If you’ve been enjoying a burger or a cold one on the Tbar patio this summer, you’ve probably seen the dust flying on the hill. Summer up here on the Fresh Coast isn’t just for kayaking the Big Lake—it’s when we put in the heavy lifting to make our winters exactly what you expect from Marquette Mountain.

We are proud to report that construction on our brand-new Doppelmayr fixed-grip triple chairlift is moving forward perfectly on schedule.

This new lift is a bottom-drive, bottom-tension lift that loads right in front of the Chalet and carries you all the way to the summit of our 540-foot vertical drop. It’s a direct route to our best blue and black terrain. Whether you’re hunting fresh corduroy on the groomers or heading straight for our steep backcountry glades after a fresh lake-effect snowstorm, this new triple is going to keep your laps fast.

Here is exactly what our crews and partners have been up to since the snow melted:

• April & May: We cleared the new lift line of trees and precisely marked the spots for the new towers and terminals, focusing on responsible trail stewardship as we prepped the land.
• June: Our crews punched new access roads straight up the rugged terrain to reach the new lift line.
• July: We hit pure U.P. rock. We brought in the blasting crews to clear out the rock for the top terminal and towers 5, 4, 3, and 2 to make way for the concrete foundations.
• August: The Doppelmayr USA crew arrived exactly as scheduled to dig, form, and pour the massive concrete foundations. Meanwhile, we officially said goodbye to the old Rocket Chair, which is now completely demoed with the exception of the top vault.

What’s Next?

In October, Doppelmayr is scheduled to start delivering all the towers and lift parts, and their assembly crew will hit the ground to start putting the steel together. By January, we expect full commissioning and the official go-live for loading the very first chairs.

Building a lift on this terrain takes a village of hardworking Yoopers and dedicated partners. A massive thank you to our employees, contractors and vendors involved in the lift construction and Rocket Chair demolition: MMR Resort and Mountain Operations staff, LaFond Excavating, Argall Construction, TriMedia, GEI, Red Electric, SX Blasting, Kelly Brother’s Construction, SkiData, Doppelmayr USA, Studio Rad, Fraco Concrete, 906 Concrete Pump & Conveying, and Holliday Custom.

Winter will be here before we know it. Grab your Season Pass today before the snow flies!