The new 10-person Sunrise Gondola is aimed at reducing lift wait times at the Canyons Village base, according to Park City Mountain Vice President of Mountain Operations Shaydar Edelmann.
“This would add a third lift out of the base area,” Edelmann said. “So it would be a significant improvement to that guest experience. More options to get guests on snow faster out of the Canyons Village base area and really spreading across those three lifts. So a significant reduction in wait time in all three locations.”
Right now, the two ways to get on the mountain at Canyons are the Red Pine Gondola and the Orange Bubble Express.
The resort hosted three open houses Thursday. One for Canyons Village Management Association members, one for employees, and another that was open to the public. Park City Mountain spokesperson Sara Huey said around 150 people attended in total.
Colleen Logan, who has owned a condo in Canyons Village for over two decades, buys the idea that the new gondola will ease congestion on those two lifts.
“The challenge is when the gondola is really crowded, then people start migrating over to the Bubble, and both areas just get so crowded,” Logan said. “So the beauty of this Sunrise 10-person gondola is that it’ll take a huge group of people and shift them all the way over to the other part of the village base area and even out the load.”
The base of the new gondola will replace the existing Sunrise lift, nestled in between the Pendry hotel, Hilton Sunrise Lodge, and the Hyatt Centric Hotel.
It’ll take skiers and riders up over 1,000 feet to the Red Pine Lodge.
“Red Pine is our year-round mid-mountain hub, and that arrival point provides access and options for all ability levels to ski and snowboard to a choice of six lifts from there,” Edelmann said.
Regarding wind holds, he said the gondola's alignment would be much less susceptible to wind impacts.
"It’s sheltered from the north, it’s lower down on the ridgeline and it’s a bigger cabin, newer lift - so providing that extra stability," he said.
The new gondola is subject to permitting by Summit County.
Summit County Development Director Pat Putt said Thursday the resort has not formally submitted an application.
Huey said the approval and construction process would take years, and did not provide a specific timeline for completion.
A contract between the resort and the CVMA stipulates the gondola must be completed within three years after receiving all approvals.
The Sunrise gondola will cost $27 million. The CVMA will pay a little more than $9 million, with the resort covering the remainder.
