What Ski Area Is This?
And what’s the story behind these yellow and blue gondolas?
Special thanks to Dana Mathios, curator of the Colorado Snowsports Museum, for providing this week’s photo.
Last Week
This is a photo of Cannon Mountain, Franconia, NH, home of America’s first aerial tramway which began operation in 1938 and was renovated in the 80s. Taken from the air by a passing friendly aviator, the resort has a reputation as one comment pointed out for being “too cold and too fast”. Regardless, one feature of Cannon that endears the state-owned resort to SeniorsSkiing.com is that seniors 65-plus ski for free. That is, if you are a New Hampshire resident. Still, that’s a gift.
That wide swath you see on the right side of the mountain is the training hill for myriad ski teams. At the very base is the Mittersill Alpine Resort. A reader reports the training hill was closed for 40 years, but it’s clearly back in operation, accessible from the base by a t-bar. Quaint, no?
Here’s a short video showing the ride up the tram.
Crested Butte gondys! They got a great deal from an Italian ski lift company on those brightly colored 3 person gondolas. Didn’t get off to a great start though as the minister who blessed it fell and broke his leg right after doing so and the gondola broke down for the rest of the day.
Well….I am guessing it is Vail from the late 60’s or early 70’s. I seem to remember the gondolas being green, but they could have changed. My friends and I would boot or ski pack Giant Steps for free tickets before grooming machines. Great memories.
Looks like the original Vail Gondi. Lots of things ‘happened’ in those old cabins. Rode it the first time in 66.
Not Vail but don’t know where. Vail Lionshead did have colored gondolas in the 70’s but these are not the ones.