Up, up and away: Grouse Mountain replacing aging gondola system

Key Takeaways:

• The new system will boost capacity with 27 eight-person cabins. 
• The gondola is expected to open in early 2024.
• Work includes updates to base buildings and parking areas. 

The Whole Story:

Shovels are poised to hit the ground for a sky high-project in Metro Vancouver.

Grouse Mountain announced the installation of a new Gondola will begin in September. The state-of-the-art gondola will replace the aging Blue Skyride.

Grouse Mountain is privately held by local, family-owned Northland Properties which is funding the project.

“We are thrilled to be embarking on this transformational project as we approach the 100th anniversary of the first official ski season at the Resort,” said Michael Cameron, president of Grouse Mountain. “Since the world’s first double chairlift was built at the Resort in 1949, Grouse Mountain has had a rich history of investing in modern recreational technology. The installation of the new gondola is the latest development to further enhance our four-season operations to welcome both the local and global community.” 

The new lift system, which includes a total of 13 towers and 27 eight-person gondola cabins, will allow Grouse Mountain to return to just above its original capacity when both the Blue and Red Skyrides were fully operational. In addition to the new gondola, phase two of the project includes future updates to current base buildings and improvements to parking areas at the Resort. 

The mountain’s Blue Tram opened in 1966 and the Red Tram opened in 1976, making the Grouse Mountain aerial tramway system the largest in North America. 

Project Timeline

• Clearing of Gondola Easement Area: September/October 2022 

• Building of Foundations/Base and Plateau Stations: January/August 2023 

• Assembly of Towers and Line Work: September/November 2023 

• System Testing: Winter 2023/2024 

• New Gondola Opens: Spring 2024