Jack M Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 www.chondola.com uhh... I don't get it. Four out of five groups in line will be pretty disappointed on cold/windy days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 seems kinda half-assed to me...too cheap to spring for an extra 50 gondola cars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishrising Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Probably a weight distribution thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menno Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 We see quite a few of these telemix lifts in Europe too, this year. Gondola's for beginners and those that like to stay inside when the weather is not so nice. Chairs for those that HATE to get out of their bindings all the time, for repeat trips on a slope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telemix The idea seems to be: balance the benefit of both systems. Not sure that's the best way to do it, but that seems to be the idea. With a gondola you get better protection from the elements, but you must deal with the annoyance of removing your skis/board when you board the gondola and mounting them again once you exit. With a chairlift you forgo the hassle of having to remove your equipment, but don't have the same protection from the elements. Personally, I think this is a dumb idea. I think covered chairlifts are the way to go ... I don't understand why those aren't more popular than they are. Faster than a gondola, don't have to take off your equipment, fairly well protected from wind. I used to think these aren't that popular because of the wind resistance they present, but a chair full of people is going to offer plenty of wind resistance, with or without an aerodynamic cover. Probably less with an aerodynamic cover. I imagine the problem with those has something to do with the effects of wind on the cover when the gondola is empty ... though it seems a well designed cover could minimize the effect of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Personally, I think this is a dumb idea. I think covered chairlifts are the way to go ... but covered chairs don't hold the smoke in as well as gondola cars... oops - did I just say that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Covered chairs are a great idea in theory, they're a PITA in practice when they're an inch deep in ice and you can't spot the lift exit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 We see quite a few of these telemix lifts in Europe too, this year.Gondola's for beginners and those that like to stay inside when the weather is not so nice. Chairs for those that HATE to get out of their bindings all the time, for repeat trips on a slope. I could understand that if the ratio were like 3 chairs to 2 gondolas, or even 1 to 1. But 4 chairs to 1 gondola as in this case doesn't make much sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 There's one at Northstar now. The only reason it made sense to me was because they put a fancy restaurant at the top and wanted to be able to transport people up there in comfort (and not in skis) at night for dinner and other events. That way they can put them in the Ganjola on the way up, which as Tex points out may help increase their appetite. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffV Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 but covered chairs don't hold the smoke in as well as gondola cars...oops - did I just say that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Like cigarette smoke? :D:cool::D:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 pretty cool to watch them set the towers with the heli. Even if it is a Chonjula. http://ballyblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/08/man-pleads-not-guilty-to-ski-lift-self-gratification/ Looks like them there gonjolas are dangerous on the Right Coast. We know how to handle them out west. Great ones at Snowbasin. Tried to get my wife to get busy in the pod, but she was just a little too.......self-conscious. There is always this season coming up. I did get to ride in a Super Puma when they were setting some towers here. Helis are cool. Scary, but cool. It looked something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Found this:Personally, I think this is a dumb idea. I think covered chairlifts are the way to go ... I don't understand why those aren't more popular than they are. Faster than a gondola, don't have to take off your equipment, fairly well protected from wind. I used to think these aren't that popular because of the wind resistance they present, but a chair full of people is going to offer plenty of wind resistance, with or without an aerodynamic cover. Probably less with an aerodynamic cover. I imagine the problem with those has something to do with the effects of wind on the cover when the gondola is empty ... though it seems a well designed cover could minimize the effect of this. covered chairs are terrible from a resorts point of view, they fail to work properly in wind, ice and heavy snow, high rate of skiers not knowing how to use them and causing stops and the bubbles are super expensive but very brittle. Most resorts are getting away from them. a few have even removed the bubbles from the chairs. the things fail to open when it snows and they basically require a extra person to sweep them while it's snowing as compared with other systems. Bubbles in the north east would be useless...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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