Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Canada is a known for many of their high-speed quad lifts by the mountain industry, and used throughout by travelers to the mountain resort for their winter ski vacation.

Whistler resort is reinforce their global brand strength with a mountain lift that’s bigger, faster and higher than all the lifts preceding it - the Peak to Peak Gondola that will stretch from the top of Whistler Mountain to the top of Blackcomb Mountain. Wow!

For all of you who’ve skied Whistler and Blackcomb during your vacation stay in one of the many luxurious and homey Whistler accommodations, you’ll know that this great feet is one to be reckoned. A chair lift stretching the distance between these two incredible ski mountains was only a matter of time for it to happen. Currently, skiers and snowboards alike would take the lifts to the top of Whistler mountain, and ski or board across the mountain to get to Blackcomb, or alternatively pick one of the chair lifts starting at the base of the resorts Whistler Village that lead up Whistler mountain or Blackcomb mountain.

Whistler officials expect the gondola will become a marketing icon, a lift that will help sustain the resort’s image in the travel industry and marketplace.

Construction of the Whistler Blackcomb gondola comes after a period when hotel tax revenue - a key economic indicator in Whistler - has been stagnant or declined. Whistler has enjoyed great snowfalls during the past two years, but the high Canadian dollar and competition from American resorts continue to pose a problem.
The Peak to Peak Gondola in Whistler Blackcomb will help attract enough visitors to sustain Whistler’s hotel industry and its retail sector, said Brownlie.

The giant lift will also help the resort cope with the effects of global warming decades down the road, Brownlie said, by letting skiers who are visiting on their vacation bypass low-snow zones to get into the high alpine.

For those not afflicted with vertigo, the gondola will delight its riders with amazing views of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains and beyond. This view will have a panoramic view of Whistler Village and the surrounding city of Whistler lodging and accommodations, and the luxurious home rentals and hotels Whistler has to offer vacation travelers. Those travelers who are staying in Whistler for their vacation rental holiday may get a glimpse of this attraction from their accommodation facing the Whistler Blackcomb mountain side. The gondola will also break world records, say Whistler officials.

The installation of lift tower 3 on Blackcomb has been completed and lift tower 2 on Whistler is expected to be finished by the end of October. Two other towers are scheduled to be built in 2008 so the gondola is ready for the 2008-2009 ski season.

Melamed acknowledged that some Whistler residents fear the gondola will mar the mountain view from the valley.

“But I think people will get used to it. It won’t obliterate the view by any stretch.”
Michel Beaudry, a ski industry consultant and author of the history of Whistler Against All Odds, believes the gondola is aimed at boosting the non-skiing sight-seeing market.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 21st, 2007 at 4:31 pm and is filed under Whistler, Whistler Accommodations, City, Accommodation in Whistler, Whistler Services. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.