By Shannon Lukens.

 

Steamboat Resort has a new gondola. The official ribbon cutting for the Wild Blue Gondola was Saturday morning. Deb Werner cut the ribbon. She’s Director of Lift Ops who has worked for the resort for 50 years.

“It means the world just because we have some really high tech equipment and it’s going to make the experience for our guests and our employees so much better.”

 

Olympian and long-time Director of Skiing Billy Kidd was also there for the festivities.

“This is a great day. To have this gorgeous new gondola, to have 13 feet of Champagne Powder, come on out and try it. You’ll be training for the Olympics. Good luck.”

 

The Wild Blue Gondola can take skiers and riders from the base area to the Greenhorn Ranch Learning Center. Each of the 58 gondola cabins holds ten people. Section 1 has ten towers.

Section 2 is the next part that will be added for a total of 171 cabins. When the upper section is added, the Wild Blue Gondola will take skiers and riders from the Steamboat base area to the top of Sunshine Peak in only 12 and a half minutes. When finished, the Wild Blue Gondola will be the longest and fastest gondola in North America.