Starting off 2021 with a celebration!
Hill Hiker won the Elevator World Project of the Year Award in the Inclined Elevator category. On top of that, Elevator World featured Hill Hiker’s project on the cover of its January 2021 magazine out of eight total Project of the Year Award winners.
Featured on the Elevator World January 2021 cover is Hill Hiker’s inclined elevator at Parque Turistico Observatorio 1873 in Mazatlán, Mexico. Hill Hiker got the call from Amado Guzman, a visionary and entrepreneur in Mazatlán, to create something that allows people to experience the history and the unique views offered by the former military outpost, which in 1873 was converted to become the second meteorological and seismological observatory in the country.
Many challenges faced us in the completion of this project. To start, the building was perched on the highest bluff in the city, 289 feet above sea level. But, Hill Hiker has been installing inclined elevators in challenging locations since 1997. We were ready for this project.
When Hill Hiker’s owner and President Bill MacLachlan arrived at the site, he realized that he and a team of locals would need to trudge through decades of overgrowth with machetes to clear a path for the inclined elevator. Next, he tackled the uneven surfaces by working with engineers to create a consistent grade with I-beams. The challenges did not stop there.
Normally, I-beam installation is completed by crane. But Mazatlán did not have a crane that could reach the full length of the hill. Therefore, the middle section was installed by hand using ropes, chain falls, and pulleys, all amidst harsh, salty air and heat and humidity similar to that of the Amazon rainforest river basin. This climate was just another challenge to overcome.
Hill Hiker worked with its electronics supplier, ISC, to develop and install the most powerful and robust wireless system it had ever placed on an elevator. The elevator’s wireless car station is protected in a NEMA 4X (IP66) enclosure, avoiding exposure to the environment and risk for malfunction.
We then built a subgrade concrete bunker machine room that houses and operates the double-cable winding drum drive machine and keeps the public protected from the heavy elevator machinery.. This elevator is also ready to handle earthquakes and is built with stainless steel that won’t rust in the salty air. As for the car, it can hold 3,000 lb and well exceeds the required factors of safety. It looks good, too, with a resemblance to a miniature San Francisco cable car and custom graphics for the Observatorio.
At the end of the day, this is the most durable inclined elevator Hill Hiker has installed. Parque Turistico Observatorio 1873 is now a favorite tourist spot and a testament to Guzman’s vision. Our team is proud of what we created and grateful to project owner Amado Guzman, the team at VAA Engineering, ISC Companies, and Daniel Diaz Gamez & Construction for helping to make this vision come to life.
See previous Elevator World Project of the Year winners and Hill Hiker’s many featured projects on our website.
