Whistler Blackcomb ski area

Whistler Opens New Gondola

Whistler Blackcomb ski area, situated in British Columbia, Canada, opens today a new PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola lift connecting its two mountains - Whistler and Blackcomb - at rather high altitude. The official opening is scheduled for 11 am.

This gondola connection has been widely acclaimed in mass media and promoted as a necessary backup connection in case the existing one laid through the valley would become problematic due to climate conditions.

The new gondola lift cost about $52 million and is likely to set some records, for instance, of being the highest lift (its heights from the valley bed to the top is 435 m) and having the biggest span between the support towers (it is about 3 km).

Timing for the lift opening is quite right, because snow layer in the valley is still rather scarce. Before Whistler Blackcomb ski resort launched the season in the end of November, all its snowmaking machinery worked at full blast. But despite all these efforts there are only 23 cm of snow in the valley, so it would be rather difficult to get from mountain to mountain witout new gondola.

Stuart Rempel, resort’s vice president of sales and marketing, is quite optimistic: “The 2008/2009 season is finally upon is, and we’re gearing up for Whistler Blackcomb’s most exciting season yet. With the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola grand opening… and the one year countdown to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games taking place in February, we’re thrilled to kick this season off and start skiing!”

Photo: by Arturo Mann (wikimedia.org)

Date: 12/12/2008