Anyone have pictures or info about the status of the new lift and slope at the North Face at Seven Springs? Construction finished?
The Colonel

I was up there hiking back on August 13. The main cable was in place and they were making the splice as I walked by. The upper station was pretty much done. They were still doing some serious earth moving at the base. I would suspect that they are rebuilding the collection pond that used to be there but I may be wrong. Being that my visit was almost 4 weeks ago, I would suspect that it must be essentially complete by now. I did take some pictures but I got so busy I did not post them. If I get back up there this weekend or next week, I'll snap some more. Oh, no sign of any new gladed areas yet.

I wonder if they will offer rides on the new lift during Autumnfest? (starts October 5)

Edit: Here is a link to some pictures from that day....
http://leacar.smugmug.com/gallery/3429365#192206339

Thanks for posting the earlier pictures...pretty lift, but oh, so lonely, in the summer. Sure a lot of dirt moving at the bottom! Looking forward to the more recent pictures.
Thanks again,
The Colonel

I don't really understand what would take soo long with moving the dirt around if they were still working on it for that long. When I was running heavy machinery, We probably moved more dirt than what they had to do there in just a day or so. Even running underground cables for electric and sewar couldn't have taken too much longer than that.

I did get up to 7 Springs today for a short hike. The six pack is basically done and I saw it operating at reduced speed for a few minutes. The loading/unloading area work is mostly complete and they did rebuild the collecting pond basin at the bottom. What is interesting is that they have widened the Gunnar lift line slope and cleared some gladed areas on both sides, similar to what was done on the Yodeler slope. Lots of work going on. I'll be bck in 2 weeks for the ski sale and plan to take an extensive hike to try and see everything.

Here are a few pictures from today...
http://leacar.smugmug.com/gallery/3478322#195713098

Look like some sweet glades on the sides of that slope. Good work 7Springs.

Wow, looks good, thanks for the pics! I really need to get out to 7 springs this year and check out this new lift

When I look at the nine posted pictures I do not see what appears to be new/enlarged glades. Which picture, where in the picture?!
The Colonel

Uh, yeah, me either. All I see is Gunnar Liftline got made ~40 feet wider. That's not glades to me, but what I think and what Management thinks, is two completely different things.

Now, IF the glades on both sides of Gunnar Liftline have been cleaned edge to edge and not just a few feet in, I apologize. But I'm not counting on it.

I was in a hurry on Friday on top of still feeling the effects of a stomach flu so I did not hike back up to get a closer shot. From my vantage, I could see that the woods between the lift-line and Gunnar had been cleared from the trail edge inward, especially at the bottom (see the zoomed shot of the liftline). I can't say for sure that this is more than a few feet. I apologize for not being clearer. I'll be back on 10/5-6 so I'll make sure I get a closer look if someone else does not before then.

Here is a link to some pictures taken by the 7 Springs staff of the load test on Monday 9/17...

http://cu.7springs.com/pages/gallery.php?gallery=297317

Thanks for the pictures. Will sure make at least one trip to Seven Springs this winter.
Picture 15 might show some tree thinning along the right side of the lift, looking up.
The Colonel

Does anyone know if the new Gunnar 6-pack has been accompanied by any snowmaking upgrades on the North Face side (or at least on the Gunnar end of the NF)? It will be interesting to see if they'll be more agressive (i.e. earlier) with the snowmaking on the NF side so as to maximize the use of the new lift.

So if the boxs fall of there is a problem right?

looks like someone is having groceries delivered to the top.....

It's hard to imagine the terrain opening any faster than it has over the last several years. Last season when it finally turned cold on or about Jan 18 and the resort was an ugly brown from several days of rain, the entire area had been re-opened with excellent conditions by the 24th.

It would be possible for 7 Springs to operate the new lift even if the Giant Steps and Gunnar slopes were closed. The lift loads at the lowest point of the North Face area and unloads at the highest. The catwalks leading into and away from these areas could be covered before the adjoining slopes were finished. The Giant Steps Triple Chair was in fact used this way during weekdays prior to the time when the original North Face double chair was turned into a quad.

It would be nice if they made an effort to keep the North Face area open longer. It's a great place for spring skiing.

7 Springs is my choice for the best early season skiing in the region. In just days, they can turn hay into sunshine.

7S opens terrain really quickly, usually just a couple of weeks from brown mud to 90% opener. The 6 pack should be in full utilization well before the Xmas holidays, assuming its not a washout like last December.

Here are some updated pictures of the 7 Springs Gunnar "Six Pack" and the reconfigured slope underneath taken this past weekend.

http://leacar.smugmug.com/gallery/3622985#206337766

Thanks for the updated pictures. The slope under the new Gunnar Chair looks much wider and obviously will be used by skiers much more than the old slope. And there obviously are several gladed areas off to the side of the new slope.
Anyone know if snowmaking will be available on the new slope?
The Colonel

Sorry Colonel...There were no towers/hydrants added for snow making. The gladed areas are very similar to what they did on the Yodeler slope. This area is between Gunnar and Giant Steps so it will see lots of "wind drift". This area was skiable quite a bit last year. Perhaps we'll get the guns next year.