Sterling Vineyards received approval for variance and conservation regulation exception to replace Gondola system in Napa Valley. The original system was a monocable detachable gondola (MDG) with nine towers and four-person cabins that burned down in the 2020 Glass Fire. The new system would have 11 towers with eight-person cabins. The system must keep its towers below the 50-foot height limit, except for two special cases, to ensure rider comfort while minimizing the number of towers. The new system will also require the removal of seven oak trees which will be replaced by planting 14 oaks on the property. SCJ Alliance, the parent company of the Gondola Project, has been retained to provide gondola expertise for this project.
Cardrona/Soho Ski Area in New Zealand plans for new gondolas. The majority shareholder built a $20 million gondola in 2018 for access to the park and now plans to build a fully electric gondola from the Cardrona Valley to the Ski Area. A new rule enables the construction of gondolas within designated Rural Zones, which opened the door for gondola access to the ski zones. Soho Ski area will also be adding a new chairlift.
Steamboat Resort in Colorado used a helicopter to place towers for the first leg of the Wild Blue gondola. The helicopter picked up the tower sections near Christie Peak, flew them to the site, and then hovered for about five minutes as the workers quickly fastened the tower pieces into place. The new Gondola will increase capacity from 6,000 to 10,000 people per hour and is part of the $200 million planned improvements for the resort. Check out the article to see construction pictures of the towers or a previous Weekly Roundup here for more information.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is closed for cleanup due to a flash flood. The flood was caused by extremely heavy rainfall at the top of Mt. San Jacinto. Two hundred people were stranded at the valley station due to exit roads being covered in impassible mudflows. The stations were then closed temporarily for inspection and to allow for the cleaning of both the equipment and the dock area.
