Alyeska to replace dated Chair 4 with new $5 million high-speed quad

The trip up the mountain at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood should be quicker by next winter thanks to renovations planned for the summer. The state's major ski resort says its going to tear down the venerable, but ponderous,?Chair 4 lift and replace it with a new, high-speed quad.

The new quad is expected to cut by 40 percent transit time on the slow, sometimes cold, ride to mid-mountain aboard the 20-year-old Chair 4. The lift disgorges skiers just above a high-speed quad that speeds them to the top.

Alyeska said it expects to invest about $5 million -- $4 million for the hardware and other $1 million for site work -- in construction this summer. Another $1 million is scheduled to be spent on grading the terrain for trails fed by the new Chair 4.

The resort says it needs better access to the mountain not only for skiers, but for heavy equipment needed for this summer's work -- plus extensive electric and utility work on the mountain. Construction is expected to last five months.

The resort's long-range hope is that the new lift will encourage greater use of the lower mountain. Intermediate and better skiers have in the past tended to cluster on the upper mountain to take advantage of the quicker turnaround time on the Chair 6 quad -- even if that meant spending more time standing in the lift line.

"The improved ride on Chair 4 will provide skiers more reason to explore terrain in the lower bowl and race trail areas," an Alyeska press release said. "The easier access to lower mountain terrain will also ease some of the traffic and congestion on the upper mountain during the resort's busier periods.''

The official announcement on resort plans is set for April 21, when John Byrne, the resort's primary owner, is scheduled to appear as keynote speaker at the 12th Annual Girdwood 2020 Meeting and Banquet. The theme is "Celebrating Girdwood: One of the Best Ski Towns in the World." Girdwood, which would be considered by quaint and tiny by the standards of most other ski towns, was so designated by National Geographic Adventure Magazine.