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Alta Ski Area will build new Supreme lift — this time without the bend or the bumps

Skiers slide forward on a conveyor belt that eased loading onto the original Supreme chair lift at Alta Ski Area in 2008. The Supreme lift was combined with the Cecret lift in 2017 using an 8-degree bend. That caused "accelerated metal fatigue" in the lift and led to its upcoming realignment for the 2025-26 season.
Chris Detrick
/
The Salt Lake Tribune
Skiers slide forward on a conveyor belt that eased loading onto the original Supreme chair lift at Alta Ski Area in 2008. The Supreme lift was combined with the Cecret lift in 2017 using an 8-degree bend. That caused "accelerated metal fatigue" in the lift and led to its upcoming realignment for the 2025-26 season.

Skiers will still find plenty of moguls at Alta Ski Area next season, but “the bumpies” will be gone.

For the past decade, skiers taking the Supreme lift to the terrain on the east side of Devil’s Castle have had to pass through an 8-degree bend. In addition to rattling riders, the unusual turn has taken its toll on the lift’s infrastructure. Last summer, Alta General Manger Mike Maughan told the Alta Town Council that an inspection revealed the lift has experienced “accelerated metal fatigue.” The degradation was likely caused by vibration of chairs going through the bend.

Alta announced Wednesday that it will be changing the Supreme lift’s configuration. Expected to be completed in time for the 2025-26 ski season, the new alignment won’t have the bend. The U.S. Forest Service approved Alta’s request to straighten the lift’s route in March, and an Alta spokesperson said the realignment has cleared the required environmental review process.

The lift’s top and bottom terminals will remain in place but will be pivoted, according to a statement issued by Alta. Per the Forest Service’s approval, which was first reported by Lift Blog, “the realignment will require the replacement of the lift.” However, an Alta spokesperson said the same lift will be used in the new configuration.

Read the full report at sltrib.com.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.