Remote-Access Micropile Installation

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort announced the retirement of their historic, 40-year-old aerial tram in summer 2006. The tram was an iconic feature, recognized around the world as a lift that accessed some of the most spectacular terrain in North America. A new 100-person aerial tramway was constructed to replace the existing lift, following the same alignment. The new tram has a vertical lift of 4,139 feet and the longest continual vertical rise of any ski lift in the continent.

Team Members

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Parametrix

Shannon & Wilson Inc.

Womack & Associates Inc.

Crux Subsurface

DCI Engineering

Nelson Engineering

Gunderson Construction Inc.

Crux’s Role

The new tram consists of a lower terminal, five towers, and an upper terminal. The towers were located in limited access areas with some being situated directly above 300-foot cliffs. One tower was erected on drilled shaft foundations at each leg, and the remaining four employed concrete cap micropile foundations. The upper and lower terminals consist of large footings and highly reinforced foundations to support the cable bollards.

Crux engineered and built a hoisting system featuring the existing tram, which was used to transport equipment, materials and crews to new foundation locations. Existing dirt roads allowed access to the upper terminal locations and areas near the tower foundations. The old tram was also used to transport ready-mixed concrete from the mountain base to tower locations. In conjunction with the tram, Crux utilized a remote batch plant at the upper terminal location for concrete placement.

During construction, micropile design was modified to accommodate constructability of foundations, foundation loading, and geotechnical conditions. Crux played a key role in the engineering of several tower foundations. The removal of the existing tram was successfully completed, and the new tram was launched in December 2008.

Crux engineered a hoisting system featuring the old tram to transport equipment and materials to new foundation locations

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