Fastest Chairlift in North America Opens at Maine’s Sunday River Resort

NEWRY, ME (December 26, 2022) – Sunday River Resort opened its new Jordan 8 chairlift to the public today, Monday, December 26, 2022, at 9:30 AM.The fastest chairlift of its kind in North America, the Jordan 8 whisked Sunday River skiers and snowboarders from the base of the resort’s Jordan Bowl to the summit in just 4.5 minutes.

Manufactured by Doppelmayr, the Jordan 8 features 8-person ergonomic, heated seats, with each chair weighing over one ton. Each chair also features a weather shield, known in the ski industry as a “bubble”, in Sunday River’s signature red. Closely following its accolade for speed, the Jordan 8’s heated seats are a first for a Maine ski resort, while its signature red bubble remains the first weather shield of this color ever produced by Doppelmayr.

“The opening of the Jordan 8 is tremendous milestone,” said General Manager Brian Heon. “It’s sheer size, scope, and improved technology take the experience of riding a chairlift to the top of mountain to an entirely new level.”

This past summer, construction crews removed the old Jordan Express four-person chairlift and lowered the Jordan Bowl summit by 15 feet to make way for the new Jordan 8 chairlift. The decision to go with an 8-person chairlift with a weather shield and reimagine the mountain summit was done so to improve the Jordan 8’s resistance to weather.

“The Jordan Bowl is one of the most spectacular areas of the entire resort to ski, but it is also one of the most susceptible to bad weather because of its elevation,” added Heon. “While elevation is great for snowfall, it can also come with increased winds. Installing a chairlift of the Jordan 8’s size and scope means longer, warmer days of skiing and riding, even in inclement weather.”

The Jordan 8 is the latest in a long line of capital improvements recently completed by Sunday River thanks to parent company Boyne Resorts. Joining the Jordan 8 chairlift is a brand-new booster pump house at the top of North Peak, that will significantly increase Sunday River’s ability to make snow across the resort’s western peaks, as well as new snowguns on Barker, Locke, and North Peak mountains.The Merrill Hill Triple, a Doppelmayr fixed-grip chairlift, was installed last summer and will also be available to guests to ride this winter.

For a full list of projects, both past and future, the full 10-year plan can be found at 2030.sundayriver.com. For more information on the Jordan 8, visit www.sundayriver.com/Jordan-8. For more information on Sunday River Resort, visit www.sundayriver.com.

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About Sunday River Resort: Sunday River Resort is located minutes from picturesque Bethel Village in western Maine's Mahoosuc Mountains. A true four-season destination, the Sunday River offers eight interconnected peaks of world-class skiing and snowboarding, two Grand Resort Hotels and an Inn, and numerous events throughout the year. Sunday River is a member of the Boyne Resorts family of resorts and attractions.