Conceptual illustration of the barn fictional Phineas J. Schweitzer constructed to house his cable carriage. Inside, steam-powered machinery transported his wife, four kids and him up the mountain to view spectacular sights.
Inside the cable carriage barn is steam boiler named for Phineas' wife Estella. Projected gear patterns rotate to give an impression of operating machinery. Illuminated coals flicker under the boiler.
Concept illustration of the Stella barn interior, where hand-crafted machinery was assembled by pioneer inventor Phineas Schweitzer. Skiers pass up close to the equipment which was sourced from nearby 19th century silver mines.
Concept illustration of the proposed, though not realized Stella lift unload station. Themed signage provided directions to the many runs available to skiers.
The workshop from which fictitious Phineas Schweitzer constructed the Stella barn and lift. Every so often, Phineas himself appeared in full mountain gear walking among skiers, courtesy of a character actor on staff at the resort.
Stella barn under construction in 2000. The high-speed lift, manufactured by Cetec-Garaventa, has a capacity of six skiers per chair, making it the fastest flight up Schweitzer mountain. The lift is encased within themed barn architecture.
Early concept illustration for a proposed update to the Outback Inn restaurant adjacent to the Stella cable carriage barn.
Schweitzer Mountain Resort Stella Ski Lift
An uplifting story captivates skiers on a state-of-the-art 6-pack ski lift
• 1860s themed experience shows the handiwork of fictitious Phineas. J. Schweitzer
• Skiers queue inside a barn where steam-driven equipment ‘powers’ the lift
• Private land enabled the creation of an entertaining pioneer-styled showcase
• Theatrical lighting, projection and sound effects enhanced the experience
• The themed story referenced authentic 19th-century pioneer settlers in the area
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Harbor Properties and their Schweitzer Mountain Resort in northern Idaho commissioned GPG to invent, design and produce the nation’s first entertainment-focused ski lift experience around their new high-speed ‘six-pack’ 6-person-per-chair lift.
The “ski-through” project had to satisfy local residents as well as seasoned skiers from across the U.S. Design and production had to be accomplished within an eight-month timeframe. Non-theatrical craftspeople had to be trained to bring the designs to life since it was not practical to relocate talent from the west coast.
From the beginning, the goal of the project was to inspire the imagination of skiers young and old – to provide a lift queue experience like none other in the ski industry. After opening in the winter of 2000, the Stella barn became “the” place to discover while on Schweitzer’s slopes. Born from Geoff’s fictitious story of crafty Phineas J. Schweitzer and his innovative ‘cable carriage’ (named for his industrious wife, Estella), it was exciting to find the old pioneer barn in the real wilderness. And the comfortable ride to the top aboard the mountain’s ‘Fast Stella’ became the quickest in the region.
GPG environmental design and production of the Stella barn continues to generate financial returns today in the form of word-of-mouth recognition across the country.