I am assuming those are both potential gondolas to interconnect the resorts. Option 1 would probably not work as it traverses many private homes between Buttermilk and Snowmass. Option 2 is better, but still faces some of those same problems between Ajax, Highlands, and Buttermilk. These problems can be eliminated by having the mountains be connected by points outside of their respective base areas and by making them three independent lifts instead of one continuous line from Ajax all the way to Snowmass.
In my opinion, the best way to connect the four would be the following. A peak-to-peak type 3S gondola from the Sundeck at Ajax to Cloud Nine at Highlands. A regular gondola from the parking garage at the base of Highlands to Cliffhouse at Buttermilk. Buttermilk and Snowmass are on the same ridge, so I think it would just make more sense to connect the two with some additional lifts/trails in the middle between them. However, I think there may be an environmental issue with that, in which case a gondola from Elk Camp at Snowmass to Cliffhouse at Buttermilk would be fine.
As the crow flies, it’s about 2.55 miles in a straight line from the top of the West Buttermilk Express lift to the top of Elk Camp lift.
I think there’d need to be at least four lifts if Buttermilk and Snowmass were to be merged via the construction of trail pods: two high speed quads running to the top of Burnt Mountain, one from Two Creeks and another from a point 1.6 miles below the summit on Spring Creek. There’d also need to be a high speed quad also about 1.5 miles along, about halfway between the east Burnt Mountain lift and West Buttermilk, and a fourth high speed quad from the bottom of this middle lift to a point just above the top of West Buttermilk Express lift.
Agree that a gondola would function as the best means of navigating between Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands. An alternate point to run this transfer gondola to would be to the bridge that crosses Sterner Creek and connects the Tiehack Express lift to the Aspen High School’s recreation center, but that would have too much private property in the way.
As for the Aspen Mountain-Aspen Highlands 3S connection, I think it would make more sense for the Aspen Highlands terminal to be at the Merry-Go-Round, as that’s the mid-mountain hub, ensuring more convenient access from all lifts.
What is 1A?
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Shadow Mountain.
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would this work?
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I am assuming those are both potential gondolas to interconnect the resorts. Option 1 would probably not work as it traverses many private homes between Buttermilk and Snowmass. Option 2 is better, but still faces some of those same problems between Ajax, Highlands, and Buttermilk. These problems can be eliminated by having the mountains be connected by points outside of their respective base areas and by making them three independent lifts instead of one continuous line from Ajax all the way to Snowmass.
In my opinion, the best way to connect the four would be the following. A peak-to-peak type 3S gondola from the Sundeck at Ajax to Cloud Nine at Highlands. A regular gondola from the parking garage at the base of Highlands to Cliffhouse at Buttermilk. Buttermilk and Snowmass are on the same ridge, so I think it would just make more sense to connect the two with some additional lifts/trails in the middle between them. However, I think there may be an environmental issue with that, in which case a gondola from Elk Camp at Snowmass to Cliffhouse at Buttermilk would be fine.
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As the crow flies, it’s about 2.55 miles in a straight line from the top of the West Buttermilk Express lift to the top of Elk Camp lift.
I think there’d need to be at least four lifts if Buttermilk and Snowmass were to be merged via the construction of trail pods: two high speed quads running to the top of Burnt Mountain, one from Two Creeks and another from a point 1.6 miles below the summit on Spring Creek. There’d also need to be a high speed quad also about 1.5 miles along, about halfway between the east Burnt Mountain lift and West Buttermilk, and a fourth high speed quad from the bottom of this middle lift to a point just above the top of West Buttermilk Express lift.
Agree that a gondola would function as the best means of navigating between Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands. An alternate point to run this transfer gondola to would be to the bridge that crosses Sterner Creek and connects the Tiehack Express lift to the Aspen High School’s recreation center, but that would have too much private property in the way.
As for the Aspen Mountain-Aspen Highlands 3S connection, I think it would make more sense for the Aspen Highlands terminal to be at the Merry-Go-Round, as that’s the mid-mountain hub, ensuring more convenient access from all lifts.
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What I are you referring to by “Ajax”
Sorry for my cluelessness
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Ajax is what most people call Aspen Mountain (the main one).
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