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Good news: KAR reports Northstar Quad chair may be taking test turns by weekend

Chair was destroyed by arson last year
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Kimberley Alpine Resort provides update on the rebuild project of their Northstar Chairlift which was rendered inoperable by an arsonist on opening day last season. KAR photo.

Kimberley Alpine Resort has provided an update on the repairs of the Northstar Quad lift which was taken out of commission by an arsonist at the beginning of last ski season.

READ: Fire that damaged Kimberley ski hill’s chair lift deemed arson: RCMP

It has been a long process rebuilding the lift but KAR’s update is a positive one.

In a social media post from manager Ted Funston and the team at KAR, it was announced that the lift may be taking test turns by this weekend.

“We are stoked to report that the repair is proceeding really well on the Northstar Quad,” the post said. “All the required parts have arrived on site and have been installed in the lift. The Leitner Poma crews are back on site and are working diligently to get the lift operational as soon as they can. We hope to see the lift start turning as early as this weekend. And then once the testing and certification process is complete, we plan to open on the earliest date we can, sometime during the third week of December. We will publish an exact date as soon as we can.

“We want to thank Leitner Poma once again for doing everything they can to get us all skiing and riding before Christmas. Please check back very soon as we will be excited to update you when the lift first turns.”

KAR also cautions that with recent snow they are seeing increased traffic climbing the hill to get in some early skiing. The ask you to please stick to the designated up-track route on the Boundary run to go up and down.

There are no exceptions to this restriction.

“Skiing or riding anywhere else on the resort is strictly prohibited right now. We had skiers walk past our closed signs and ‘winch cat operation in progress’ signs today, which created a very dangerous situation and slows down our ability to get the resort open for everyone.”

“We have snowmaking guns, high-pressure hoses, high voltage cables, plus snowmobiles and snowcats on the front side, and all our cats and snowmobiles traveling around the mountain, including the winch cat and cable, which is very dangerous. We are proud to be one of the only ski resorts around with a designated uptrack and we ask that you stick to it, and not go anywhere else on the mountain,” Funston said. “One of these rules is that there is no up-tracking after 8 p.m. or before 6 a.m. This means no skier traffic on the mountain anywhere, including Boundary, at night, period. This is primarily for everyone’s safety, but it’s also because seeing people on the resort at night is now a cause for alarm. To help protect everyone’s ski season, we have no choice but to consider these people to have possible ill intent. We remind you that we have cameras installed around the resort and on-site security personnel to monitor and respond to people’s activities, including up-tracking.

Also, if you chose to up-track on Boundary, please be aware that the ski resort is not currently open, there are many early season hazards, you decided to enter at your own risk, and there is no ski patrol or rescue available.

And in more positive news, Funston reports that over a metre of snow has fallen this fall and conditions on the mountain are rapidly improving. The last month has been the best month for snow making they have ever had at KAR, he said.

READ: KAR provides update on repair to arson-damaged chairlift



carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com

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Carolyn Grant

About the Author: Carolyn Grant

I have been with the Kimberley Bulletin since 2001 and have enjoyed every moment of it.
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