Sugar's new six pack may also carry gondolas 2016-17 season

[Old Fart]

I would imagine they sell a "premium" lift ticket to use the gondola cars. If no one is waiting that has a premium ticket, then the car would go unfilled. You couldn't just fill it with the next people in line because you would have to start loading the gondola when it first hits the station before it goes around the bull wheel. You load the chairs after they go around the bull wheel. So you would have to have two separate lines for gondola cars and chairs.

That's just my guess anyway.

[Dracan6]

how would this even work? would there just be gondolas spaced apart on the line? so you have to wait for the gondola car to come around? and then you either get lucky and get a gondola car or they skip it if no vips are waiting?

Yeah Bo, I was wondering the same: From Wiki on hybrid lifts.

A hybrid lift allows cabins and chairs to be used on the same lift line, changing them as the rider load, season and weather conditions demand. To allow safe loading and unloading, stations have separate areas for the different carrier types, resembling a gondola station followed by a chairlift station, or vice versa. The overall length of the boarding area can be reduced by folding the station so that the gondolas are loaded on the "downhill" side of the ends of the lift, and the chairs on the uphill side. On most hybrid lifts, there will usually be more chairs than cabins, e.g., Sunday River (Maine)'s Chondola has 60 chairs and 15 cabins, with four chairs in between each cabin.

A visual

[Dracan6]

I'm assuming that this is basically like our new lift. Much stoke here!

[Dracan6]

I would imagine they sell a "premium" lift ticket to use the gondola cars. If no one is waiting that has a premium ticket, then the car would go unfilled. You couldn't just fill it with the next people in line because you would have to start loading the gondola when it first hits the station before it goes around the bull wheel. You load the chairs after they go around the bull wheel. So you would have to have two separate lines for gondola cars and chairs.

That's just my guess anyway.

Yeah, that's pretty much how they do it as far as loading and unloading, from what I have gathered. They have two different loading and unloading stations.The "premium" ticket I have no clue about, but it is Sugar, so.

[Dracan6]

Who knows, they may not even implement it. (even though they did say they were) Though, I don't know why they would buy a hybrid lift system an not do it. I mean, sure they would be nice on those cold ass, 30+ mph wind, w/ blowers wide open, nights. But still, you have to take off skis and boards, and it takes more time to load and unload. Lets face it, this is Sugar mtn. not Lake Tahoe. It isn't even a 5 min ride, barely enough time to slam a hamme and take a shot, let alone get cold like you did on the 15 min ride the old lift offered.

[OldSchool]

Club Car Please!

[marzski]

how would this even work? would there just be gondolas spaced apart on the line? so you have to wait for the gondola car to come around? and then you either get lucky and get a gondola car or they skip it if no vips are waiting?

The way the Chondola works at Sunday River, there are two different loading zones. Those who want a chairlift get in the line that loads chairs after the bull wheel. Those who want to load a gondola take off their skis, walk around to the download side, put their skis/snowboard in a holder on the outside of the gondola, then get in the gondola. The doors are closed by the time the gondola passes the chair lift loading zone. Can't remember how many chairs were in between gondolas. Maybe three or four. The chairs are pretty widely spaced since moves pretty fast. Have a pic of the loading zones from when I was there last Dec but too much trouble to post.

[marzski]

Found a video. Looks like four chairs between gondolas.

[Ga Skier]

Looking through the afternoon glare it looks like a gondola

[jt3]

Chupacabra