The rumor has been circulating ever since Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows became one united ski resort. The resort moved one step closer by recently announcing its plan to install a base-to-base gondola, connecting Squaw Valley and the base area at Alpine Meadows.
Called the “California Express,” the proposed gondola would save approximately 40 minutes for skiers and snowboarders with its 13-16-minute ride from the base of one resort to the other. Roughly 37 lift towers would transport passengers the length of the estimated 13,000-foot line.
The eight-passenger gondola cabins would transport up to 1,400 people per hour and allow riders to get off at one of two mid-mountain stations and ski or ride down.
The gondola would make the Lake Tahoe resort the largest ski area in California with 6,000 acres of skiable terrain.
“Naming the gondola the ‘California Express’ was a natural choice, especially since California, more widely known for its beaches than mountains, also offers some of North America’s most abundant snowfall, stunning scenery, and world-class ski and snowboard terrain,” said Andy Wirth, president and COO of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows.
But don’t think this will happen overnight and be ready sometime in the 2017-18 ski season. The proposed connection is currently under a joint agency review and assessment with the United States Forest Service (USFS) and Placer County.
The gondola would cross the Five Lakes Trail, which leads to the federally protected Granite Chief Wilderness area. The route would travel across land that was once envisioned as part of the protected area but never acquired by the federal government.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows says it’s committed to ensuring the gondola is sensitive to the environment, native habitat, and nearby public lands when it is built. To this end, the design plan for the California Express prioritizes environmental sustainability at every step.
Squaw can expect push back from environmentalists and local individuals who want to preserve the region’s natural state and have been concerned about Squaw Valley’s recent expansion plans, that also include a gravity-powered “roller coaster” ride and adding as many as 850 residential units with a new hotel, retail space, restaurants and bars.
The gondola is pending approval by public agencies. However, the resort believes it can make the California Express a reality in time for the 2019-20 winter season. Residents and resort guests can voice their active support for the California Express to make this long-held dream reality.
To learn more about the California Express, visit squawalpine.com/gondola.
