Towers Installed for Alpental's "Long-Awaited" New Chairlift

Summer is the season of new chairlifts, and Washington ski resort Alpental, part of The Summit at Snoqualmie, is currently installing one of the most highly-anticipated lifts on the continent.

The brand new fixed-grip triple, called The International Chair, will relieve congestion on the Edelweiss Chair, and provide easier access to advanced runs such as 'Snake Dance', 'International', and 'The Back Bowls'.

According to a social media update posted by Summit at Snoqualmie on July 16th, 2024, crews recently installed the lift's thirteen support towers via helicopter. Due to the rugged nature of the terrain, one tower stands 80 feet tall.

The lift, which is expected to open for the Winter '24/'25 season, will serve 1,345 feet of vertical, stretch 3,799 feet long, and provide an uphill capacity of 1,348 skiers per hour.

The intention of adding the International Chair, according to a written statement shared with POWDER, is to "take pressure off Edelweiss (Chair 2)" and give advanced skiers the option of skiing fall-line laps in terrain that previously required multiple lift rides to access.

The question that's probably on your mind - ' Why is Alpental opting for a fixed-grip chairlift over a detachable high-speed lift?' - is understandable. In a day and age where nearly every chair at every major resort is detachable, why settle for something less?

The answer is quite simple, according to a Summit at Snoqualmie official. "It’s all about balance," he says. "Paired with the new Sessel triple, the fixed-grip triple for International Chair increases the overall uphill capacity of Alpental by about 25%. That’s enough to relieve pressure and reduce lines on Edelweiss (Chair 2), while also providing a great experience for skiers and riders lapping the amazing terrain accessed via the new lift. A high-speed detachable introduces additional challenges and wasn’t the right fit for the balanced experience we’re aiming to create at Alpental."

While the chair will make skiing Alpental's best terrain easier, the installation and construction process has been anything but. Due to the unforgiving terrain and late-season snowpack, Doppelmayr crews were forced to get creative when construction began in the summer of 2023.

Crew members either ride the resort's other chairlifts and then hike down to the construction site, or hike up from the top of the Sessel Chair. The majority of the lift's parts, equipment, and materials are flown in by helicopter, and the bottom terminal was hauled into place by five winch cats over snow.

Regardless of the challenges, the Summit at Snoqualmie expects the International Chair to open, "right from the start of the season, however, Alpental’s opening date varies each season since it’s dependent on natural snowfall."

Related: Mammoth Mountain Is Replacing Broadway, Chair #1, This Summer

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