A new chairlift can’t just start running for skiers and snowboarders the second it’s built. Inspectors have to test the chairlift to ensure it’s safe, weighing it down to simulate the weight of people without putting anyone in potential danger before it can be certified and ready to run.
At Loveland Ski Area in Colorado, they did this for their brand new Lift 7 by filling cardboard boxes with water to match passenger weights. It might look a bit goofy, but it’s vital to ensure that the chairlift can spin without risking the lives of its passengers.
The brand new Lift 7 is set to open on November 21st with the opening of Loveland Valley, a separate portion of the mountain designed just for beginners. The new lift replaces a fixed-grip double chairlift that served two trails in the beginner area. It’s a new Leitner-Poma fixed-grip quad chairlift, increasing the carrying capacity from 1200 to 2000 passengers per hour.
Loveland Ski Area has not yet opened for the 2025-2026 ski and snowboard season, though it seems like an opening date might be coming in the near future.
