Towers at the top of the Black Bear Chair March 2009
Photo by John Erban
Black Bear Chair (Mid-Mountain Chair)
The residents of Juneau approved an $800,000 ballot measure to construct a mid-mountain chairlift. In order to obtain the funding, Eaglecrest was required to raise an additional $100,000. A capital campaign was developed and over $225,000 was raised. A very generous grant of $200,000 from the Rasmuson Foundation provided additional funds for this project. During the summer of 2008 the top and bottom terminals were installed along with all but four lift towers.
Crews are constructing loading area and lift shack at the bottom terminal
During July and August crews installed the chairs on the Black Bear Lift
 
On June 25 crew spliced the cable on the Black Bear Chair.
 
Working on the splice The Splice Line
On June 19 the Haul Rope Installation was completed. Crews will splice the cable starting on June 24.
 
Towers at the top of the Black Bear Chair Looking up the Black Bear Chair lift line
On June 9 crews began installing the Haul Rope, a critcal part of the chairlift construction.
The haul rope is the cable that carries the chairs and installation is expected to take a week. Crews will be unspooling the haul rope at the bottom of the Black Bear Chair. The lift line crosses over the road in several locations. Anyone on the road might be impacted by either the raising or falling of the cable. For safety reasons the mountain was off limits to everyone duriing the installation.
 
Haul Rope at the base of Chair Sandline on llift tower
 
Preparing to Winch Haul Rope Winching Haul Rope
During the later part of May and beginning of June, c rews completed the top and bottom terminals and installed the last four towers.
 
June 1, 2009 Flying the final towers for the Black Bear Lift
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Pittman Ridge = CLOSED |