Timberline Lodge | Magic Mile [Summer]

Magic Mile as a lift in general is much older than the current lift. First installed as a Riblet single chair in 1938, this was the first lift on the mountain! It was then replaced 24 years later in 1962 with a Riblet double, after Pucci was added in 1956. This double had a mid-station approximately at the timberline, for people to avoid the flatter lower section of the terrain below it. Another 30 years pass, several new lifts are added, and Timberline decides to start modernizing the resort. Magic Mile is first, and after having gone with Poma for previous installations, they decided to try out one of their detachables. 1992, Magic Mile opened, providing a great capacity increase, with the potential to increase it even more. Though, from what I can tell, Timberline decided to keep this and their other new lifts at lower capacity.
Magic Mile is a Poma high speed quad. It uses Challenger terminals, with incomplete skins as they were built inside enclosed snowsheds reused from the older lift. The design capacity is 3000 pph at a speed of 1100 fpm, the highest capacity and speed at Timberline, but none are used at their full potential. Capacity is around 1600 pph, and the speed in this recording was around 680 fpm. Because Magic Mile goes a good distance above the timberline, while not as high as Palmer, it does face weather related closures in the winter time. It runs year round, winter serving skiing and riding, summer serving the Palmer lift.
Recorded on July 17th, 2021

[@NortheasternP.T.S.]

That acceleration sound was great!

[@TwinSkiingLiftsRides]

Indoor loading ski lift? That’s sick!

[@sorenjones]

Not the only one that's indoors.

[@IMP3TIGO]

This was recorded in mid-July?! Holy cow, I didn't realize any PNW ski resorts operated into summer, incredible. The best WA can do is very early May.

[@sorenjones]

Crystal Mountain was open until early-mid June last season. Albeit, it was bonus skiing on only a single lift, but that's pretty much what you get at Timberline Lodge for Summer skiing, so it counts.

[@IMP3TIGO]

@@sorenjones interesting, had no idea as crystal doesn't advertise that. Officially the season ended in May, so pretty cool that you can ski in summer. Thanks for the great lift videos, super helpful to see them in advance.

[@pjmarone]

@@IMP3TIGO Timberline Lodge sometimes stays open until early-mid august

[@kdawg_gde]

I would probably drop my skis, not going to lie

[@TwinSkiingLiftsRides]

It would’ve been nice if every chair had ski racks on the backrests like 7th Heaven Express at WB does.

[@sorenjones]

7th Heaven Express doesn't have a use for them anymore, since the receding glacier and removal of Horstman have ended operations indefinitely. Also, you can just rest your skis over your back or sideways, it's not that hard.

[@adventurercarlo115]

Nice video, Was that Jeff's flood express running at 2:57?

[@sorenjones]

Thank you, and yes that was Jeff Flood. It serves mountain biking in the summer.

[@adventurercarlo115]

@@sorenjones Oh, okay did you get to ride it?

[@sorenjones]

@@adventurercarlo115 No, we didn't bring mountain bikes. Magic Mile is the only lift running for sight-seeing foot passengers.

[@adventurercarlo115]

@@sorenjones ah, gotcha.

[@brittjones3460]

magic mike