Squamish Gondola

[knowsam]

I know it's been controversial, but given it’s going to happen, anyone know whether the new gondola’s going to open-up access to any good touring? I’ve always driven way past there or stayed well south. I look at it on the map and it seems to just stop too low and too far from any really useful terrain for skiers.

[LeeLau]

Opens up access to Skypilot Range but travel to that area will cross a bunch of objective hazards eg steep gullies

[knowsam]

Thanks for heads up. I thought maybe SP, but the Google earth view looked pretty uninviting. Maybe on a big snow year, will get some tree skiing of something in there, but for now, I’m not really sure why they’re advertising access for backcountry skiing – I can’t see it.

[powder11]

Thanks for heads up. I thought maybe SP, but the Google earth view looked pretty uninviting. Maybe on a big snow year, will get some tree skiing of something in there, but for now, I’m not really sure why they’re advertising access for backcountry skiing – I can’t see it.

Probably marketing morons who don't realize they will be creating headaches for SAR by advertising ski access. People will be skiing/snowboarding/snowshoeing down into steep drainages that close out with no snow. Other than a tourist trap for lazy people, that gondola serves no purpose.

[xyz]

This ridiculous circus ride in our backcountry is nothing but a cash grab. The developers are greedy twits trying to sell this as some kind of favor to the environment. After word gets around that the alpine in this area is a total whiteout 10 months a year this is destine for epic failure.

[gramboh]

And then there are all the Chinese senior tourists that don't have the patience, or bladders, for a car drive up to Whistler but could handle a drive to Squamish.

Haha not sure why but this made me laugh my ass off. I agree, it will be a commercial success, they can probably charge $40-50 and tourists will pay it. Are they going to let people take skis up and down the gondola? Since I can't see skiing down to the highway as a possibility pretty much ever.

Isn't the KFC a new taco place or something now?

[AK47bp]

Wondering if they will allow people to tour up and take the gondy down.

[t.odd]

Wondering if they will allow people to tour up and take the gondy down.

good luck with that

[Sol Skier]

Wondering if they will allow people to tour up and take the gondy down.

Nailed it.

[t.odd]

you guys realize that this thing starts at sea level, right? and even if there was enough snow between the base and the upper terminal, the terrain is not conducive to skinning up as it's extremely steep. Any potential skiing opportunities are above the upper terminal.

[AK47bp]

Then I'll boot pack it to the snow line, skin the rest of the ascent and cruise down on the gondy.

[Clownshoe]

to each his own I guess, but I have to ask. Why would you want to hike/ski up bullshit terrain, get zero turns, and then download?

Do you have any idea where this thing is? Have you stood at the bottom and looked up?

[t.odd]

clue. less.

[shirk]

clue. less.

I think yo being trolled bro.

Bub oddly enough thousands of idiots hike up the shitty Grouse Grind to ride the gondi down so you never know.

[Clownshoe]

I guess it could be a Grouse Grind kind of thing where you just go for the workout and then download, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

I was hoping that this thing would open up some skiing, but as Lee pointed out, it doesn't look like the lift provides "easy" access to much skiing.

I think it will open up some climbing. There's got to be a bunch of nice granite up there that will get developed now that the access is there.

Also Big Red Ted is building trails up there that will be cool to check out.

[t.odd]

I think yo being trolled bro.

Bub oddly enough thousands of idiots hike up the shitty Grouse Grind to ride the gondi down so you never know.

I actually hope I'm being trolled....or conversely, would love to be there when he shows up to "bootpack" up....

[Clownshoe]

shirk beat me to it

[t.odd]

I was hoping that this thing would open up some skiing, but as Lee pointed out, it doesn't look like the lift provides "easy" access to much skiing.

I did talk to someone a while ago who said he'd occasionally get back/up there for some touring, but it was a mission to get there, lack of low elevation snow, shitty sled in, etc...he said it was decent but way more effort than it was worth, and that this may open up more ops.

[xyz]

The S2S gondy tops out at 850 meters. The base of Whistler is 675 m. The top of grouse mountain is 1230 m. With those three numbers its quite clear this thing will have pretty much zero purpose for skiing.

[AK47bp]

Yea I'm just messing around. The only stop I make in Squamish on the way to whistla is at that swanky mcdonalds to piss and get 1 last affordable meal

[t.odd]

well, joke is on me! ha that being said, looking at google earth, I guess it will provide much improved access to Sky Pilot (2000m), plus Mt Habrich (1600m) above the upper terminal too...

[xyz]

well, joke is on me! ha that being said, looking at google earth, I guess it will provide much improved access to Sky Pilot (2000m), plus Mt Habrich (1600m) above the upper terminal too...

what are the operating hours for this? if you got 'first tram' then bush whacked for 1200 m vertical, bagged sky pilot, would you make it back in time for the last gondi? this will prolly be the same price as a whistler backcountry ticket. i'd rather tour the spearhead...

[t.odd]

what are the operating hours for this? if you got 'first tram' then bush whacked for 1200 m vertical, bagged sky pilot, would you make it back in time for the last gondi? this will prolly be the same price as a whistler backcountry ticket. i'd rather tour the spearhead...

not disagreeing with you....

[Jacolac]

Heard from someone working on the gondola that season passes for at least the first year will be around $100. Not bad if I can bring my skis and bike up there.

[Jaffa]

Just to reiterate that this is starting from sea level, in Squamish and topping out around 850m. I don't tend to pay for lift access to start my tours from the A-Line/Crabapple/Dirt Merchant junction. Just saying.

There's a chance it will be cool in the summer when they build some bike trails in that zone. There's some potential for some seriously steep and quintessentially 'Squamish' granite heavy steep shit to go down in that area.