2023 Inclined Elevator Project of the Year Top Industry Recognition goes to Hill Hiker, Inc.
Hill Hiker, Inc. has won Elevator World’s prestigious Project of the Year award for its innovative, never-before-done work on a residential inclined elevator in Panora, Iowa.
Elevator World’s feature, called “Following Nature’s Path”, highlights the journey Hill Hiker, Inc. took to overcome many challenges presented by the soil, angles, and more at this family’s vacation home.
Homeowner Jared Nielsen discovered while building his dream vacation home on Lake Panorama that there was a 120-foot hill with an inclination of 40 degrees. Knowing he’d need to form a team of contractors that could tackle some unique circumstances, he hired Hill Hiker, Inc. to build the inclined elevator that would allow his family to enjoy easy access to the shoreline.
Hill Hiker, Inc. has successfully completed many unique inclined elevator projects since the specialty lift company started in 1997, some of which have earned Project of the Year recognitions in years past for the creative solutions presented. Getting this particular lift system in Panora completed, however, is a story of overcoming many obstacles.
To start, the hill had an inconsistent angle that presented a quick switch from a 27-degree angle to a 42-degree angle at the bottom. To keep the elevator car level as it travels down the hill, Hill Hiker, Inc. pursued an electrical actuator-based leveling system. This leveling system had never before been used on elevator tracks supported by helical piers, a first for the company. This system pivots the elevator car on the uphill side of the chassis. The downhill side is made level with a screw-driven actuator. A level sensor under the platform detects out-of-level conditions and sends a signal that activates an electrical contactor that feeds power to the actuator to then level the car.
You may be wondering why Hill Hiker, Inc. performed this system for the first time on helical piers. This is because the ground and hill did not allow for the use of concrete. The hillside’s differing extreme angles, limited accessibility, and soil conditions could have left the team stumped. But the helical piers, typically used in sandy soil, were the support foundation that would help retain the hillside and only minimally disrupt the soil.
The local team at Country Landscape used compact utility loaders with a telescoping auger attachment for installation to measure when the pier would meet engineering-required PSI levels. Hill Hiker, Inc. then secured the rounded piers with a creative bracketing strategy that included attachment tubes, plates, and U-bolts with some cross-bracing.
The innovative solutions didn’t end there. Hill Hiker, Inc. developed another new feature, using the wireless control system to slow the travel speed from 60 fpm to 40 fpm. This allows the actuator to provide a smooth ride for up to 800lb of live load. Stronger but slower actuators mean that Hill Hiker, Inc. can expand its load capacity. Top all of that off with a second-level sensor that won’t allow passenger destabilization to happen, and Hill Hiker is at a new level of adaptability.
The high-tech machinery is also operated by a customized system where all components are energized by a single deep-cycle 12-volt dc marine battery. Hill Hiker, Inc. put charging station pads at the top landing station that are connected to a metered trickle charger to prevent overcharging it.
Hill Hiker, Inc. was able to accomplish this project of the year by using a combination of creative, new solutions with some of its signature, trustworthy solutions. Although the company has years of experience creating applications worldwide and adapting to many foundations, installation methods, and equipment, this project added a new level of experience to its portfolio and an even stronger aptitude for innovation. The teams at Hayes Construction and Country Landscapes also helped make this feat possible with their creative brainstorming and intelligent calculations.
See previous Elevator World Project of the Year winners and Hill Hiker’s many featured projects on the Hill Hiker, Inc. projects page on the website.
