Skiers and snowboarders who visit California's original ski resort in Yosemite National Park this winter probably will notice the fresh coat of paint on the historic day lodge.
But they might not notice Badger Pass' refurbished chairlift. At least not until they ride it.
The Eagle chair, the primary lift that carries visitors from the base area to the top of the hill, has been almost completely redone for this season. It has new padded triple chairs, plus a new motor house, control room, tower tops, haul cable and wheel assemblies.
"With the exception of the actual towers that stick in the ground, everything else is completely new," said Kenny Karst, spokesman for DNC Parks & Resorts, Yosemite's concessionaire. "We're pretty proud of it."
DNC spent $2 million to refurbish the lift, said Colin Baldock, Yosemite's director of guest recreation. It's the largest capital improvement to occur at Badger Pass since 1986, when the Eagle chair originally was installed.
Crews performed most of the work in November, using a helicopter to install the tower tops.
The refurbished lift won't be any faster than the old one but should be more reliable, provide extra comfort for visitors and help keep lift lines short, Baldock said.
More than anything, the improvements are a sign that DNC is committed to keeping the oldest ski resort in the United States west of the Mississippi open and fully functional. The company spent $2.5 million this offseason on the refurbished lift, a new Sno-Cat and a fresh coat of brown paint for the Tyrolean-style lodge, Baldock said.
"Skiers and snowboarders should be confident that Badger Pass will be around for many years to come with this kind of investment," Baldock said.
Badger Pass is scheduled to open Dec. 12 if conditions allow. The resort does not have snowmaking, which is forbidden in national parks, but needs only about 2 feet of snow to operate.
There is currently very little snow on the ground, much of it left over from November storms.
"One good storm and Badger can open," Karst said. "We don't have a lot of boulders that need covering up. The hill is really smooth and clean."
While Badger Pass lacks the sheer vertical drop of many ski resorts, it is noted for its distinguished ski school and family atmosphere. More than three-fourths of the runs are rated beginner or intermediate.
Go to www.yosemitepark.com/BadgerPass.aspx for details or call (209) 372-1000, ext. 5 for the latest conditions.
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