HomeMy WebLinkAboutSegundo - Op House - Garfield County Letter 071125(970) 274-2343 • Jeff@IronMountainEng.com • P.O. Box 2316, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
July 11, 2025
Garfield County Community Development Department
John Plano
Chief Building Official
108 8th Street, Suite 401
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
RE: Prefabricated Segundo Operator Houses
Dear John,
The Segundo lift, including its operator houses, was acquired from Arapahoe Basin Ski Area.
Both operator houses are prefabricated and were built by a third party. They were originally
purchased from Leitner-Poma and installed at Arapahoe Basin in 2001 for the Lenawee Lift.
These prefabricated operator houses measure 10' x 12' and are intended to protect lift
operators and the lift equipment from environmental hazards. At Sunlight, the enclosures will
be tempered during lift operations but will not be continuously heated or inhabited.
I have spoken with Glen Morgan, Summit County’s Chief Building Official, regarding these
structures and the historical county requirements. After discussions with Mr. Morgan and Rob
Ware from Arapahoe Basin, it appears that neither of these were permitted through the county
in 2001. Though they were not permitted, both structures have withstood the elements and
performed well over the last twenty years at the Arapahoe Basin Resort.
At Arapahoe Basin, the operator houses were previously installed at elevations of 11,440 feet
and 12,460 feet, respectively. These locations exposed the structures to more severe
environmental conditions than the proposed Sunlight locations. Though the previous alpine
conditions were more severe than Sunlight’s, Summit County’s wind and snow loading
requirements are very similar to current Garfield County requirements. Currently, Summit
County code requires a 100 psf snow load and a 115-mph ultimate wind load at both the
bottom and top of the Lenawee Lift. Summit County’s required wind speed in 2001, the time of
installation, was 90 mph.
Segundo’s lower terminal is located at an elevation of 8,125 feet and is subject to Garfield
County’s 75 psf ground snow load requirement. The upper terminal, at 9,300 feet, is subject to
a 100 psf snow load. Both locations fall under the county’s standard 115-mph ultimate wind
speed requirement.
Leitner-Poma was able to locate some original documentation for the prefabricated enclosures
(see attached). The walls are constructed of 212SW16 50 ksi studs at 24” o.c. Based on steel
(970) 274-2343 • Jeff@IronMountainEng.com • P.O. Box 2316, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
stud loading tables, it appears this layout is designed to withstand 90-mph wind loading. The
roof joists are 4” steel studs (4SW16 50ksi) @ 24” o.c. Justin Gross, Leitner-Poma engineer,
noted there was a hand calculation in their original file denoting a 75 psf snow load. I have not
independently confirmed this loading is acceptable, but it is likely the defined snow load for the
structures based on file notes.
While the wind load on both terminals and the design snow load at the upper terminal is below
current Garfield County Standards, the structures have a twenty-year performance history
under what I believe to be more demanding snow and wind loads. We are requesting a
variance for these structures given their proven track record, the fact they will be uninhabited
structures and will be installed in less severe environmental conditions.
Feel free to give me a call if you’d like to discuss further.
Sincerely,
Jeff Peterson, P.E.
Iron Mountain Engineering, Inc.