Washington — When it comes to the most challenging Washington ski areas, one of the contenders is Alpental. If you’re looking for challenging terrain at Alpental, there’s one lift that many expert skiers and riders gravitate to.
In a new documentary by The Summit at Snoqualmie, they dive into the history and legacy of the Edelweiss chairlift.
Installed in 1967, Chair 2 holds major significance for Alpental and Washington’s ski industry. Without this lift, Alpental wouldn’t be able to operate. A key part of Edelweiss’s importance is its location on the upper mountain. Thanks to this lift, patrollers can conduct avalanche mitigation and ensure the entire mountain is safe.
Over the past few years, Alpental has been working on replacing Chair 2. In the Riblet’s place is a new fixed-grip triple chairlift from Doppelmayr. Due to the area’s steep terrain and heavy snowpack, work on the project had to be spread out over two offseasons. The new lift can carry 1,395 people per hour and can travel up to 500 feet per minute. It has a length of 2,604 feet and a vertical rise of 1,100 feet. This will result in increased capacity, shorter lines, and a more reliable people mover.
A cool feature of the new lift is that it repurposed the old top terminal shack, which was a staple of the old Chair 2.
Alpental announced today that it will be opening for the season on Wednesday. The Edelweiss chairlift is part of the opening day lineup.
Image/Video Credits: Alpental (The Summit at Snoqualmie)
