The Nor’easter brought heavy snow and wind to New England over the weekend. Waterville Valley saw the worst effects of the wind on Sunday, as they faced some staggering winds and cold temperatures. Winds over 55 miles per hour led to a -35 Degree Fahrenheit wind chill, which kept the White Peaks Express closed all morning. They eventually got the White Peaks Express open in the afternoon. For perspective, the top terminal is very wide open to the elements, and winds are evident. When the lift opened in 1988, the original top terminal went all the to its summit (High Country), but wind troubles moved it down to its current location. A t-bar now services the High Country terrain.
Waterville’s got a plan to tackle their frequent wind issues at the top of the mountain though. The White Peaks Express will be replaced with a six-pack bubble, which will help reduce wind holds and downtime. Some initial construction began on-mountain during the last offseason, while manufacturing has begun at Bartholet factory in Switzerland. Pictures of the parts and a model of their new chair are below.
We're getting closer!
While we're still in the manufacturing stage, we're excited to share updates on the progress of our new White Peaks 6-Pack chairlift – https://t.co/wdj7XwaNnm pic.twitter.com/6L86IujdgE— Waterville Valley Resort (@waterville) January 30, 2022
Image/Video Credits: Waterville Valley