Pebble Creek Ski Area now has one of the longest conveyor lifts in the country
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INKOM – Skiers visiting one of eastern Idaho’s ski resorts will return this winter season to find one of the longest conveyor lifts in the United States.
Employees of Pebble Creek Ski Area have finished installing a nearly 700 foot long conveyor belt, which functions as a ski lift, on the Aspen Beginner Area. This conveyor lift will operate alongside the chairlift as a second mode of transportation to the top of the hill.
“It’s something that’s been in the plans for just about two years now, and to finally see it coming together is pretty exciting,” said Dana Kmetz, assistant general manager of Pebble Creek.
This conveyor lift is only around 220 feet shorter than the longest one in the country, at Emery Park Ski Hill in Erie County, New York.
Pebble Creek has wanted to install a second lift on Aspen Hill for some time now to alleviate some of the congestion of the chairlift. Every year, the ski area runs classes for children as young as 3 years old, and little kids have to ride the chairlift with an adult.
“It can get pretty congested down there just trying to find enough adult riders to ride with them,” Kmetz said. “To alleviate some of that, we thought it’d be a great idea to add another lift down there.”
They decided on a conveyor lift, Kmetz said, because it would be perfect for people who are just starting to ski.
“The conveyor lifts are really easy,” Kmetz said. “You basically slide up to it, stand there and slide off, so there’s really not much technique. So beginners, little kids or people with a fear of heights should have no problem.”
The conveyor lift runs parallel to the Golden Leaf trail, and will take skiers to the top of the first-timer run, allowing skiers to easily access the beginner trails as well as the parking lot and ski lodge.
Rather than bring a crew in, Pebble Creek assembled the lift in house.
“It’s great to see the skill in everyone here,” Kmetz said. “We felt pretty comfortable being able to do it ourselves, and it’s gone awesome.”
The conveyor lift is only one of the improvements Pebble Creek had made in preparation for the upcoming seaon.
Skiers looking to travel to the top of the mountain on the Skyline lift will find all of the chairs repainted with brand new cushions. All of the chairs have been repainted, and the staff plan to install the seats prior to opening.
Pebble Creek has also increased snowmaking capabilities on the lower mountain by tripling the capacity of its storage pond. The ski area has also added more electric capacity, installed new pipes and additional hydrants, which Kmetz said will allow it to lengthen the ski season.
Although Pebble Creek’s projected opening is on Dec. 15, staff has already been able to start making snow, and Kmetz said the temperatures have been favorable.
“We will be ready to go as soon as we have enough snow,” Kmetz said.