Replacement of the Atomic Express lift at Sommet Saint-Sauveur
Sommet Saint-Sauveur announced back in March 2018 an investment by the Quebec government of $3 million. This investment will support several projects, one of which is the arrival in 2019-2020 of a new six-pack (6
This new lift will replace the Atomic Express, the busiest and most popular lift at the mountain, which was built in 1985.
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ATOMIC EXPRESS REPLACEMENT
Details of upcoming work
As announced in spring 2018, the group Sommets has planned major investments for the coming years. For Sommet Saint-Sauveur, this means, among other things, the replacement of the Atomic lift, the installation of a new snow line and the addition of 48 new high-performance and automated guns, the purchase of a new generation snow groomer and a maintenance robot for skis and boards, the construction of a new garage for the lifts, the complete renovation of the sanitary areas of the main lodge as well as those on the Avila side. Most of these improvements have already been completed and others are still to be expected.
Moreover, the work of the lift Atomic will begin this spring and we wanted to inform you of the progress of these.
What is the work
The Atomic Express lift will be completely replaced by a new six-passenger detachable and heated model from the Doppelmayr manufacturer. The latter will increase the hourly capacity of 600 skiers for a total of 3000 per hour. Travel time will also be reduced by one minute.
The start of the dismantling of the Atomic lift will begin this spring of 2019, towards the end of April.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the specifications of this new lift?
This new lift, from manufacturer Doppelmayr, will be a 6-passenger model. The benches of the chairs will also be heated, to offer the greatest possible comfort to our customers. The hourly capacity of this new chair will be 3000 skiers per hour, an increase of 600 skiers compared to the Atomic chair. The ascent time will also decrease from 4 minutes 10 seconds to 3 minutes 30 seconds. The chairs will also be equipped with ski-rests. The seat and the backrest will be heated.
Q. Why replace the Atomic chair?
This change is part of Sommet Saint-Sauveur's plan for long-term improvements and investments. The Atomic chair was inaugurated in 1985, accumulating nearly 35 service seasons. The purchase of this new lift was planned for some years now.
Q. Will the Atomic chair not be moved elsewhere?
No. After 35 years of service, the Atomic chair has reached its maximum capacity. However, several components of the latter are recent or in excellent conditions. All reusable parts will be recovered and used for subsequent repairs on other similar model lifts belonging to our Summits.
Q. How does the heated trolley system work?
The heating element is integrated on the horizontal part of the seat and functions as a heated car seat. When the chair arrives at the lower station, the heating phase is activated and lasts about 16 seconds. The heating phase ends when the chair leaves the station. It is heated enough to stay comfortable for the duration of the ascent.
Q. Can the seat get too hot?
No. The temperature of the seats is adjustable and fully controlled by our experts in ski lifts. Thus, we can adjust the temperature settings according to the weather conditions of the moment. Remember that Sommet Saint-Sauveur is known for our exceptional evening skiing. However, these heated seats will counteract the feelings of cold during cold winter evenings.
Q. Will it consume more energy?
No. The electrical inputs presently in place for the Atomic lift will be the same for the new chair. No need to supplement the existing electrical supply.
Q. Why choose a chair with " heating "
This technology, which has been common in Europe for more than five years now, has recently appeared in ski resorts in North America. As of today, Banf Sunshine Ski Resort has had a 4-passenger heated chair since 2014. Our new 6-seat heated chair will be the first of its kind in Canada. It should be remembered that around the 1990s, manufacturers introduced upholstered chairlifts to the ski markets. Trolleys equipped with wooden and plastic slats have been replaced by this new "comfort" option. Almost 20 years later, heated seats are emerging. And certainly, Sommet Saint-Sauveur had to offer the best equipment available to its customers.
Q. What other benefits does this chair model offer?
The climatic conditions in Quebec include their lots of variations: cold, snow, freezing rain, wind, etc. It was important for us to choose a model adapted to this North American reality. However, this new model chair will store in the station trolleys when they will not be used (eg during the night). This will allow more efficient, safe operations and above all to offer our customers carts cleared and deglazed at the opening.
In addition, this model will offer a download capacity of 50%. What we commonly call "download" in internal jargon is explained by the action of being able to transport passengers in a chair, from the top, towards the base of the mountain. Capacity to which the Atomic chair was not able to offer. Thus, pedestrian customers will be able to access the top of the mountain and come back down easily, offering an additional activity to the range of current offers.
Q. Will old chairs
Yes. 15 chairs will go on sale this spring for $ 500 + taxes each. Buyers will have to show up in person at the customer experience counter. It is possible to purchase it now. Take note that it will be the responsibility of buyers to pick up their chair and to ensure the logistics and transportation costs inherent in this transaction.
The unsold chairs will be kept here internally for future use as a decorative element (benches).
