Industry News
A landslide on a ski hill in Alberta, Canada damaged a chairlift in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Multiple towers of the only chairlift at Nitehawk Adventure Park, a community ski area located in Grande Prairie, Alberta were caught in the ground movement. Staff had been monitoring gradual movement this spring and took chairs and sheave assemblies off the lift, just in case, and also de-tensioned the triple chair.
“We have been monitoring things when we saw some increased movement, [but] this isn’t definitely isn’t something that we anticipated happening.”
– Acting General Manager Johnathan Clarkson
Occurring around 3 am Tuesday, Clarkson says the incident was in the area of the Temptation run around tower 4 of the lift. It then spread across the luge track and into the Showoff run. As well as surface damage to the two runs, there was slight damage to an above-ground snowmaking pipe and the moving of chairlift poles.
“We are so grateful that we didn’t have any staff on the hill at the time… and of course definitely grateful that it didn’t happen mid-season, or right before the season starts. This gives us time to work through this.”
– Acting General Manager Johnathan Clarkson
Officials at the hill will be working with geotechnical professionals to assess the damage and determine the next steps and possible solutions.
A jewel in the Peace Country is about to get even better. Hard to believe Nitehawk Recreation Area is run as a non-profit. Nitehawk Recreation Area has been in existence since 1960 and run by a board of directors, a dedicated team of volunteers, and a hard-working crew of staff.
Through the course of the winter, they expect upwards of 40,000 visits to our ski hill and is one of the best opportunities for young people in particular to enjoy fresh air, exercise, and good clean fun in a controlled environment. That’s why so many families and businesses are keen to support Nitehawk Ski Hill.
Over the years Nitehawk has grown from a quaint ski hill to a multipurpose recreational area and facility. It employs 8 full time and 60 part-time seasonal staff throughout the year and provides recreation, exercise, and fun for thousands of people year-round. The chalet provides a wonderful facility for weddings, conventions, and banquets in a cozy wilderness setting. All this just 10 minutes south of Grande Prairie.
