Sugarloaf to Invest $1.3 Million in Chairlift System

The King Pine lift at Sugarloaf. Photo by Sugarloaf

Sugarloaf is overhauling the chairlift that malfunctioned and injured seven people this winter.

The King Pine chairlift will receive a new base terminal area that will replace the lift’s tensioning system, braking systems, anti-rollback systems, electronics, and gear box. The move is part of a $1.3 million investment in the mountain’s chairlifts.

The lift will still operate on the same route with the current towers and lifts.

“The new King Pine terminal will dramatically improve the lift experience for our guests, and is part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring our lift infrastructure is reliable and safe. The towers and chairs will remain the same, but King Pine will, in essence, be a completely new lift,” said Sugarloaf General Manager Karl Strand in statement.

Construction at the Boyne Resorts owned ski resort is expected to begin in early July and be completed by December. Sugarloaf, the largest ski resort on the east coast, has gradually invested in its lift equipment since Boyne took over the property in 2007.

The other lifts benefiting from the investment are Timberline, Double Runner, West Mountain, Skidway, Sawduster, and Snubber.

The incident in March was not the first time Sugarloaf experienced trouble with its lifts. In 2010 five chairs fell from a double lift that has since been replaced.