City Of Casper Prepares for Chairlift Upgrade at Hogadon

The City of Casper will meet at the Lyric tomorrow for a routine work session.

On the agenda is a recommendation to purchase a $39,540 cone drive needed to upgrade the Hogadon Riblet chairlift.

Hogadon Basin Ski Area's Riblet Chairlift uses a worm gear cone drive originally manufactured by Ex-Cell-O. The Riblet Tramway Company went out of business in early 2003 and Ex-Cell-O went out of business in 2006.

Timken Manufacturing purchased the molds and the patent for the cone drive from Ex-Cell-O, making them the only company able to produce the cone drive for the Riblet Chairlift.

It will cost $508.27 to deliver the cone drive from the company's address in Traverse City, Michigan.

The recommendation comes from Tom Brauer, the City's Chief Operating Officer; Zulima Lopez, the Recreation and Public Facilities Director; Randy Norvelle, Parks Manager; and Chris Smith, the Hogadon Basin Ski Area Superintendent.

Council earlier approved funding for the repair and upgrade of the Hogadon chairlift after a failure at the end of the 2023-2024 ski season shut Hogadon down one week earlier than scheduled.

The cone drive was not the part that failed, but its replacement is necessary to ensure the lift is safe and reliable for the upcoming ski season and beyond.

Per a memo to council, replacing the cone drive at the same time as the bull wheel repair will save the City of Casper in lift cable rigging expenses to remove and install the components.

Cone Drive Manufacturing estimates it will take 12 weeks to deliver the drive.

City staff is requesting to purchase the drive now to maximize their available timeline for scheduling the repairs and upgrades well in advance.

Funding for the lift cone drive replacement will come from the Direct Distribution Fund.

Norvelle and Smith will be responsible for the project.