Thursday, October 30, 2008

Work continues

It has been nice to have the rain and wind out of the daily variables for the past couple of days and the forecast I saw has clear skies for the next six or seven days. Great!

Work has continued on the chairlift installation every day this week. A lot of the work done isn't worthy of pictures, ie replacing bearings, new bolts and nuts, new sheave liners, etc.

But yesterday we received the first two tower bases and got tower base number one installed. Here are some photos of yesterdays process. The process consists of digging a hole 4 ft X 6 ft X 8 ft deep; then lowering the 18" diameter steel tube tower base in the hole; line it up per the blueprints



then fill the hole with lots of concrete



and finish with a confirmation of all the angles and dimensions......then put a finish on the concrete.




This process between today (thursday) and tomorrow will be repeated five more times for the five remaining tower bases.
Looks like the week of November 10 we will be setting the towers, installing the top bull wheel and placing the drive house on top of the gantry...........keepin on! Talked to the firm in Missouri that will come on site to splice the steel cable and he is ready when we are......it's all coming together.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Be sure to read the post earlier today

Here are three pics from today's concrete project. Another 13 yards of concrete being poured around the legs of the bottom terminal to lock it into position. Keep checking back for more updates.



Probably won't be more pics til this weekend as we prepare to set the tower bases. They go into EIGHT feet of concrete. The first of the eight foot holes has been dug.

ps. Dee, Ken and Carol have officially relocated to the new offices.

dig a hole and fill it up

Work in earnest began on the chairlift installation Tuesday, October 21 and continues......even tho it was kinda rainy a couple of those days. When it rained, the crew just moved inside and got things done that had to be anyway......such as replacing bearings, building concrete rebar cages, etc.


First the base terminal was layed out on the ground with pins so we knew exact locations and elevations.


Then the first four holes were dug, rebar positioned in place and concrete footings poured Tuesday.


Two more footing holes were dug on Saturday and poured.
About two yards of concrete per hole.......just for the footings.......more concrete will finish the formed holes Monday!




On Sunday, with the aid of a large crane, the framework was hoisted into position. First the forty foot long side rails with 8 inch I beam legs.

Then the front support.........followed by the rear support.

The balance of Sunday was spent on securing the framework in a perfect level, plumb, perpendicular and aligned position. Variances in excess of 1/8" was too much!


It is on this frame that the drive motor, etc will reside upon. The gantry house will be hoisted in place later.

Then the forms are built around each leg and today more concrete is poured........no, a LOT more concrete is poured.... which secures the frame in place....as far as I am concerned, forever.


It was a GREAT weekend, in spite of the wind....WOW....and the falling temps on Sunday. A lot of progress was made in six days. And while all this was going on with the lift, the NSPS had a two day refresher in the lodge, plus a group had a birthday party on Saturday, Paintball was in action Saturday and the furnace for the lodge addition was installed, more electrical work was completed and two truck loads of gravel were brought to the parking lot. Whew!


And look who Ken had come help out .........Cool !!!




Sunday, October 12, 2008

Quick update but no pics

On the lodge..............carpet is almost all installed, trim is all on and sealed, doors are installed, ceiling is done. Just a little bit left and we will be done with this project. Ceiling fans were installed today. Staff should move into the new offices this week.....just in time to show you around on Sunday during the season pass sale and swap. The new bridge leading to the new entrance for tickets was 95% completed Saturday, October 11. We will do the landscaping and the cultured stone next spring.

On the chair...........met with the gentleman last weekend that will oversee the installation. Appears that the installation will begin on the 21st. All the tower locations have been engineered, steel is ordered, parts are being made now to replace those that were modified during the removal of the chair. I think in about 4 to 5 weeks the project will be finished or almost finished. May have "cold fingers" when it is 100% completed! All the earth that was moved this summer was seeded last weekend so with the showers and the warm days we will see some green yet this fall before we cover everything with snow.

Summer activities are winding down....but still going as we enter almost mid October. Still have canoes and kayaks going out every week..........fall colors are great right now and the paintball groups just keep coming. Snow tubes were all cleaned and made ready for winter yesterday. The existing chair lift has had it's fall maintenance completed. Beginner rope lift is serviced too. All the snow guns have been checked and cleaned so they are ready to blow snow.Skis in the rental shop are getting ready to have all the bindings checked and adjusted as required.........so you can see that our days are still a little bit summer and a little bit winter.

The lodge has still been very busy with ISU house parties, lots of class reunions, corporate outings and of course our monthly Friday after Five.

Hope to see everyone at the swap and season pass sale.

Keep it safe everybody ---------and I'll add some photos of lift installation once we dig a couple holes and start filling them with lots of concrete.