The Engineering Genius Behind The World's Most Ambitious Ski Lift

Ian Greenwood
·2 min read

It's time to talk lifts. Big lifts.

Enter the Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which travels over a valley to connect Whistler and Blackcomb ski areas. This thing is enormous, boasting the world's longest unsupported span in its cablecar category.

Predictably, putting together the Peak 2 Peak was no small feat. Here's how it all happened.

With the opening of Peak 2 Peak Gondola in December 2008, it was suddenly possible to effortlessly ride Blackcomb and Whistler in one day with minimal hassle.

Before its existence, you needed to travel to the base to swap resorts. Now, mixing it up is a quick 11-minute gondola ride away.

Here's a confession. I spent four years skiing Whistler Blackcomb as a student at Quest University, and I think I rode the Peak 2 Peak once. Maybe twice?

I was more of a Creekside guy who preferred to stick to Whistler's Peak Chair, a routine I didn't break because, for better or worse, I'm a creature of habit.

I don't say that to discredit the Peak 2 Peak, though. The gondola is an absolute marvel of engineering that's 100% worth checking out at least once in your life. I first rode it in the summer and had my socks knocked right off.

The gondola travels 2.7 miles, all while dangling hundreds of feet over the valley floor. For context, here's a 2014 video of a base jumper leaping from the Peak 2 Peak. Pro tip: don't try this yourself unless you want to end up in the back of an RCMP squad car.

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