Mixed feelings. Mostly sad.
They announced the gondola 8 year’s ago and never came through with it. That should help a lot with base area congestion. We now have direct flights from Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, Houston, etc . It sounds like we are in Mayberry at the base area. These people are, mostly, poor at understanding these newfangled lifts. The new, fastest chair ever never runs full speed and stops 5 times per ride because people fall, six at a time, every ride. But it does have a bubble and heated seats.
New Tram. They’re going to dump 75 people up there at a time. This will ruin the skiing on the peak. It’s big but not that big. 90% of people still go down Liberty. This will create a line on Shedhorn trying to get them out. More IKONers will bump out Marx and Lenin. Nobody in charge cares. Too much money to be worried about skiing. The growth expected around here is staggering. Moonlight plans on building a city there. The new Flat Iron project is looking to build another 750 units on Andesite. We are already struggling with water in, water out. BS straddles two counties. Madison County is rural and fairly poor so they green light anything that brings in tax revenue. Gallatin count is run by people who make money with growth.
Nobody cares if the skiing is good.
BTW, I paid $2000 bucks last Fall for this season’s pass. It gives me unlimited access to the tram. I am worried about the next increase to pay for a giant glass building. The tram line has been okay this year compared to the last few years. End of an era!