Readers Respond: Oldest Colorado Lift Had a Transplant

Just got the May-June 2023 issue and saw the short piece on Colorado’s oldest ski lift. It did start as Chair 3 at Aspen, installed by Bob Heron in 1954 from Spar Gulch to the Sundeck, relieving pressure on the old, slow Number 2 single. But now it’s mostly a much newer Riblet lift. When the chair was moved to Sunlight in 1972, Riblet was called in and made major modifications. Most of the lift dates from 1973: Those are all Riblet chair carriers with Riblet clips securing chairs to cable. The lift is powered by a 1973 Riblet 150 hp vault drive at the top terminal. Only the steel lattice towers, and the return tension station at the bottom, are
original 70-year-old Heron components from 1954.

Kirby Gilbert
Seattle, Washington

The Mighty Terry Peak

Regarding the cover art of the March-April 2023, I would guess the skier is meant to be skiing at Terry Peak, in Deadwood, South Dakota since, as far as I believe, it is the only ski area located near Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Interesting tidbit: The top of Terry Peak is at 7,100 feet and, as the area notes on its website, that makes Terry Peak the highest point between the Alps to the east and the Rockies to the west!

Bernie Weichsel
Wayland, Massachusetts

Decisions, Decisions

I get up here to Whistler, and I have the best choices for reading material. Just the best ski magazine ever.  

Nigel Jones
Seattle, Washington