GONDOLA (POMA) - This 1988 12 passenger gondola was originally named the Starship 12 after the number
of passengers it carried and its ride time of 7 minutes was as fast as a Starship! Starship was appropriate as Stratton
"built this city" at the base. As a 5th grader, the cabins felt like great glass elevators as you peered down
comparing your speed to the old Standard double lift below. In the early 2000's the gondola was refurbished with cabins
recieving the new logo and removing the 80's Starship graphics. Summer 2014 the Gondola recieved a complete overhaul
with new Sigma cabins, a new hall rope and enclosure of the summit terminal.
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AMERICAN EXPRESS (DOPPELMAYR) - Built in 1995 this was VT's first 6-pack. This chair replaced all three
mid-mountain chairs at the time, The Suntanner, Betwixed and Standard doubles. It follows a line starting slightly
below the old Suntanner chair and terminates where the betwixed lift left off. Yes it is named after the credit card,
but there was a slight pun as it used to access the old North American Quad.
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SOUTH AMERICAN (POMA) - Originally built in 1985 to replace the old Heron built North American double chair.
Around 2001 the new lift was relocated to its present line servicing the lower mountain and terminating where it used to begin!
It follows a new liftline up the Yodeller trail eliminating the need for the former Tyrolenne beginner chair.
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VILLAGER (POMA) - Built in 1985 to provide easier access for condos and supplement the former Tyrolian lift
by providing additional beginner terrain. The lift is now the mountain's principal beginner chair.
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TAMARACK (BORVIG) - This lift was built in 1976 as a double chair but built with the intention of changing
the carriers to triple chairs. This was done a year later in 1977, the double carriers going to the new Grizzly lift.
While this lift was installed by Borvig, specifications were drawn up and bid out by the then retired lift engineer
Bob Heron. Heron had designed all Stratton's prior chairlifts at that point. The Tamarack chair replaced two T-bars.
The triple chairs have been refurbished with Partek plastic back rests.
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SNOW BOWL HIGH SPEED QUAD (DOPPELMAYR) - This high speed quad was installed starting late summer 2018 and opened in January 2019.
It replaced a 1986 Poma Alpha fixed grip quad and is the 3rd chair in this alignment.
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URSA EXPRESS (CTEC-GARAVENTA) - In 1999 This chair replaced the former Grizzly Double but follows
a different alignment with its terminus closer to the top of North American. This chair now serves as
the backbone of the upper mountain lift system, a title previously held by the North American chair.
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SOLSTICE (POMA) - Originally built in 1986 as the Sun Bowl Quad the lift was relocated in 2001 and replaced
by a sixpack (Sunrise Express). It was relocated to its current location to the right of its original location providing
faster access to the frontside of the mountain and the popular Blackbear run.
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SHOOTING STAR (GARAVENTA/CTEC) - Built in 2001 along with the Sunrise Express. This chair connects
the top of the Sun Bowl area with the summit while also servicing the terrain formerly accessed by the
Kidderbrook Quad.
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SUNRISE EXPRESS (GARAVENTA/CTEC) - Built in 2001 to replace the Sunbowl quad, it follows the same line.
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SMS POMA (POMA) - Built for racers to access the slalom glade trail for the World Cup in 1977 this lift is used by the Stratton Mountain
School for race training. It runs up to the right of the Snow Bowl Quad next to lower slalom glade. If you are lucky you can catch a ride!
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SUNTANNER (HERON) - Built in 1961, this mid-mountain lift was one of Stratton's original three double chairs.
it was replaced in 1995 by the American Express six pack. This lift had two sets of chairs during it's lifetime. The
original Heron vertical slat back bail type chairs. Around 1982 most of the mountain's Heron lifts recieved new chairs
with horizontaly slatted backrests. We are not sure if these were Heron replacements or custom fabricated. Two of the
pictures show the chair it's first year. Two of these images (67 and 64) show the mountain during its first few days of
operation with the lodge still unstained and the lift towers unpainted.
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TYROLIENNE (HERON) - Built in 1961, this beginner lift was one of Stratton's original three double chairs.
it was updated in the 80's with new double chairs. In 1995 a new bullwheel unload return station was installed
a few feet downhill. This replaced the original return where the chair continued overhead. The chair now lives on
as the Phoenix Zoo Skyride and was remanufactured by Skytrans of NH.
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NORTH AMERICAN (HERON) - Built in 1961 as the summit lift, this chair was replaced in 1986 with a Poma Quad.
No lift currently runs up the North American trail anymore. The first picture shows the base of the chair during Stratton's
first season in 1961. Some of the chairs are still in the wrappers unpainted, the towers are still the primer color and
saftey bars have not yet been installed!
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NORTH AMERICAN QUAD (POMA) - Built in 1985 to replace the original Heron double. This Poma quad was moved
in 2001 and now operates as the South American chair. No lift currently occupies the North American trail.
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SNOW BOWL DOUBLE CHAIR (HERON) - Added in 1964 to serve Snow Bowl area. The doubl ewas removed in 1985 when the Quad was
installed. The pully and cement shown below are all that remain of this calssic lift.
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SNOW BOWL QUAD (POMA) - The Snow Bowl Quad was installed for the 1985-86 season. It replaced the original Snow Bowl double chair.
The chair was removed in the summer of 2018 and sold to nearby Magic Mountain, VT.
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STANDARD (HERON) - Built in 1966 this lift began to the right of the Suntanner chair but terminated slightly higher
uphill, providing easier access to the Snow Bowl. It was removed in 1995 with the installation of the American Express
six pack.
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BETWIXED (BORVIG) - Built in 1982 to supplement the Suntanner and Standard lifts, this chair ran right up the center
in between the two lifts It was removed in 1995 with the installation of the American Express. This lift was relocated to
Magic Mtn Vermont and installed as the Green Chair, yet to be completed.
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KIDDERBROOK QUAD (POMA) - Constructed in 1989 to serve new terrain in the Kidderbrook area. This quad was
removed in summer 2007 as it was deemed underutilized after the installation of the Shooting Star six pack near by.
Part of the lift will be going to Jay Peak while part will go to Mt. Saint Saveur. It is a possibility that a high speed lift
could one day run again along this liftline.
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TEDDY BEAR (POMA) - Built sometime around 2000, this used pomalift served beginner terrain. Not sure where it came from or
where it went.
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BASE AREA - A classic base lodge, first pic is 2005, the next two show the base area in the late 70's early 80's before
the village arrived. You can see that the original clock tower has since been replaced by the much larger village clock tower.
The next picture shows how Stratton's base lodge opening year 1961 just after it was stained. Click on each picture and
see how Stratton's base evolved.
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