FOR some skiers, the joke about the Mystery Peak Chair at Mt. Seymour used to be the mystery is if you'll ever get to the top.
But this season, the joke appears to be over, as the resort's new Doppelmayr high-speed detachable four-seater chairlift whisks skiers and boarders up the mountain in four minutes.
Crews began installing the lift in August. It made its first official run with Seymour's opening Dec. 7.
Until this year, Seymour was the only North Shore mountain without a high-speed quad, but the $5 million makeover, five years in the making, won't take away from its "old-school" charm, said Whitehead.
Now the capacity of the lift has doubled from 700 to 1,400 people per hour, bringing Mystery up to speed with its neighbours on Grouse and Cypress.
The price of a full-day adult lift pass has gone up in the wake of the upgrade, but it's increased only marginally to $51, said Whitehead.
That means a net increase in value for customers, he argued, since the new chair gives riders twice as many runs.
Skiers and boarders were exhausted after a full day of riding on opening day, filling the resort's restaurant much earlier than usual, he said. "They got so many laps in, they were wiped," said Whitehead laughing.
