Madison 8 Construction Updates
Madison 8, a new eight-place, state-of-the-art D-line chairlift will replace the existing Six Shooter lift on Big Sky Resort’s north side. With the installation of the new lift, Big Sky Resort will be in a class of its own as the only North American ski resort with three bubble D-line lifts, and the only North American ski resort with two eight-place lifts.
The new eight-place lift will effectively double the uphill capacity while reducing ride time, offering guests swift and comfortable access to Big Sky Resort’s north side terrain from the Madison Base Area. Madison 8 will also set a new record globally as the longest eight-place installation in the world.
Madison 8 is planned to open for the winter 2024-25 season. Follow along with the construction process over the summer and fall of 2024.
Haul Rope Pulling & Splicing
November 2024
Teams moved the Madison 8 lift construction a big step forward this month, completing the intricate process of rope pulling and splicing with the innovative Fatzer Performa-DT haul rope system. This advanced rope technology, representing one of the first North American installations of its kind, promises to deliver exceptional performance through its enhanced vibration-dampening properties and superior wear characteristics.
The installation process began with the careful threading of the rope through the lift's tower assemblies, utilizing specialized cable-pulling equipment to maintain precise tension across the 8,700-foot span.
The most intensive phase of the operation came during the splicing process to create a continuous loop from the rope ends. The rope consists of six metal strands separated by plastic profiles that significantly reduce strand-induced vibrations. To create the splice, technicians unraveled three strands from each rope end, working with 120 feet in both directions. Using the "three-on-three" method, the crew joined the rope by wrapping one strand from each end around its corresponding partner, repeating this process for all three pairs. They used copper hammers to compress and shape the joined strands, ensuring the splice matched the original rope's tension and diameter. This precise operation required 35 specialists working together for a full day.
After joining the main strands of the rope, the loose ends were carefully tucked inside the rope's core. This tucking process is crucial because it ensures no loose ends can work their way out over time, and it maintains the rope's smooth, uniform diameter.
The decision to utilize Fatzer's Performa-DT technology will yield significant long-term benefits for both operations and guest experience. The rope's advanced design dramatically reduces operational noise and vibration, while its enhanced wear characteristics translate to reduced maintenance requirements over the lift's lifetime.
With the haul rope installation now complete, the Madison 8 project moves into its final phases.
Towers Installed
October 2024
The Madison 8 lift has reached significant milestones over the past few weeks. The upper terminal lift components, including the structure, conveyors, and drive machinery, are now in place, along with their protective enclosure and prefabricated control rooms. Structural steel work and framing are complete on both the upper and lower terminal enclosures, and roofing materials are currently being installed.
Earlier this month, a Chinook helicopter assisted the Doppelmayr team in installing all 25 towers and cross-arm assemblies. During installation, one of the cross-arm assemblies was damaged, and the resort is working with our partners at Doppelmayr to mitigate any construction delays. We are optimistic that the impacts are minimal.
Upcoming tasks include glazing and roofing at the lower terminal, haul rope installation, and splicing in early November. With earthwork wrapping up and permanent power expected by month's end, the project is on track for its grand opening this December.
Foundations
September 2024
Building the world’s longest eight-place lift in one season is no small feat, but our construction teams, in partnership with Jackson Contractor Group and Doppelmayr, make it look like a piece of cake.
Since the decommissioning of the Six Shooter lift this spring, teams have been working tirelessly to excavate the new Madison 8 terminal building footprints, build up the sites with crushed rock material, and complete the structural work below the surface with micropile installation. All at 9,000 feet of elevation in May and June when Big Sky experienced what felt like a winter that did not want to end.
Despite weather and subsurface geological challenges, the teams persevered and began pouring concrete in July, with the Jackson team leading concrete work at the upper and lower terminal sites, and the Doppelmayr team focusing on the chairlift tower sites.
The tower sites are in remote locations along the lift line, making them hard to access with typical equipment. This required the concrete formwork, rebar, and concrete to be flown and set in place via helicopter. To support all 25 towers, Doppelmayr placed 490 cubic yards of concrete via helicopter, and an additional 56 cubic yards with the pump truck at the less remote locations.
The upper and lower terminals had more accessible build sites but much more concrete volume to pour, over 900 cubic yards at the upper terminal and over 800 cubic yards at the lower terminal throughout the summer.
With the foundational work complete, structural steel work is underway at the lower terminal enclosure where the chairs will be stored and protected from the elements each night, while Doppelmayr installs the lift components. Structural steel work at the upper terminal will begin in October.
Decommissioning of Six Shooter 6
June 2024
This spring, while many Big Sky skiers were enjoying the last few weeks of ski season, the summer chairlift construction season was already underway on the Moonlight Basin side. On April 17, Madison 8 construction kicked off with the decommissioning of the existing Six Shooter lift. In the following weeks, all 85 chairs were removed from the lift line, followed by the cutting of the haul rope and the demolition of the top and bottom lift terminals. Finally, in mid-May, Six Shooter’s 29 towers were removed via helicopter, clearing the way for the next steps on the new Madison 8 lift.
“In typical Big Sky fashion, heavy snow made for challenging conditions in this first month of work on Madison 8, however, the work proceeded smoothly, and all of the teams managed to stay on schedule,” said Caleb Teigen, the resort’s construction manager.
Looking ahead, the next couple of months will be centered around earthworks and foundations. Teams are now focused on the excavation work at the top and bottom terminals. Soon, micropiles will be installed to secure the new structure into the ground. Concrete work at both terminals will follow shortly after.
In the meantime, Doppelmayr has built all the tower foundation rebar cages and forms, and they will start installing them within the next month. The materials needed to build the above-ground components of the lift are expected to arrive throughout July – along with sunny weather – as the journey to install the world’s longest 8-seat lift continues.