Kimberley Alpine Resort and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies recently partnered with College of the Rockies in a mutually beneficial project.

A gearbox repair was not only necessary for the resort’s winter operations, but also provided students an invaluable opportunity to have a hands on learning experience.

The North Star gearbox, weighing over 23,000 thousand pounds, made for quite a feat to move.

“We had a crane come in from Lethbridge to extract the gear box from the top of the quad – it was then delivered to the College of the Rockies which generously donated use of their new state of the art Mill Wright Facility shop,” the resort reported in an update.

“College of the Rockies students were then able to observe the repair and ask questions while the work was being done by a technician who was brought here from Europe to manage the repair, along with our resort maintenance staff.  The whole repair took about two weeks and saw two of the main gears replaced – weighing 8,000 and 2,000 pounds respectively. Bearings and seals were also replaced.

“After the repair was completed, Kimberley Alpine Resort donated the old gears to college for a continued learning experience,” the resort noted.

“We’re extremely appreciative for the partnership with College of the Rockies on this important project and look forward to the upcoming winter season.”

Kimberley Alpine Resort opens for the season this Saturday, Dec. 15.

Lead image: A crane lifts the North Star gearbox. Photo courtesy Kimberley Alpine Resort

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