Whistler-Blackcomb | Whistler Village Gondola

Whistler Mountain has had a gondola since 1965, though it wasn't always in the same place. In 1965, a Mueller gondola was installed, along with Red Chair, T-Bar 1 and T-Bar 2. The gondola started at the Valley Station (current Creekside Base). In 1980, Whistler Village and Blackcomb Village areas opened, with two Yan triples, Village Chair serving Whistler Mountain, and Fitzsimmons Chair serving Blackcomb Mountain, which first opened that year. Eight years later in 1988, Village Chair was replaced with Stage 1 of Whistler Express, as what they called Whistler Village Gondola back then. Stage 2 of this gondola crossed over Black Chair, and ended at the Roundhouse Lodge. This made it so one could take a gondola out of both base areas.

Whistler Village Gondola is a Poma 10 passenger gondola. While the lift seats only eight, it is rated as 10 because there is room for two people to stand. The original cabins were replaced with Sigma Diamond cabins in 2014, but they still seat 8 and stand 2. The total system is the longest connected gondola system in North America, at 16,401 feet in length, and climbing an incredible 3,800 vertical feet. This lift not only runs in the winter, but also during the summer, as part of the 360 Experience. Because of this, the lift has very high hours, and likely would be scrapped if swapped for a newer gondola. It's only a matter of time before Whistler Village Gondola is replaced, and let's hope it's not too soon.

Timestamps:
0:00 Bottom Terminal
1:29 Stage 1 Ride Up
7:15 Olympic Station
8:53 Stage 2 Ride Up
22:01 Top Terminal

Recorded on April 11, 2022
GoPro Hero 10 Black, 1080p Video Quality, 30 fps and Horizon Leveling