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.