- The VonRoll skyride at California’s Great America to close next September along with the entire park.
- Wisconsin’s Crystal Ridge, Nordic Mountain and Little Switzerland join the Ikon Pass two day bonus tier; Ikon Base holders also now get three days at Deer Valley.
- Indy Pass adds Cherry Peak, Utah; Le Relais and Mont Blanc, Quebec; and Mt. Cain, BC plus a 25 percent discount on window tickets at Gore, Whiteface and Belleayre.
- Fernie replaces chairs, controls and more on the White Pass quad.
- A study concludes Eaglecrest should reactivate Black Bear, replace lifts as needed with fixed-grips and possibly replace Ptarmigan with a chondola.
- Mt. Ashland completes fundraising to replace the Windsor double with a Skytrac triple.
- Snowstar, Illinois won’t operate skiing this winter and may close completely after this season.
- Sugar Bowl’s new gondola won’t be ready until January.
- Alterra sells Aspenware.
- A new gold mine near Stewart, BC proposes a tramway to transport workers and ore.
- A trial is set for October 2027 in Vancouver, BC between Ski Bluewood, Washington and used lift broker Steelhead Systems.
California’s Great America
News Roundup: Succession
- As he prepares to relinquish day-to-day duties at Alterra, Rusty Gregory reflects on decades of ski industry changes.
- Poma names a new global President.
- One of the last US theme parks with a VonRoll skyride is sold to an e-commerce fulfillment developer and will close within the next decade.
- Pittsburgh will use $600,000 in federal grant money to study a possible gondola transit corridor.
- Vermont’s Suicide Six ski area will change its name in the coming weeks.
- The first gondola with 8 passenger Omega V cabins opens soon in Morocco.
- The Burnaby Mountain Gondola may really happen.
- Emirates ends its naming rights sponsorship of the London Cable Car after ten years.
- Sunday River provides an update on the massive Jordan 8 project.
- The Portland Tram finally reopens to the public.
- Hilltop Ski Area seeks $2.2 million in American Rescue Plan funds to replace its aging triple chairlift with a modern fixed grip quad.
- Firefighters help evacuate a chairlift at a Massachusetts zoo.
- Thanks to Benjamin Bartz for these photos of now-halted Park City lift construction. I have asked Vail Resorts what the plan is for already-produced lift equipment and will update if I hear back.
In California, Parks & Zoos Wow with Gondolas
From flying over bison to coasting through redwood forests, wine tasting and beach cruising, visitors to California can do it all by gondola even when far from ski country. In every major region of the vast California Republic, gondolas greet more than 250 million annual tourists, providing unique experiences and spectacular views in one of America’s most diverse states.
California Trail – Oakland Zoo
California’s newest gondola debuted at the Oakland Zoo in June, whisking guests on a three minute safari to an $80 million experience called California Trail, which features animals native to the Golden State. In some ways this is America’s first urban gondola with the top terminal located in the basement of a combination transit station, restaurant and visitor center. The Doppelmayr UNI-G system sports 17 cabins that can move 1,000 guests each hour between California Station and the new hub for wolves, bears and mountain lions. Even though the exhibits don’t open until next year, the gondola is already so popular that the zoo’s chairlift rarely runs anymore as guests binge-ride the California Trail lap after lap.
Skyfari – San Diego Zoo
The VonRoll-built Skyfari is a big reason why the San Diego Zoo grew to become the most-visited zoo in America. Since 1969, 42 four-passenger cabins have transported some 75 million riders from the east side of the park to the west. Today, the Skyfari operates more than 3,300 hours a year and an impressive 60 percent of zoo guests choose to take the ride, making it by far the most-ridden gondola in this most populous state. The lift’s four towers reach up to 89 feet, yielding zoogoers spectacular views of their surroundings and downtown San Diego. Now presented by Alaska Airlines, the ride is impeccably maintained and features updated Doppelmayr controls and automated cabin launching. Just based on ridership, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it replaced with a modern system with more capacity in the coming years.
