Fifty years ago, the two passenger, fixed-grip Easy Street chairlift was installed at Sugar Mountain. This summer, the North Carolina ski resort will retire the old lift and replace it with a brand new, state-of-the-art quad detachable. Built by chairlift manufacturer Doppelmayr, the new lift is designed just for beginners, slowing significantly at the top and bottom for gentle loading and unloading.
The new lift will double uphill capacity from 1,050 passengers per hour to 2,400, increasing the resort’s overall uphill capacity from 10,518 passengers per hour to 11,868.
“The majority of our guests are beginners who go on to develop skiing and snowboarding as a life-long, family activity,” said Gunther Jochl, owner of the resort.
“Generation after generation lays roots right here on our beginner terrain. That hasn’t changed in Sugar’s fifty year history. Replacing the original Easy Street lift is not just an upgrade, it is an example of the continued commitment to offering our guests an exceptional mountain experience,” he added.
