Keystone: New River Run Gondola Coming Winter 2008/09

Keystone Resort has announced plans to install a new state-of-the-art eight-passenger gondola to replace the current six-passenger River Run Gondola for the 2008-2009 ski and snowboard season. A key component of the plan includes moving the bottom terminal of the new River Run Gondola into the River Run Village, significantly enhancing the guest experience for both River Run destination guests as well as day visitors parking at the River Run Village, by making access to the gondola easier.

The upgraded River Run Gondola will follow the same alignment as the existing gondola with the top terminal located in the same location at the summit of Dercum Mountain. A new mid-station will be constructed halfway up Dercum Mountain with loading and unloading in both directions, giving skiers and snowboarders an option to access the upper trails from mid-mountain and to download at the end of their ski day.

The new cabins were designed with passenger comfort in mind with floor-to-ceiling windows providing the best possible view and with room to accommodate skis and snowboards inside the cabin. Additionally, the new gondola will offer level walk-in heated load and unload stations to provide convenient access for wheelchairs, mountain bikes, strollers, sight seers, mountaintop tubing hill guests and night-time dining guests.

With a vertical rise of 2,307 feet and a top-to-bottom average trip time of less than 12 minutes, the new eight-passenger River Run Gondola will transport about 2,400 people per hour, more than twice the current level. Keystone plans to operate the new River Run Gondola winter and summer.