Whistlers New $52m Gondola Opens Tomorrow
Thursday, December 11th, 2008
The much publicised $52m PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola which will link Whistler’s two mountains at altitude will officially open to the public tomorrow, Friday December 12th 2008.
The gondola was originally unofficially promoted as a need link at altitude should climate change in the future mean that the existing connection at the base of the ski area became problematic for snow cover.
The lift will set several world records including having the longest span between two support towers at just over three kilometres (just under two miles) and being the highest lift above a valley floor 435m/ 1,427 feet below – two of the gondola cabins will have glass floors to that users can get a full view of the gap beneath them.
The need for the altitude link has been underlined by a rather scant snow cover start to the season at Whistler, in common with other Western North American resorts.
However fresh snow is raising spirits with 23 centimetres (Nine inches) falling on the summits this week and another 10 centimetres (four inches) forecast for opening day this Friday. Adding to that, the snowmaking crew has turned over nine million gallons of water into snow within the last week.
The lift officially opens at 11am on the 12th with the first gondola cabin across carrying people deemed worthy to be the first ever passengers of what the resort believes will rapidly become a Canadian tourism icon.
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