New lift construction at Okemo, Loon under way

The new Kanc effectively doubles the number of riders per chair at Loon. (Loon Mountain Resort)

Construction is under way this summer on new chairlift installations scheduled to be online for the 2021-22 ski seasons at Loon and Okemo.

After two years in planning and permitting at Loon, Boyne Resorts is installing a Doppelmayr D-Line chairlift, the first “8-Place” detachable in the eastern United States that will replace the 1995 Kancamagus Express quad. The new “Kanc” will feature tinted bubbles, heated seats, locking safety bars, a loading conveyor and direct drive.

“The Kancamagus 8 chairlift will be a leap into the future of skiing for our guests,” said Jay Scambio, president and general manager of Loon Mountain Resort. “We are committed to bringing the latest advancements to our guests. This lift is the next example of that, following our first-in-the-world dual-frequency RFID installation.”

The new Kanc effectively doubles the number of riders per chair, and the new lift will increase uphill capacity by about 20 percent, as there are fewer chairs on the line, spreading out the intervals between people loading and unloading.

At Okemo, two capital projects are under way for operation scheduled to begin running in the 2021-22 season, including the installation of a new six-person detachable chair and replacement of the Green Ridge Triple with the repositioned Quantum Quad. The upgrades will increase uphill capacity and improve access to the summit from Jackson Gore.

The Leitner-Poma six-pack will replace the Quantum Four at Jackson Gore, increasing uphill capacity to nearly 3,000 riders per hour. By replacing the Green Ridge Triple with the Quantum Quad, uphill capacity will expand from about 1,800 riders per hour to nearly 2,200. A connector off Mountain Road will be developed to give Jackson Gore skiers direct access to the quad, reducing ride time to Okemo’s main summit.