Battling the Elements at Elevation 11,160 feet-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The presentation describes construction of a new tram at Big Sky Resort in Montana, culminating at Lone Peak’s 11,166-foot summit. The site’s extreme conditions included year-round frozen ice lenses in a moving rock glacier and thin air: oxygen levels were about 13.7%, compared with 20.9% at sea level, and altitude sickness affects many visitors.<br /><br />The original Lone Peak Tram opened for the 1995–96 ski season. Built on the rock glacier, it had shifted about 16 feet and rotated several degrees. The replacement tram spans an inclined distance of 5,100 feet, gains 2,138 feet in elevation, carries up to 75 people, and completes the trip in 3.7 minutes.<br /><br />Construction relied on helicopters to transport all supplies and materials and to deliver concrete. Five helicopter companies used three aircraft types: Bell UH-1 Hueys, CH-47 Chinooks, and UH-60 Blackhawks. Work included blasting for clearance, excavating the tower and top-terminal sites, drilling micropiles and tiebacks, installing concrete formwork, and pouring foundations. The top terminal required approximately 500 cubic yards of concrete. Its foundation included six tiebacks designed for 253-kip loads and 17 micropiles designed for 242-kip tension and compression loads.<br /><br />The presentation also documents rope-access work, construction across multiple seasons, tower-crane assembly, and installation of the track ropes. Despite the high-altitude environment, unstable ground, and logistical demands, the project was completed.

Keywords

Big Sky Resort

Montana

Lone Peak Tram

high-altitude construction

rock glacier

helicopter logistics

micropiles

tiebacks

tower crane assembly

track ropes