Chinook Helicopter Delivers Ski Lift Towers To Colorado Resort
Steamboat Resort, Colorado, alongside what seems like every other ski area in North America, is working on a new lift infrastructure.
Watch as a Chinook helicopter delivers towers for the under-construction Wild Blue Gondola expansion.
A Chinook helicopter will be active today working on installing the Wild Blue Gondola Towers. While in operation we will have to close a number of trails. 🚁
For information on trail closures visit the Steamboat App and https://t.co/PtyOBLRx4n pic.twitter.com/rS7tZxytwk— #SteamboatResort (@skisteamboat) June 28, 2023
The Wild Blue Gondola, which opened to skiers last winter, initially transported guests to a mid-station that provided access to the Bashor, Greenhorn Ranch, and Thunderhead lifts.
The new currently under-construction leg of the Wild Blue Gondola will end at Sunshine Peak. With this leg completed, Wild Blue will be North America's longest and fastest ten-person gondola, carrying skiers over 3.16 miles of mountainous terrain. The fully completed Wild Blue Gondola opens this upcoming winter.
Steamboat isn't stopping the resort expansions there, though. In addition to the Wild Blue Gondola, the resort is also building a new high-speed detachable quad called the Mahogany Ridge Express which will serve a once out-of-bounds area called Pioneer Ridge. With the expansion underway, Steamboat now refers to Pioneer Ridge as Mahogany Ridge.
Steamboat's new Mahogany Ridge area will provide access to mostly expert terrain.
"Steamboat has long been known for our pristine intermediate terrain, and this new expansion will put us on the map for the best skiers and snowboarders in the world," the resort wrote, explaining the benefit of the terrain expansion.
The Mahogany Ridge Express, like the upper leg of the Wild Blue Gondola, opens during the 2023-2024 ski season.
During the summer construction efforts, Steamboat anticipates continued multi-use trail closures. To stay up to date on these closures, view this link.
For more Colorado ski news and ski culture coverage, check out Powder's dedicated Centennial State channel, run by Cameron M. Burns, an award-winning writer, photographer, designer, communications, and publishing specialist.
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