Vail Mountain (www.vail.com) in Colorado, the largest ski resort in the US, has already begun making plans for its 50th anniversary in December, with the announcement of a new, state-of-the art gondola to replace the Vista Bahn Express Lift (#16) in Vail Village. If all goes to plan the gondola will be installed this summer, and be operational for opening day of the 2012–13 ski season.
The new gondola will be in the same location as the existing lift, a high-speed quad lift that was installed in 1985, and will reach the same location at Mid-Vail. It will have the number “1” to commemorate Vail’s original gondola in that location, will provide a 40% improvement in uphill capacity, compared with the existing Vista Bahn Express Lift (#16) – the highest of any gondola in North America – and will offer new features, such as free Wi-Fi access for guests.
