Ski Lift International (SLI)[1] was an aerial lift manufacturer based out of Incline Village, Nevada.[2] SLI was established in 1965[3] by co-founders Samuel G. Bonasso and Joseph Sugarman, with Bonasso as its first president. The company built 46 lifts, mainly double chairlifts, from 1965 until 1973. SLI had a prototype gondola and triple chair, but it is unlikely that these designs were ever used. SLI chairlifts can still be seen at ski areas such as Catamount Ski Area. The company was known for inventing the first maintenance-free bail chair, well before competitors such as Riblet or Hall. SLI shipped pre-welded towers and terminal parts to the ski areas, avoiding welding on site. SLI was purchased by Riblet Tramway Company in 1973[citation needed]. Since then more and more of these lifts have been removed due to mechanical failures or the need for higher capacity. These lifts are currently very rare and are still rapidly disappearing from the earth.
List of SLI lifts still standing
editAlpine Slide-Big Bear Lake, California double
Bryce Resort, Virginia A Double
Sapphire Valley, North Carolina A Lift Double
Bryce Resort, Virginia B Double
Diamond Peak, Nevada Ridge Double
Iron Mountain, California (CLOSED) - Chair 1 (Double)
Iron Mountain, California (CLOSED) - Chair 2 (Double)
June Mountain, California 4 Double
June Mountain, California 2 Double
Aspen Mountain, Colorado Shadow Mountain Double
Wolf Ridge, North Carolina A Double
Telluride, Colorado 7 Coonskin Double
Telluride, Colorado Oak Street Double
49 Degrees North, Washington 2 Grubstake Double
49 Degrees North, Washington 3 Payday Double
Teton Pass, Montana Chairlift Double
Bighorn, Wyoming Beginner Double
Heavenly, Nevada World Cup Double
Wolf Creek, Colorado Nova Double
Blacktail Mountain, MT Crystal Double (former C-5 at Crystal Mountain, WA)
Ober Gatlinburg, TN Blue Double
Mountain Run, Virginia (CLOSED) - Double
References
edit- ^ Mary Murphy (January 22, 2021). "Multiple Skiers Injured, 1 Severely, After 2 Chairlifts Fall in a Month". GearJunkie.
- ^ "Lift Lines Relieved. - Page 16". The Eatonville Dispatch. July 16, 1970. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022.
- ^ Joseph Sugarman (1980). Success Forces. Contemporary Books. ISBN 978-0-8092-7061-3.