Model: 2-Pitch, 4-Person (750-pound capacity)
Track: 15' at 30° at the top, 8’ in the curve, and 77’ at 53° below the curve
Area: Lake Muskoka, Gravenhurst
Year: 2012
The owners of this cottage with a view needed the lift to get them their dock nearly 7 stories below. And 7 stories up again. Often with gas or motors or gear for a days outing.
Finding a line that would not interfere with their stunning views of the lake and of sunsets from the cottage was a challenge. Even though the top pitch was going to be less than 20’ long and the lower section was going to be about as steep as any 1-pitch lift we’d ever built, it made sense to make this a 2-pitch lift. It was the only way to get the upper station far enough back to minimize modifications to the deck and minimize the visual impact.
It was also a challenging build, to say the least. Everything was done wearing mountain climbing harnesses and rapelling ourselves, our equipment, and even the track, down the hill. And we had very little play at the top end, we “shoehorned” it in. It’s a beauty.
The locals make it a boating destination and call it "The Waterfall".
A drone’s eye view of the lift.
They call their upper patio The View, and the lift station is off the side of the main cottage deck. Because the short upper section is relatively flat at 30° the motor housing remains unobtrusively below rail level. The lift is in an convenient spot and doesn’t impede the view of the lake or the sunsets.
When people say it looks scary I see the rickety stairs in the distance and think this is so much safer. If first time riders watch the lift go up and down they're reassured and ready to ride.
If you were riding this lift with your eyes closed, you'd have no idea that the pitch of the track had changed, it's that smooth. We once put a full wine glass on the outside top corner of the car railing and it rode up and down without any concerns.
The stairs at this cottage were a steep, arduous climb. The owners now enjoy a spectacular 90-second lift ride from the dock to the cottage deck. This is about as exposed a lift as we've built, but it's still not an eyesore, in fact the locals enjoy it too, stopping in their boats on their way by to take in "The Waterfall" but it’s hardly visible to passengers on the Lady Muskoka Boat Cruise.
The lower section of track is 53°, our third-steepest track to that date and our steepest two-pitch taken during the build. We added the small triangular piece to the dock, it was not finished at the time this photo was taken, to construct the lower station. Matthew Haley is adding finishing details to the car.
This video was filmed and edited by the very talented Bet Smith who also wrote, plays, and sings the accompanying song. Bet was also our build team welder in 2014.
This one of our most dramatic installations and really has to be seen to be fully appreciated.