Park City | Quicksilver Gondola [Park City to Canyons]

Park City and The Canyons were separate ski resorts, unique from each other for a long time. In 2015, they were combined into one single resort, making it the largest major ski resort in the US. Both resorts are in very close proximity to each other, which is a big reason Vail Resorts chose to combine them. Though, there is a big barrier in between the resorts, which is Pinecone Ridge. All the terrain on this ridge are backcountry, steep expert terrain, not suitable for lap able terrain. To truly connect both resorts, a gondola was built, with a mid station to serve Pinecone Ridge, and a few blue runs leading down into the colony.

Quicksilver Gondola is a Doppelmayr 8 passenger gondola. It uses CWA Omega IV 8 LWI cabins, AG-108 grips, and uni-g terminals. This gondola is unique in several ways, one being it has 7 depression towers over the entire line. It features an angle station, which uses the uni-gt terminals, and has several bullwheels in it to transfer torque between stages. The drive terminal is on The Canyons side, in The Colony, and therefore the towers are counted from there. This lift also has two different line gauges. The first section from The Colony to the mid station has a narrower gauge, using North American style lifting frames, while the other section has the European style lifting frames, and a wider line gauge. This is due to the mellower line on The Canyons side, and a crazy, changing profile, as well as a big span over Thaynes Canyon, on the Park City. The change in profile is also quite unique, with one part of the gondola going over a canyon, and another part of the line going over flat ground, with an active road going underneath. Quicksilver Gondola is an elegant lift, and provides a great connection between both sides of Park City.

Recorded on February 18th, 2021