Winter Park – Lift Blog

News Roundup: Around the USA

June 19, 2026Peter Landsman5 Comments

Alberta conceptually approves the master plan for a Fortress Mountain reboot.
Waterville Valley and the Forest Service to host a public meeting regarding a proposed gondola on June 26th.
Revelstoke will host an info session on the future of the resort June 24th.
Cannon Mountain issues a request for bids for an 80 passenger tramway reusing certain components from the last tram with an expected completion date of December 1, 2028.
Amid bankruptcy, Whitecap Mountains lists a disused CTEC for sale.
Vail Resorts reportedly hires takeover defense bankers.
Alterra says a new law in Colorado could unlock public funding for a Winter Park town gondola.
Aspen-Pitkin County Airport’s new terminal design leaves room for a future gondola to town.
The federal government will fund a new haul rope for Whaleback, New Hampshire’s double chair.
Both ladder trucks and ropes are used to rescue riders from the skyride at Dutch Wonderland, Pennsylvania.
Teton County, Wyoming plans an objection to Grand Targhee’s expansion plan.
A black bear cub climbs a tower on Whistler’s Fitzsimmons 8.
A new operator plans to reopen Spout Springs, Oregon with help from the family that owns Timberline Lodge.
Big Sky dismantles parts of Powder Seeker to move the top terminal due to ground movement.

Lots of construction pictures from readers this week starting with Deer Valley’s Hail Peak expansion:

Next Caberfae Peaks, Michigan’s expansion lift:

And finally Powderhorn, Colorado’s Wild West Express:

News Roundup: Targhee & Park City Approved

May 29, 2026Peter Landsman23 Comments

Park City’s planning commission approves new Eagle and Silverlode detachables at Park City Mountain.
The Forest Service releases a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Waterville Valley’s proposed village-to-Green Peak gondola.
The Forest Service approves a slew of projects at Grand Targhee including Crazy Horse, Palmer and North Boundary infill lifts, replacements for Dreamcatcher and Shoshone, plus expansion lifts in South Bowl and Mono Trees (all subject to an objection period.)
Timberline Lodge pivots away from a Government Camp gondola to replacing the Summit chair with two longer chairlifts.
Powder Mountain to retire the Sunrise Poma in 2027, removing lift access to Cobabe Canyon for non-homeowners.
PowMow also shifts the planned Doodle beginner lift away from Sundown, new location and timeline to be announced.
The Town of Winter Park considers where to land a gondola.
Doppelmayr undertakes major systems modernizations on aging detachables at Telluride, Bromont, Gunstock and Mt. Bachelor.
Leitner releases its 2025 Reference Book.
Powderhorn to auction Heron-Poma chairs from old West End.
The Goldbelt tram remains closed indefinitely and refunds passholders following last month’s crash. Goldbelt is also hiring for a Tram Maintenance Manager and Tram Maintenance Supervisor.
Even if one municipality says no, a gondola could still work in Rock City, Georgia.
Quebec reports a strong 6.3 million skier visits and record lift ticket revenue.
A storm knocks Tamarack’s Tamarack Express offline (photos below)

News Roundup: Fireside Chat

April 10, 2026April 10, 2026Peter LandsmanLeave a comment

Doppelmayr releases its 2026 Yearbook.
Doppelmayr wins the contract to supply a 2,452′ long surface lift at Snowland, Utah.
A haul rope snaps on a material ropeway in Switzerland, causing damage but no injuries.
A cigarette thrown from a lift starts a spring wildfire in Italy.
As a lawsuit with a used lift broker continues, Bluewood, Washington says it still hopes to complete the Skyline Express one year late but delays could continue.
Blackcomb’s Crystal Ridge Express closes due to gearbox failure.
Telluride shutters the Village Express for summer to complete an extensive systems modernization.
Two proven and one unproven gondola manufacturer present their technologies for potential use in downtown Denver.
Mammoth rope evacuates the High Five Express.
Owners of Mt. Norquay discuss future plans plus competing with American-owned sightseeing ropeways and why Parks Canada no longer approves of a Banff-Norquay gondola.
Neither possible manufacturer for the new Telluride gondola may meet Buy America requirements, potentially procluding the project from receiving federal funding.
Whitefish Mountain Resort reports 457,000 skier visits, the fifth highest ever despite warm weather.
A gondola to Winter Park Resort could shift the Town of Winter Park’s downtown around a future station.

News Roundup: On & Off

June 13, 2025June 13, 2025Peter Landsman9 Comments

The first towers and top terminal are set for the new gondola in Idaho Springs, Colorado, which will feature 22 cabins and North America’s first five Bike Cabs.
Winter Park’s proposed town gondola secures local approval.
Also at Winter Park, a draft Forest Service decision green lights removal of Looking Glass, replacement of Gemini, Discovery and Endeavour as well as construction of the Copper Creek six pack (subject to an objection period.)
Holiday Mountain plans to re-use 1969 towers on a new chairlift.
Sommet Saint-Sauveur commissions the first Mantis AI software in North America tied directly into a lift control system.
An update on Deer Valley’s six lifts going in this summer.
Park City flies towers for the Sunrise Gondola.
Utah posts its third highest skier visits in history.
Teton County, Wyoming to oppose Grand Targhee expansion; Teton County, Idaho not sure yet.
The Forest Service approves Sipapu to replace Lift 3 with completion slated for Fall 2025.
The Forest Service hosts a public meeting on the proposed Green Peak gondola.
Jay Peak President and General Manager Steve Wright tells US Senators the Bonaventure replacement is sidelined by Canadians’ redicence to visit and tariff-related cost increases.
Eaglecrest permanently closes the Black Bear double, will focus on upgrading Ptarmigan to a triple and installing a used gondola.
Garaventa and CWA debut tram cabins in Switzerland made to look like wood with flower pots on the ends.

News Roundup: Retrofits

May 16, 2025Peter Landsman18 Comments

US ski resorts report their second best season ever with 61.5 million visits.
Colorado releases a detailed report on Winter Park’s gondola tower evener beam failure last December. Leitner-Poma will retrofit or replace similar beams on existing lifts and modify the beam’s design for future installations.
The Kicking Horse gondola hanger failure remains under investigation but the resort will replace all hangers and not operate the gondola until mid-summer at the earliest.
Homewood to install its D-Line gondola in 2026 after years of delays.
McCauley Mountain to sell Hall chairs from the former Big double.
The Covid-delayed Timber expansion at Tremblant is back on the table.
The White Mountain National Forest seeks comments on Waterville Valley’s proposed village-to-mountain gondola.
Eaglecrest, Alaska continues to lose money with its planned gondola still in the parking lot.
Salt Lake Community College launches a training program for lift maintenance professionals.
Wildcat’s Snowcat triple, which missed all of last season, to get a new haul rope, drive, controls, comm line and operator houses.
A Park City billionaire acquires the PCMR Town Lift plaza, envisions a future gondola.

News Roundup: USFS

March 28, 2025Peter Landsman18 Comments

The Forest Service approves three lift projects at Taos, including a base to base gondola.
Red Lodge Mountain reopens all lifts except the Triple Chair involved in last month’s fatal incident.
The widow of the man killed at Red Lodge hires a law firm and engineer to look into the circumstances.
Telluride Ski Resort declines to help fund a new Mountain Village gondola so the town looks to pass a lift ticket tax.
Powder Mountain to construct a new lift in Wolf Canyon/DMI.
A child falls from a lift at Park City.
An urban gondola is floated in Denver.
Cataloochee, North Carolina lists parts from the Omigosh double for sale.
New York’s state-owned ski areas report visitation up over 3 percent this season with revenue up more than 8 percent.
Black Mountain, New Hampshire delays going to a co-op model, will continue to be run by Indy Pass for now.
Whaleback, NH passes $100,000 toward its goal of $250,000 to continue operations.
The Caribou-Targhee National Forest weighs whether to change its forest plan to accommodate Grand Targhee’s proposed South Bowl and/or Mono Trees expansions.
The Arapaho National Forest releases the Draft Environmental Assessment for Winter Park’s proposed Gemini Gondola, Copper Creek South chairlift, Looking Glass replacement, Endeavour replacement and Discovery replacement.
Park City shutters Sunrise to resume construction of the Sunrise Gondola.

News Roundup: Valentine’s Edition

February 14, 2025February 15, 2025Peter Landsman12 Comments

Vail Resorts reaches an agreement with Crested Butte lift mechanics, averting a strike.
A window falls from a cabin on Stowe’s Mansfield Gondola during operations.
Mission Ridge acknowledges three different chairs have detached this season from Chair 4, a 1971 Riblet double (all empty and no injuries).
Waterville Valley completes a midseason splice on the High Country T-Bar.
A new owner looks to reopen Crystal Mountain, BC via crowdfunding.
Winter Park’s High Lonesome Express is back after a four week maintenance closure.
Still no Slide Brook Express at Sugarbush but hopefully soon.
The Glade Triple at Catamount will miss the rest of the season.
Badger Pass, California won’t open this season.
Ditto for Cedar Pass, also in California.
Park City gets serious about a gondola connecting Main Street to Deer Valley.
President Trump imposes 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports with potential impacts on lift manufacturers.
The US Forest Service, landlord to 124 ski areas, lays off 3,400 employees.
A bipartisan group of Senators sponsor a bill that would direct the Forest Service retain some of the fees resorts pay to the federal government for ski purposes, such as processing resort improvement projects.
The gondola in Moab, Utah which sat for 25 years without ever opening, is finally being removed.
Solitude demystifies lift maintenance for customers.

News Roundup: Short Films

January 24, 2025Peter Landsman17 Comments

Homewood’s new gondola is finally approved.
Eaglecrest receives a key gondola construction permit.
The Wall Street Journal covers several challenges facing Vail Resorts.
Unionized Crested Butte lift mechanics authorize a strike should they be unable to reach a contract agreement with Vail.
Breckenridge lift staff stage a one day sick out in protest of employee housing conditions, closing several lifts on Wednesday.
Pioneer at Park City hasn’t opened this season due to an offseason deropement still being repaired.
Blackcomb’s Glacier Express to be closed a week or longer due to a possible gearbox issue.
Mount Snow’s Challenger has been inoperative since January 13th.
Mammut sponsors a short film exploring the transformation of Shames Mountain, British Columbia into a community co-op.
British Columbia opens public consultation for the proposed Bridal Veil Mountain Resort.
A gondola transit network in Oshawa, Ontario could cost CA$1.1 billion.
Reed Hastings explains his sweeping changes at Powder Mountain including four new lifts in one summer and partial privatization.
Chicopee, Ontario explains why its three new lifts aren’t spinning yet.
Bristol Mountain partially rope evacuates the Comet Express.
Ditto for the Mt. Hood Express at Mt. Hood Meadows.
The Balsams extends approval for long-delayed redevelopment.
Mont Farlagne, New Brunswick reopens its only chairlift after a month-long closure due to a bullwheel issue.
Ischgl invites guests to help build a life size replica of a 3S gondola cabin with Lego bricks.
The latest New Hampshire tram board minutes hint at a possible new lift for Bretton Woods.
Mountain Village and Telluride begin planning their new gondola in earnest.
Vermonters ask Why hasn’t Burke Mountain sold? as receivership fees surpass $12 million.
Sugarbush gets all but one of its chairlifts going after a challenging start to the season.
Several videos show the chaotic aftermath of the bullwheel detachment in Spain last week.
Colorado releases the Winter Park gondola crack incident report, a full report of investigation remains in progress.

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News Roundup: Strike Over

January 10, 2025January 10, 2025Peter Landsman13 Comments

Park City’s patrol strike ends after 12 days; Vail apologizes to guests and a class action lawsuit is filed.
Spirit Mountain, Minnesota solicits bids to replace Gandy with a quad this summer.
Bald Mountain, Idaho may not open this season due to inability to secure insurance.
Leitner-Poma President Daren Cole joins Banff Sunshine’s podcast to discuss the Super Angel Express and lift business more broadly.
A sit skier who fell from Winter Park’s Explorer Express and was seriously injured files suit.
Pursuit completes its acquisition of the Jasper SkyTram.
Saskadena Six, Vermont will not operate Chair Two this season, looks at a replacement.
Eaglecrest, Alaska continues to look toward a sightseeing gondola to subsidize its money-losing ski operation.
Killington’s Superstar six pack will cost $12.16 million,
Mt. Bachelor plans several enhancements to the Northwest Express.
Sugarbush to bring in additional staff from across Alterra to try and get non-functional lifts open.
Four Seasons, New York is listed for sale.
Sandia Peak proposes replacing Chair 1.

News Roundup: Auxiliary

December 27, 2024Peter Landsman7 Comments

Mt. Ashland reopens on the tree-damaged Ariel double, opens one of the first all-electric chairlifts in the country.
Sugarbush explains what’s going on with five lifts that have either gone down or not opened yet this season.
California OSHA tells me it won’t investigate the lift incident that hospitalized five people at Heavenly because most of the Comet Express is in Nevada, including where the collision occurred.
Whitefish is without Chair 2 while a systems modernization is completed.
Black Mountain, New Hampshire seeks to raise $5 million to form a co-op.
Winter Park reopens The Gondola just 48 hours after last week’s tower crack.
Construction begins on a third Mexicable line in Greater Mexico City with 10 stations and 278 cabins at a cost of $149 million.
A tower collapses on a fair chairlift in Mexico during operations.
The Chondola at Telluride is rope evacuated.
Alpental’s new Internationale chair opened today but was offloaded on auxiliary shortly thereafter due to a mechanical issue. “Our lift maintenance team is working with Doppelmayr and plans to complete full diagnostics and testing in the morning, with the goal of reopening the lift tomorrow once we are 100% satisfied we’ve eliminated all potential issues,” says The Summit.

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