 Poster: A snowHead
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Snowbird, the major Utah ski resort, is planning a new chairlift and tunnel combination that would reach the top of its ski area and access backside terrain in Mineral Basin. The chair would terminate with a conveyor to transport skiers through a newly-drilled tunnel in the mountain...
Snowbird was a pioneer in operating cablecars (trams)* in the US in the 1970s - a rare commodity in America. This engineering development is intended to 'turn heads' again.
This report from Foster's Online.
Any comments on this from Snowbird lovers?
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* For those not familiar, the tram in Europe-speak is a streetcar. The cablecar (viz: San Francisco) in US-speak is a streetcar. It's called a cablecar in the US because it's pulled by cables, rather than a European tram which is powered by overhead electricity. Is that clear?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Goldsmith, So, what do you call a Blackpool tram when it's in San Fransisco? (other than confused!) 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Lucky
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| ... access backside terrain ... |
I can see that being the butt of a few jokes... please tell me that's not a common term for the back country?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I think we're dealing with part of the patrolled and marked ski area at Snowbird, on the reverse side of the mountain to the main runs. But it's about 25 years since I was there!
I carefully transcribed the word 'backside' from the report, as I don't think it's back-country in the 'off-piste' sense. Hopefully someone can clarify.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mineral Basin is on the back of the main mountains, and is the easiest join between Alta and Snowbird. The entrance from the Gulch isn't exactly steep, but it can be nerve-racking for intermediates, as it looks like there's just a big drop.
MB is a nice area to play in, but to be honest, it's nothing compared to what Alta has to offer.
Then again, for boarders, MB is pretty good, since they aren't allowed in to Alta!
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This news story from The Salt Lake Tribune looks at several angles of the project, mainly environmental:
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Lisa Smith, executive director of Save Our Canyons, said her group has some concerns about the tunnel's potential impacts, given the lack of specific details so far.
"We're taking our time going over all of the information Snowbird has given us, talking to geologists," she said. "We've never dealt with anything like this before. The tunnel brings a new element, an urbanization of ski terrain to fit skier needs. Adding that magic carpet in the tunnel is a new twist . . . will wildlife try to migrate through that?"
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This could be interesting: skiing through the tunnel in the company of a migrating moose, or whatever beasts roam the Wasatch mountains.
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FAQ
