GREENWOOD — The Mt. Abram Ski Resort has shut down its main chairlift for the remainder of the season due to a worn bearing, General Manager Dave Scanlan said.
Scanlan said that on March 22, during the daily inspection of the machinery, the resort discovered that the main bearing on the return bullwheel at the bottom of the Wayback Chair was making “a lot of weird noises” and was “showing symptoms of wear-and-tear.”
“We waited until Sunday and tested it again, and the noises had gotten louder,” Scanlan said. “The bearing on the bullwheel is the original bearing from 1970. We’ve had 44 years of good service from it, but we’ve decided that until we can get it fixed, the lift wouldn’t be safe for operation.”
The bullwheel is the main wheel that draws the cable to move the chairlift.
Skiers will be able to use the Big T-Bar chairlift, which brings skiers about 200 feet short of the summit, for a reduced price, Scanlan said.
“As of right now, we have engineers scheduled to begin repairs on the chairlift as soon as next week,” Scanlan said. “We’re expecting a majority of the work to be done by the first of June. It’ll definitely be ready to go next season.
“We only have seven days left for the season, so finding out that we have to fix the lift happened at the perfect time,” he said.
Scanlan said depending on the weather in April, the ski resort may consider extending its season by two weeks.
“What we’re planning on doing right now is sending out a mass email blast to let people know if the season will be extended,” Scanlan said. “If we did that, it would be a real bare-bones operation — burgers and beers outside while running the Big T-Bar chairlift.”
mdaigle@sunjournal.com
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