End of an era at Sunlight: Colorado’s oldest chairlift set to retire
Taylor Cramer/Post Independent
Colorado’s oldest operating chairlift is preparing for its final run this weekend.
Sunlight Mountain Resort is saying goodbye to the Segundo lift, a 70-year-old icon that has carried generations of skiers. Originally installed in Aspen in 1954, Segundo found its permanent home at Sunlight in 1969.
“We’re talking about a true relic,” said Travis Baptiste, director of business development at Sunlight. “You’ll never see something like Segundo again. It’s emotional to let it go, not just for us, but for so many families who have seen generations ride these lifts.”
Segundo, along with the 1966-built Primo lift, will be replaced after closing day on April 6. The resort announced in a news release on Friday that it received the signed Decision Memo from the U.S. Forest Service on April 1, granting final approval to replace the Primo chairlift. A separate Decision Memo for Segundo has already been approved.
Preparation begins April 7 and construction will last through summer. The new lifts are expected to open for the 2025-26 ski season.
Segundo will be replaced with a refurbished triple chairlift — the Lenawee lift — previously used at Arapahoe Basin. Primo will be replaced with a brand-new Loma quad lift built by Leitner-Poma in Grand Junction.
“The Lenawee chair still has so much life left,” Baptiste said. “We’re proud to give it a second home. Otherwise, it probably would’ve ended up in a scrapyard.”
Both new lifts will include modern safety features such as footrests and restraint bars. Uphill capacity will increase, and guests and employees can expect a smoother ride.
“Receiving these approvals is a crucial milestone for Sunlight Mountain Resort,” said CEO Cindy Dady said in the release. “These new lifts will not only improve uphill capacity but will also create a smoother and more enjoyable experience for our guests and employees.”
The lifts will keep their original names to honor their legacy.
“This is the next chapter in Sunlight’s story,” Baptiste said. “We’re upgrading the experience, making it more user-friendly, and getting ready for the next generation — but we’re not forgetting the people and history that brought us here.”
Families from across the country have returned to Sunlight for decades, often riding the same lifts their grandparents once did.
“This community has such a deep attachment to these lifts,” Baptiste said. “We feel it, too. Even though I’ve only been here nine years, I’m attached.”
To celebrate the final day of operation, Sunlight has a special send-off event planned for Sunday. Festivities include live music, mechanical bull riding, screen printing of exclusive Primo and Segundo gear, and a 3 p.m. color run.
Guests can also enter a drawing for a chance to ride one of the final 10 chairs on either lift. QR codes for the drawing are posted around the resort and online.
Due to construction, the mountain will close for the summer. Hiking and mountain biking trails and the frisbee golf course will be off-limits, with the exception of Babbish Gulch, which will remain open.
“It’s going to be a very different summer,” Baptiste said. “But the result will be something incredible. We are excited to start a new chapter at Sunlight Mountain.”
Chairs from the current lifts will be given away through multiple avenues, including donations, a drawing for season pass holders, and both a silent and live auction. The live auction is scheduled for June, with details to come on Sunlight’s website and social media.
For more information, visit sunlightmtn.com.
