season at Deer Valley. Additionally, more than 80 trails are expected to open for the first time.
Image/Video Credits: Deer Valley Resort
