- A gyrocopter crashes into a utility aerial tram at an Italian dam, killing two onboard the aircraft.
- A French aerial tramway strikes a construction crane, injuring 23 onboard the tram.
- In just nine months, an urban gondola in Paris becomes the most-ridden lift in Europe with over two million passengers.
- The Governor of Utah criticizes MIDA, a state entity started to support the military but now involved with Deer Valley East, Sundance expansion and a proposed data center.
- Vail Resorts faces a shareholder lawsuit.
- Doppelmayr Canada and Gondola Ventures sign a letter of intent to explore aerial gondola transport in Wasaga Beach, Ontario.
- Mt. Jefferson, Maine hits the market.
- Black Mountain to add a mid-station to the existing Triple Chair for beginners.
- Indy Pass teases “huge news” and new partners coming next week.
- Mission Ridge, Washington and Blacktail Mountain, Montana leave Indy Pass.
- Snow Partners adds seven new mountains to Snow Triple Play and introduces a new frequency product called Snow Pass with western resorts Monarch and Snow King.
- Maverick Mountain begins fundraising to replace its lift that burned down earlier this month.
- Attractions operator Pursuit shares plans to replace both the Jasper SkyTram and Banff Gondola by 2030.
- Tremblant begins preliminary work on the Timber expansion first announced in March 2020.
- A small wildfire closes Park City Mountain for a day.
Banff Gondola
News Roundup: Aerials
- Okanagan Gondola eyes a 2027 opening.
- Waterville Valley explains the reasoning behind building a lift in house.
- Quebec’s CMSQ group is selected to operate Mont Édouard and plans a CA$16 million six pack for 2026.
- CMSQ also intends to operate Mont Adstock and would like to take control of Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham.
- BigRock, Maine decommissions its Mueller double.
- Vail narrows down on a gondola plan for West Lionshead.
- Still no arrests five years after the Sea to Sky Gondola cable was cut.
- A deal is in the works to reopen Toggenburg, New York for skiing.
- The Canadian government finds no illegal monopoly with the Banff Gondola and Jasper Sky Tram under common ownership.
- Five people are hospitalized following a chairlift collapse in Russia. Photos and video show the single chairs’s drive terminal upside down.
- The Forest Service approves a Sandia Peak Telemix.
- Aspen takes an exploratory look at valley gondola transport.
- Kicking Horse finishes installation of new hanger arms, hopes to reopen its gondola soon.
- The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway temporarily closes due to technical issues.
- Here’s a look from the air where Powder Mountain’s DMI, Davenport and Halfpint lifts are going.
News Roundup: Vote
- Alta seeks Forest Service approval to realign Supreme.
- Brighton looks to replace the Milly Express and shorten Explorer.
- Indy Pass adds a slew of mountains including Loveland, Colorado; Bear Creek, Pennsylvania; Bear Valley, California; Bousquet, Massachusetts; Bruce Mound and Christie Mountain, Wisconsin; Camp Fortune, Massif du Sud and Mont Rigaud, Quebec; Cazenovia and Hunt Hollow, New York; Lost Valley, Maine; and Mt. Holiday and Norway Mountain, Michigan.
- Norway Mountain is on track to reopen this season after many years.
- After the only bid to replace the Cannon Mountain tramway came in millions more than expected, the State of New Hampshire investigates whether it can reuse existing towers.
- Pleasant Mountain to auction retired chairs next week.
- One non-essential lift was damaged by the wildfire at Mountain High.
- Canada’s Competition Bureau to probe whether the Arizona company behind the Jasper SkyTram and Banff Gondola unfairly competes with ski area sightseeing gondolas.
- Voters in Casper, Wyoming will be asked whether to fund a new chairlift at Hogadon.
- A real estate developer and Doppelmayr break ground on a new access lift at Tremblant.
- Local co-op organizers estimate Mt. Bachelor will sell for $180-200 million.
- Sponsored jobs: Lift Electrical Technicial Level 3 at Copper Mountain and Ski Lift Service Millwright at Doppelmayr Canada.
News Roundup: Great Causes
- Alpine Ski Club, Ontario lists the Arrowhead Quad for sale with a replacement planned for 2024.
- Big Moose Mountain, Maine fundraises to revive trails abandoned since the summit double last ran in 2004.
- Snow Ridge, New York shares more photos of devastating tornado damage and fundraises for rebuilding. A volunteer cleanup day is scheduled for August 26th.
- Nonprofit Skiland, Alaska seeks donations to operate next season.
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay teases a reopening of its gondola that has been closed since Covid.
- A power outage strands hundreds of guests overnight at the Banff Gondola.
- Seven Oaks leaves the Indy Pass.
Instagram Tuesday: Bike
Every Tuesday, I feature my favorite Instagram photos from around the lift world.
Oldest Operating Lifts in the US & Canada
1. Single Chair, Mad River Glen, VT – 1948 American Steel & Wire Single Chair
The single chair at MRG still has its original towers and terminal structures but everything else was replaced by Doppelmayr CTEC in 2007. As part of that project, towers were removed, sandblasted and repainted before being flown back to new foundations with new line gear. Doppelmayr also replaced the bullwheels, chairs, grips, drive and haul rope. This begs the question of ‘when is an old lift a new lift?’
2. Gatlinburg Sky Lift, Gatlinburg, TN – 1954 Riblet double
Everett Kircher of Boyne fame bought this chairlift from Sugar Bowl, CA for $3,000 in 1954. Originally it was a single chair built in 1939. Modified sheave assemblies were machined at the Kircher’s car dealership in Michigan when the lift went to Tennessee. At some point it appears to have gotten newer-style Riblet towers. Boyne Resorts still operates this lift 800 miles from their nearest ski resort. (edit: JP notes in the comments below that this version was replaced by a Riblet double in 1991. Thanks JP!)
3. Chair 1, White Pass, WA – 1955 1962 Riblet double
This lift only operates on busy weekends and holidays but it’s an old one and a good one . A classic Pacific Northwest center-pole double with very few modifications from its original design and no safety bars! (edit: Brian notes in the comments that this lift was actually installed as Chair 2 in 1962. The original chair 1 operated 1955-1994.)
News Roundup: Tower Time
- The East’s next big resort at The Balsams still hopes to break ground before the snow flies and open in late 2016. Still no word on who will supply the lifts.
- Leitner-Poma flies towers at Loveland, Snowmass and Sipapu. Brian from Timberline Helicopters has flown every tower in the west so far this summer with his K-Max. At Sipapu it reportedly only took him 37 minutes!
- Meanwhile, Doppelmayr puts up some big terminals.
- SkyTrans Manufacturing helps crews from Sugarloaf take down the Bucksaw double. Probably means it’s coming soon to a zoo near you.
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