Mt Hutt to get NZ first 8 seater chairlift in 2021

Rendering of the new chairlift summiut. Credit: Mt Hutt New Zealand will get their first eight seater chairlift in the 2021 season with Mt Hutt installing this new beauty.The new Nor’west Express lift from Leitner Ropeways will replace the current quad chair and will service most of the beginner runs on the mountain. It’s great to see serious investment into areas that newbies and learners are riding in to make them as comfortable as possible. This helps maintain their investment in the ski industry. With a ride time of just 2 minutes and a carrying capacity of up to 3,000 people per hour it’s going to transform how we all access the mountain. The Quad currently takes at-least seven minutes to reach the top and can only move around 1,500 people an hour on a good day so we’re excited that you’ll be able to enjoy more time on the slopes with this new addition. This lift will follow the same path up the mountain as the Quad currently does so will provide the best access to our terrain parks. This means we expect to see less demand for our Summit Six chairlift and some of our upper mountain trails at peak times.The ride will be far more comfortable with padded seats and foot-rest bars. It will also be a lot more robust in variable weather allowing us to get up and running faster in the morning after snowfall and to operate in higher winds. Make sure you follow us on our socials!