Two chairlifts at Loveland Ski Area have been temporarily shut down because of mechanical problems and the resort says the rides likely won’t reopen before the weekend.
Lift 1 will be shuttered on Thursday and Friday for maintenance work and Lift 6 — which has not been operating since Sunday — will be repaired thereafter.
Loveland first spotted an issue on Jan. 15 with Lift 6.
“Because Lift 1 and Lift 6 are similar in construction, our team did a thorough inspection on Lift 1 after the problem was identified on Lift 6,” the ski area said in a statement. “Our inspection revealed the early stages of the similar issue.”
The ski area said, specifically, that bearings on the bull wheel at the top terminal of the lifts are showing signs of wear and need to be replaced.
“One of our lift operators noticed an unusual sound coming from Lift 6 on Sunday and immediately notified the lift maintenance department,” John Sellers, a ski area spokesman said. “They cleared the lift, conducted a thorough inspection and identified the problem.”
Lift 1 & 6 Update:
— Loveland Ski Area (@LovelandSkiArea)
The Lift 1 repairs are expected to take at least two days, after which the Lift 6 repairs will be undertaken. Loveland says there is no timetable for when Lift 6 will reopen, but that it would keep guests posted on progress.
“We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience and appreciate everyone’s patience while we complete maintenance,” the ski area’s release said.
Lift 1 offers access to some of Loveland’s most extreme terrain, including its Avalanche Bowl. It was installed in 1981. Lift 6 was installed in 1977.
“They are the two oldest lifts at Loveland Ski Area, but moving parts are frequently replaced or upgraded throughout the life of a lift,” Sellers said. “We are continually performing maintenance on all of our lifts. It is not unusual for parts to wear down and need replacement. Thatap what happened here.”
Loveland is offering discounted lift tickets on Thursday and Friday.
