Peak to Peak

The ski-resort of Whistler-Blackcomb in Canada consists of two mountains: Mount Whistler and Mount Blackcomb. Both used to be clearly separated from eachother: the only way from one mountain to another was always through the valley: you'd have to go down the mountain, and take the lifts to go up to the other one.

Until recently, that is. Because a new cable gondola has been opened on december 12th, connecting the two mountains. Instead of having to go down the mountain and up the other, a 11 minute ride in a gondola bridges the gap between the two mountainsides. This new lift is called the "peak 2 peak", which is basically what the lift is all about.

What makes this project all the more fascinating, are the sheer dimensions of the peak2peak connection. The entire distance between the two peaks is 4.40 kilometres, of which more than 3 kilometres is an unsupported span between the towers on the mountainside. The rope, on which the gondolas hang, is a maximum of 436m above ground (over Fitzsimmons Creek). I know there was an accident recently with a lift on Mount Whistler, but still: I would love to go there right now and travel this thing back and forth...