The Summit: Snowbird’s Hidden Peak

Project Details
Location: 9385 S Snowbird Center Dr, Snowbird, UT 84092
Date of Completion: December 2016
Contracting Company: Layton Construction
Project Manager: Christopher Joyal
The project has a 1200A 480V 3Phase service. A 250KW Generator provide emergency power for both life safety and critical equipment. We provided power and connections to a complete micro water plant in the basement mechanical room to provide potable water to the facility. An electric fire pump was required.
The project is unique due to its location. Construction on the top of an 11,000’ peak posed several logistical issues for man and material. The crews arrived at the site via the tram except for when it was down for maintenance. While the tram was being maintained, the crews rode the Peruvian Gulch high speed quad chair lift, then were ferried through the snow in snow cats to the peak. This trip would take about an hour each direction.
Materials were delivered to the site by the tram, or articulating 6X6 2.5 ton trucks or helicopter. The tram took the majority of the small, incidental materials. The large trucks carried the large equipment and pallets to site up a steep narrow switchback dirt path. At times the turns were so tight, not even a pick up could make the switchback. The trucks would have to back up or down to the next switchback. There were several of these tight turns along the 75 min drive from Snowbird Center to the site in the large haul trucks. The helicopter was used early in the spring when the mountain path was blocked by snow. Even with receiving less snow than typical the winter prior, Snow cats still had be to used to clear the snow to get the mountain road open in early June.
The weather at 11,000 feet elevation can be quite unpredictable. We had to work through high winds, driving rain, lightning and snow storms. Several times the project was closed temporarily due to safety concerns during these conditions. The project illustrates that we can do difficult things in difficult locations.


