V.W.H. Campbell Jr., Post-Gazette
Seven Springs, which installed this high-speed, six-passenger chairlift in 2001 on the front side of the resort, will erect another "six-pack" this summer to serve several of the most popular slopes and trails on the back side.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A six-passenger, high-speed chairlift to serve the North Face slopes at Seven Springs, which veteran skiers and snowboarders have been championing for years, will be up and running next season.
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For more information, go to www.7springs.com or call 1-800-452-2223.
The state-of-the-art Doppelmayr CTEC UNI-GS lift with deluxe seat pads will cost more than $3 million. It will replace Gunnar, a triple chair that takes about 12 minutes to reach the top. The new lift will take three only minutes.
It is expected to cut in half the amount of waiting time for those who ski and snowboard on nearby slopes and trails.
The 3,009-foot-long lift also will be called Gunnar [Goo-nar]. That's the middle name of Lars Skylling, who retired in April 1997 as the resort's director of skiing and snowboarding. His daily recorded snow condition reports, delivered with a Swedish accent, charmed callers for decades.
The installation of what is known as a "six-pack" will begin in April. It will serve the Gunnar and Giant Steps slopes and the Lost Girl, Turtleneck and Yodeler trails.
Season passholders have been yodeling for years for the resort to add a high-speed chairlift on the North Face side of the resort. They upped the decibel level when Seven Springs installed a six-pack on the front side.
The Nutting family, which purchased the resort last July 1, heard them.
"We purchased the new lift based on feedback from our guests," said Robert Nutting, president of Seven Springs and family spokesman.
"Our vision is to take Seven Springs to a new level -- to be the premier four-season family resort in the region. Investing in the new high-speed lift, despite the unseasonably warm weather earlier this winter, shows our commitment to the future of Seven Springs."
Chief executive officer Scott Bender described six-passenger lifts as "the workhorses of today's ski areas." It will be capable of carrying up to 3,200 guests per hour. It will slow down for easy loading and unloading, a welcome change from standard chairs that can deliver a sharp chop to the back of the knees of unwary riders waiting to board.
"The addition of this lift ... will truly enhance the guest experience," Mr. Bender said. "They will be able to spend more time skiing or riding and less time on the chair."
The new lift will have 13 towers, 59 chairs and a 500-horsepower electric motor with a Cummins diesel engine for auxiliary power purposes. It will climb 750 vertical feet.
Mr. Nutting said guests will notice several changes and various projects under way at the resort when they visit.
"These are the first steps in what will be an exciting time at Seven Springs," he said. "Plans for renovations to the hotel and expanded amenities and services are also under way. I am very enthusiastic about where [the resort] will be in the near future."
Seven Springs, the largest four-season resort in Pennsylvania, was recently rated the No. 1 resort in the mid-Atlantic region by the readers of SKI magazine. It welcomes approximately 1.2 million overnight and day guests for snow sports during the winter and golf, tennis and other activities during the spring, summer and fall.
The resort, which hosts 1,000 meetings, conferences and banquets a year, can accommodate more than 5,000 overnight guests in its 418-room, 10-story high-rise hotel, nearly 1,000 condominiums and town homes, 20 chalets and five cabins.
It is the largest year-round private employer in Somerset and Fayette counties and has up to 1,500 employees during the winter.
First Published: February 11, 2007, 5:00 a.m.
