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(Park City, UT)--It's official: Park City and Canyons Ski resorts are now connected. You can buy a ticket on the Canyons side, and end your day on the Park City side or vice versa.
Skiers and boarders, like Bailee Pinentel are thrilled about it.
"It's just a dream come true," Pinentel said. "Because I love going to canyons, I love going to Park City. So now I can do both in one day without getting in my car and taking all my stuff off. It makes a big difference."
This is due to the completion of the Quicksilver Gondola that connects Park City and Canyons Resorts.
"It's the centerpiece of our $50-million dollar capital investment transforming Park City into the largest resort on the United States," said Bill Rock, CEO of Park City Mountain Resort.
Friday morning, hundreds gathered for a mountainside party and ribbon cutting ceremony. Within minutes, the first cars started carrying skiers and snowboarders between the two resorts. An 8 and a half minute ride.
"It was a complicated project with a lot of moving parts," Rock said Friday, "but we were on schedule, on budget and we're thrilled to share it with the world today."
The gondola takes you through the trees, and also along the hilltops providing great views. An additional plus: Quicksilver opens up new trails and other areas that was hard to get to in the past.
"It makes a big difference because you can do more runs throughout the day," Pinentel said. "So you can ski or board on the canyons side and the Park City side and do a little bit of both."
With the gondola now running, the combined resorts now offer 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, with 41 lifts and 16 restaurants.
Besides the Quicksilver Gondola, the other major highlight is the opening of the new Miner's Camp restaurant. The 18,000 square foot structure has 500 indoor seats and a state-of-the-art kitchen. It's a huge improvement from the old Snow Hut that operated on the mountain top for years.
