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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Passing wildland firefighter helps stop Central Point fire that injured one ... Sams Valley man found dead in Lost Creek Lake ... Lithia fountains back on after testing found to be 'faulty' ... Passing wildland firefighter helps stop Central Point fire that injured one ... Sams Valley man found dead in Lost Creek Lake ... Lithia fountains back on after testing found to be 'faulty' ... MT. ASHLAND Ski lift should operate by Thursday Ice caused chairlift cable to slip off its track Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 22, 2016 at 7:26 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 22, 2016 at 7:26 PM » Social News Ice buildup has caused a shutdown of the Comer chairlift on Mt. Ashland since last Thursday, but crews will be working on the problem over the next two days to fix it. “We have a plan to get it back up and running by Thursday,” said Hiriam Towle, general manager of Mt. Ashland Ski Area. Towle said workers tested the ski lifts last Thursday morning in a process called “bumping the lift,” where they are turned for a second and allowed to travel about a foot. This tests the lifts to make sure ice isn’t clogging the works, a common problem at the 6,300-foot elevation. Sure enough, though, ice caused one of the mechanisms to jam up and for the chairlift cable to slip out of its track. Safety mechanisms caught the cable, which prevented the lift from falling. Also, circuit breakers engaged causing the lift to shut down. No one was on the lift at the time, Towle said. The “deropement,” as it’s called, caused the cable to slip out of the grooved wheel called a sheave, and the chair assembly spun slightly on the top of tower 8. Towle said he didn’t think any damage was caused to the lift, tower or cable mechanism. He also didn’t think it would cost the ski resort any money to fix it other than the manpower to conduct the repairs. Crews didn’t want to perform the repairs while the ski resort was open to the public, preferring to wait until Tuesday and Wednesday when the resort is closed. On Saturday, the parking lot was full as skiers enjoyed fresh powder on top of a 10-foot base, Towle said. Comer, one of four lifts at the mountain, is relatively short and serves a small area of mostly intermediate runs. Once the repairs are made, the lift will be operated for an hour to ensure everything is functioning properly, he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 22, 2016 at 7:26 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501