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.

Keepin On at Seven Oaks

Checked out the progress this past Friday and Saturday of our two big projects. No pics this time but a whole lot, I mean a lot of dirt has been moved. Picture in your mind the top pulleys from the former Keaston surface lift and that is the elevation we are nearing as the top of our mountain gets higher. It is the goal that when you get off this chairlift (named Valley View Chair Lift by the way) that you will ski and carve all the way to the bottom. Seems with the continuing weather pattern, we get a day or two in, then get rain so we wait for a couple days to let things dry out and then repeat the process. Do you think this rain pattern will be our snow pattern this winter!?

.....and on the lodge, the new entrance (ticket sales and retail) is finished. Have to put the bulbs in the canned light fixtures in the ceiling and eventually get the ceiling fan purchased and installed but I think we will start using the space this weekend, even without the floor covering. Looking Good!

Friday night is our August Friday after Five......DJ, Chair rides, drink and food specials, all B4 the kids return to school.......so come on out and enjoy with your SCHOOL COLORS.

Also getting ready for the State Fair (booth in the varied industries building), had a big class reunion last Saturday and a wedding reception this Saturday, lots of canoes, kayaks, tubes going out and several paintball groups.....and wow was there a lot of tent campers last weekend....whew.......and it should continue like this for at least six more weeks........hope you are taking advantage of the summer weather too.