Ski Lift International

Ski Lift International (SLI)[1] was an aerial lift manufacturer based out of Incline Village, Nevada.[2] SLI was established in 1965[3] by co-founders Samuel G. Bonasso and Joseph Sugarman, with Bonasso as its first president. The company built 46 lifts, mainly double chairlifts, from 1965 until 1973. SLI had a prototype gondola and triple chair, but it is unlikely that these designs were ever used. SLI chairlifts can still be seen at ski areas such as Catamount Ski Area. The company was known for inventing the first maintenance-free bail chair, well before competitors such as Riblet or Hall. SLI shipped pre-welded towers and terminal parts to the ski areas, avoiding welding on site. SLI was purchased by Riblet Tramway Company in 1973. Since then more and more of these lifts have been removed due to mechanical failures or the need for higher capacity. These lifts are currently very rare and are still rapidly disappearing from the earth.

List of SLI lifts still standing

Alpine Slide-Big Bear Lake, California double

Bryce Resort, Virginia A Double

Sapphire Valley, North Carolina A Lift Double

Bryce Resort, Virginia B Double

Diamond Peak, Nevada Ridge Double

Iron Mountain, California (CLOSED) - Chair 1 (Double)

Iron Mountain, California (CLOSED) - Chair 2 (Double)

June Mountain, California 4 Double

June Mountain, California 2 Double

Aspen Mountain, Colorado Shadow Mountain Double

Wolf Ridge, North Carolina A Double

Telluride, Colorado 7 Coonskin Double

Telluride, Colorado Oak Street Double

49 Degrees North, Washington 2 Grubstake Double

49 Degrees North, Washington 3 Payday Double

Teton Pass, Montana Chairlift Double

Bighorn, Wyoming Beginner Double

Heavenly, Nevada World Cup Double

Wolf Creek, Colorado Nova Double

Blacktail Mountain, MT Crystal Double (former C-5 at Crystal Mountain, WA)

Ober Gatlinburg, TN Blue Double

Mountain Run, Virginia (CLOSED) - Double

References
  1. Mary Murphy (January 22, 2021). "Multiple Skiers Injured, 1 Severely, After 2 Chairlifts Fall in a Month". GearJunkie.
  2. "Lift Lines Relieved. - Page 16". The Eatonville Dispatch. July 16, 1970. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022.
  3. Joseph Sugarman (1980). Success Forces. Contemporary Books. ISBN 978-0-8092-7061-3.
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