Sunday River New Barker 6 D-LINE Chair Coming This Season
The team at Boyne Resorts has a strong partnership with Doppelmayr USA, evident from their consistent installation of new D-Line lifts across their resorts. These lifts are not only remarkable engineering feats but also offer unmatched experiences for skiers and snowboarders. We have observed these lifts being installed or planned for this season at Big Sky, Boyne Highlands, Brighton, Loon Mountain Resort, and the Jordan 8 at Sunday River.
For the 2023/24 season, Sunday River will introduce a new bubble lift called Barker 6, replacing the outdated Barker lift installed in 1987, which is currently the resort's oldest detachable lift. This installation aligns with Sunday River's "2030 Plan" aimed at sustainable growth and enhancing the customer experience. The bubble lift will transport skiers from the base of the ski area to the top of Barker Mountain, one of Sunday River's eight peaks. Barker 6 will be the second consecutive year of a new lift addition to the mountain, following the highly regarded Jordan 8 lift installed last year for its impressive performance and speed.
The addition of the Barker 6 lift is a welcome improvement to Sunday River's lift lineup. The existing Barker lift is 30 years old, and the surrounding chairlifts are not detachable. Therefore, this lift upgrade is long overdue. However, Sunday River initially upgraded the Jordan lift, which was introduced last season. The new Jordan lift features eight seats and a bubble, similar to the new Barker lift but with two additional seats. Initially, the plan was to repurpose the old Jordan lift as the new Barker lift, but the resort ultimately decided to purchase an entirely new chairlift due to the age of the "new" Barker lift, which would have already been 30 years old.
When it comes to the specifics of the new Barker lift, they are highly promising. According to a press release from Sunday River, the chairlift will have a capacity of 3250 skiers per hour, 63 chairs, and a ride time of 4.68 minutes, all operating at a speed of 6 meters per second. Additionally, the lift will feature "extra-wide" heated seats, head and footrests, a red bubble cover, and an automatic lowering bar.
In addition to the Barker lift, a smaller lift is planned for installation in the Merrill Hill area of the resort. This lift will primarily serve beginner and intermediate terrain and is primarily being constructed to accommodate the surrounding condos and housing developments. However, this lift will be a fixed-grip triple.
The location of the new chairlift is highlighted on the above trail map. Credit: Sunday River
From Sunday River
A TRANSFORMATIVE LEAP AHEAD
The Barker 6, one of the most advanced and fastest 6-person chairlifts in North America, will take to the slopes for the winter of 2023-24. A Doppelmayr D-Line design, the lift will feature ergonomic heated seats, an automatically lowering and locking restraining bar, weather-blocking bubbles in our signature Sunday River Red, and improved wind resistance. This addition to the resort is a pivotal step forward in our Sunday River 2030 plan, and alongside the Jordan 8, forms a transcendent duo of Doppelmayr's flagship lifts.
Servicing beloved terrain from White Cap to North Peak, the Barker 6 will whisk skiers to the summit of Barker Mountain, providing a fast and comfortable ride from one of the most popular base areas at the resort.
In addition to the Barker 6 this summer, Sunday River will install a second Doppelmayr fixed grip triple on Merrill Hill, opening the door for future ski trails and real estate development. Last summer, the resort installed the Jordan 8, North America's fastest 8-person chairlift, servicing terrain across Oz and Jordan Bowl peaks.
A rendering of the Barker 6 new base terminal. Credit: Sunday River Resort
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