Instead of loading more folks on a new 8-pack chair and risking packing an even larger crowd in a limited loading zone, Park City Mountain (PCM) ought to look at moving skiers away from that already overly congested base of Silverlode-Quicksilver-Miner’s Camp, and divert as many of them to King Con, but even more so, towards a lowered Motherlode base station, on a bypass wrapping behind or below Miner's Camp, around the Prospector ridge (see drawing below).
Such a bypass to King Con and a lowered Motherload loading area at around 7,700 ft, would lighten the overcrowding around Silverload and Miner’s Camp, and let skiers opting for the longer Motherlode Express that would be extended much higher on the mountain to reach the lower Puma ridge, just below Jupiter Peak.
A higher unloading area at about 9,500 ft, would give users easier access to both Jupiter and the Pioneer and MacConkey lifts, as well as to the rest of the ski runs leaving from the current Summit area where traffic flows would have to be reorganized, taking advantage of the eliminated, current Motherlode top station.
This might perhaps eliminate the need for the antiquated Thaynes double-chair while Jupiter could be upgraded to a triple by “recycling” the old, fixed-grip Eagle Chair, which could see its line lengthened and its loading area relocated close to the Thaynes mine. Aside from relocating and lengthening Motherlode, the Eagle upgrade could just consist of a cheaper high-speed quad.
Again the choice of chairlift size should be based on available capacity needs and data that PCM must have at its disposal. This would create a much better experience and open more of the mountain faster, and to a larger number of skiers…
