Where Gondola Tames Traffic
by dave pearson
Mention the word “commute” and most people visualize sitting in traffic, en-route to a job in a major metropolitan area. But to Telluride, Colorado residents and visitors, “commute” takes on a loftier meaning. In 1996, the first U.S. public transit gondola opened to link the historic mountain town of Telluride with the European ambience of neighboring Mountain Village. The 12-minute, three-mile gondola offers spectacular southwestern Colorado views including a panorama of the surrounding San Juan Mountains. Best of all, it’s free. This no-cost public transportation allows residents to forget rental cars, shun long waits for the bus and avoid driving in hazardous winter conditions. If you want to get somewhere in these mountain towns, the gondola will take you.
At full speed, the gondola cabin travels at 11 miles per hour. Each year it covers more than 52,000 miles shuttling riders between the communities. For added safety, it is the first gondola to be equipped with the DAS lightning protection system, which neutralizes the charge in the air. (Curious travelers learn that the “umbrella” on top of each tower is part of the lightning protection system.) Furthermore, the gondola support towers are low profile, reducing the visual impact and the likelihood of a shutdown during high winds. The system also offers environmentally friendly benefits. Every hour it carries as many people as 30 busses and minimizes noise and air pollution.
It took several years for the Telluride Sky and Golf Company to build its $16-million alternative transportation system. Its predecessor, the “Chondola” (a high-speed quad lift with a 4-person gondola cabin in place of every 10th chair), opened in 1995. The current system is the darling of the skiers and boarders who flock to this winter playground. It hauls the equivalent of three high-speed express lifts. However, its primary role is that of a public transportation system. People use the gondola for their commute to work, trip to the grocery store or meeting with friends—easing traffic congestion on the mountain roads. Local kids shuttle to and from school.
The ride between the towns is split into three legs. The 6.2-minute segment begins in Telluride at 8,750 feet and climbs almost 2,000 feet to St. Sophia Station where a lift ticket or season pass to Telluride Ski Area is required to disembark. The second portion is a 4.7-minute trip from St. Sophia down to Mountain Village, elevation 9,540 feet. There is also a fast 2-minute link between Mountain Village and the Station Village parking area. Each of the gondola’s 48 cabins can carry eight people (some are equipped to transport mountain bikes in the warmer months while others are designated pet-friendly). It is open from 7 a.m. to 12 midnight during the winter and summer seasons. During the months of April, May, October and November, when tourism slows, the Gondola undergoes maintenance and may be closed. When this occurs, energy-efficient, bio-diesel shuttle buses carry people between the towns.
The next time you hear the word commute, think Telluride, not traffic, and know that here there is a better way. For more information: visit www.visittelluride.com.