Vail Resorts scored a huge win this week as their capitol improvement plan for Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and Canyons was approved by the Park City Planning Commission. The biggest news of the plan is that Vail will now be able to construct an interconnect gondola, linking Canyons Resort to Park City Mountain Resort, creating what will be the largest ski area in the U.S. with over 7,300 acres of skiable terrain.
The planning commission voted unanimously to approve of the deal, which also includes upgrades of the King Con and Motherlode lifts at PCMR, a new on-mountain restaurant at PCMR, expansion of the Red Pine Lodge at Canyons, and increased snowmaking infrastructure. Vail estimates it will cost $50-million, and the project is slated to be completed in time for the 2015/16 ski season.
According to Vail Resorts, the Interconnect Gondola will be an eight-passenger, high-speed two-way gondola from the base of the existing Silverlode Lift at Park City to the Flatiron Lift at Canyons. The gondola will also have an unload at the top of Pine Cone Ridge to allow skiers and riders the chance to ski into Thaynes Canyons at Park City via gated ski access or to the Iron Mountain area at Canyons through new trails that will be created from Pine Cone Ridge. No word yet on how construction this summer will impact the popular trails on Pine Cone Ridge and if there will be any closures.