Alta Supreme Lift (RIP Turn)

I wanted to record Supreme one last time before I gets rebuilt with its iconic 8.1 degree turn no more. Also I didn’t get asked for my pass it was someone on the same chair as me and that resulted in almost a mis-load.

Supreme was the first new lift in Utah that utilizes modern Leitner-Poma technology built in 2017 with the LPA carriers and Terminals. This lift replaces 2 lifts: The Supreme Triple built by Yan retrofitted with G-CTEC parts that started just at the turn and had 2 big flyover sections. The other is a 1981 Yan Center-Pole double called Cecret that served some mid-mountain beginner terrain and started at the base of the new lift and Alf’s Restaurant but had to be rebranded to blues to integrate with the higher terrain off the new lift. Original plans called for Supreme to be a 2-stage lift with the Mid-Station near the top of the old Cecret, but there was going to be major impacts to neighboring wetlands and surrounding forests, too expensive, but also private property as well. The non-midstation turn was also going to be too sharp at 8.1 degrees to the left, so Leitner Poma had to be creative and made a special, big tower with 16 canted sheave assemblies, all to deflect the exact direction of the lift. It is a bit of a rumble when going over the bend but isn’t that disruptive.

Alta’s Maintenance team has found that the iconic 8.1 degree bend is actually causing some unfortunate mechanical situations and some unusual wear and tear on the entire lift system, especially on the chairs. Alta next summer in 2025 will rebuild the entire lift in a straight-line, which will result in the bottom and top terminals shifting foundations and 100% a redo in towers and foundations. The turn was a bit fun for me personally while it lasted.

Capacity: 2,400 per hour
Ride Time: 5.5 minutes
Vertical Rise: 1,224 ft
Length: 5,134 ft
Towers: 16
Carriers: 109
Design Speed: 1,000 fpm
Speed day of recording: 860 fpm
Filmed March 29th, 2025