Squaw Valley Ski Area

Squaw Valley ski area in California that claims its elevators can move 47,800 people per hour. If the elevator carries people on average 205 m (vertically) above, estimate the maximum overall power required. (Assume an average mass of 70 kg per person.)

Energy = Force * distance = mass * acceleration * distance

Mass = 70 kg * 47 800
acceleration (gravity) = 9.8 m ^ s / 2
distance = 205 m
Therefore, energy = 81.977 Mjoules

Power = Energy / Time
Power = 81.977 Mjoules / 3600 seconds = 22.77 kilowatts = 30.5 HP

Note: only for the people - he knows a lot of friction. The power to lift the siege and the cable is taken up by the empty seats and the cable that goes down, so it is a "wash".

That sounds about right - the tram Albuqurque has about 1000 meters vertical elevator is not nearly as many people, and it uses a 50 HP motor.

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