New Gondola At Snowmass Set To Open December 16th 2006

Every year the major ski resorts pour millions of dollars into mountain upgrades in hopes of drawing skiers to their resort. Snowmass is no different and has spent a great deal of money over the last several years in what they are calling the renaissance of Snowmass.

This year the popular Aspen ski resort of Snowmass will unveil the new Elk Camp Gondola on December 16 (which happens to be the day Amanda and I will arrive in either Snowmass or Steamboat for our eight night ski vacation). The new gondola has been under construction for months now and is on track for the December opening. John Hawkins has been overseeing the “Gondola Crew” that has been hard at work piecing the lift together over the last few months.

While the cold fall has been tough on the construction crew what has been even more tricky has been the early snow (as much as two feet of it) which has made getting around tricky to say the least. The gondola cars which were brought in from Switzerland are very heavy weighing as much as 1600 pounds apiece and cost a stagering $36,000 a piece. Quite a costly sum considering the gondola will have over 100 cars that will whisk skiers and snowboarders up the the Elk Camp area.

So for the 2006 – 2007 ski and snowboard season visitors will enjoy two gondolas, something few other resorts in North America can boast.

Posted in Aspen Ski Area Resorts