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.

and then there were four truckloads off loaded.....

....by shortly after noon today the final two trucks had arrived as well as the crane and the contents of the two trailers were safely setting on the ground......Yeah!

the gantry is the black building that when completely assembled sets overhead and houses the drive motor, drive gear, controls and the back up gasoline engine.

the large block of concrete and steel setting next to the gantry is the 30,000 pound counterweight.

Sure we know where all the pieces go...........we took them apart........and we have another engineer from Ohio that has installed chair lifts across North America for the past 30 years helping us!

Now once the engineer in Spokane Washington has finished the exact locations of each tower the holes will be dug and large amounts of concrete poured......stay tuned.

make sure your friends know the date for the season pass sale........October 19.

...and yes, progress continues on the lodge addition. Everything is painted on the interior and the doors and trim are being installed. Floor covering will be done in the next week or so.....we'll give some tours during the season pass sale.

Later

What comes down must go UP !

After lots of prep work, Monday September 22 was the day for removal of all the really heavy components of the chair lift that is coming down so it can be rebuilt at Seven Oaks.....yet this fall.

It all started happening in earnest at 8 am that morning.

The large rented crane with operator arrived on schedule and first removed the gantry with the bottom bull wheel. It was a pretty awesome sight to have the 30,000 pound unit lifted off its frame.

Then it was hold your breath as the unit was hoisted high in the air to be positioned over the truck.

Felt better when it was at least over the truck trailer.

But felt great to have it resting solidly on the trailer and ready for straps.

Then we removed the balance of the frame work and the large, no very large, concrete counterweight and placed it on a second truck. We called it a day, knowing Tuesday would be here in a few hours and we would be removing all six towers and the top bull wheel.

Sleep a few hours here.

And then it was Tuesday when the first tower came down at 8:15 am. - Climb the 30 foot towers and attach the lifting straps and cables, remove the final bolts at the base, and lift it off the base......another awesome sight!

Then each tower was transported to the bottom of the hill so all the hardware at the top of each tower could be removed at ground level before loading on two more trucks.

At the end of Tuesday we had the job done, four semi trailers loaded and secured.......ready to come to Seven Oaks for unloading.

Sleep a little more here.

And by Wednesday morning September 24 at 11:30 am the first two loads were off and staged on the lawn ready for re installation.......

.....along with all the chairs that were removed and transported to Seven Oaks a couple weeks ago.

On Thursday morning (tomorrow), the initial two loads will arrive at Seven Oaks so that another crane can lift them off and stage them ready for assembly.

So stay tuned.......there is more to come. Just think how cool it will be to have this chair lift running this winter !!!!!

ps. the season pass sale and swap is Sunday October 19.

chair lift update

As of today the cable has been removed from the chair lift that is coming to Seven Oaks, and has been spooled on to a big reel for transporting. On Monday of next week the crane will be on site to load the gantry and the counterweight onto trucks. Then on Tuesday the six towers and top bull wheel will be loaded on two more trucks. By Thursday night it should all be setting on the ground at Seven Oaks.

The lodge progress also continues. We have been using the west end for retail and ticket sales for the past couple of weeks.

This Saturday, tomorrow, is the third annual Dragoon River Romp with volunteers registering at Seven Oaks then heading to the river to remove all the trash that can be found. The day will end with a ceremony and meal at the lodge.

Don't forget the annual season pass sale and swap will be Sunday, October 19......which is coming right up.

Lot's of paintball groups coming this weekend. Weather is great so there is still time to bring your group out.......church groups, bachelor party, birthday party, friends, etc etc.

Quick Update

Lodge addition work continues. We will move into the ticket/retail this week. The river float patrons, mt bike patrons and campers sure liked the new showers and bathrooms over the three day weekend. And wasn't the weather sweet!

The 24 Hours of Seven Oaks was a great event....again this year. More riders participated than the past two years. Had riders from all over Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Minnesota.

Earth work for the chairlift is complete except the top coat of black dirt which will happen soon so we can catch the second growing season for new grass. The hill profile has been shot and is in the hands of the engineer. The haul rope will come off the chairlift so the towers can then be taken down and transported to Seven Oaks.

FAF is this friday with Larry Myers playing and a local car club having their cars displayed on the lawn.

Weddings Saturday and Sunday in the lodge.

Our season pass sale and swap is scheduled for Sunday October 19.

More later.......

Photos as promised

The photos in my opinion don't do justice to what the real world is but I don't know how to capture it on film......you'll just have to see it in person to totally appreciate it. This shot was taken from the new unload looking at the entrance to Abby's Alley. You can see we also reshaped the entrance.

This one is a shot looking back from Abbys Alley to the unload. You can see a pole on the left in the foreground, then the big oak tree then another pole. We have made the chair lift unload taller than the pole that was used for the Keaston last year.

and this one is a closer look at the unload.

and here is a shot looking from the entrance to Kenzies Korner looking back at the unload. The different piles of dirt off to the sides is the black dirt that will be spread out and seeded when we get closer to the fall growing season.

Here we are a few feet off the unload looking toward Kenzies Korner and the Central Park trails.

See you on these slopes in a couple months.

Earth work is pretty well done and........

.....we hope all our skiers and riders enjoy it as much as we already do.........we're excited and there isn't even a chairlift installed yet.......and there is no snow yet.........but WOW is it going to be different. When you come off this lift you will ski to anyone of four trails. Best estimate is we made three of the runs about 300 feet longer, new shape, new vertical............come on winter......well come on winter after we get the chair installed.

I would include a photo but I really don't think it would do the CHANGE that has been made justice. It is something you are just going to have to see ......in person.

(see comments) Here is an older picture. The chair will unload now on a new top of trail that is several feet higher than the dump box of the truck in this photo.

Next is getting the profile of the chair line shot so the towers can be engineered.

More later.......see you at the state fair.