Heavenly Resort Closes Essential Gondola Indefinitely

Heavenly has announced the indefinite closure of its gondola. This means that the ski area can only be accessed from the California sideat least until Sunday when it's hoped that the Stagecoach chairlift may open.

The gondoloa as built by Doppelmayr in 2000. The vertical rise is 876 m over 3897 m with a speed of 6 metres per second. The transit time is approx. 12 minutes with a carrying capacity of 2800 people per hour

In a statment they say:

"Due to a mechanical issue discovered this morning, the Heavenly Gondola will not operate until it is fully repaired. The Gondola Maintenance Team worked with the lift manufacturer and project engineer to diagnose the problem, which is related to one of the bearings in the high-speed shaft. At no time has the Gondola been unsafe to operate, but it’s best to replace these bearings early before they do become a more serious problem. We are actively working with our manufacturer to secure replacement bearings with urgency. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about the timeline, but we are focused on completing this necessary repair as quickly as we can.

"Until the Gondola is repaired and Stagecoach lift opens, access to the mountain will be through the California Base only. As we are still in a peak period, parking at the California Base Area requires a reservation through this Sunday and can be made at www.parkheavenly.com. Kirkwood and Northstar are also good options for skiing and riding until the Gondola is repaired.

"Thankfully, the temperatures have finally dropped and the snowmaking team has been making snow around the clock including on the Nevada side of the mountain. We need one more night of snowmaking at the bottom of Stagecoach to get that lift open, and aim to have it ready by Saturday morning. We should be able to open North Bowl Express and Olympic Express next week if temperatures cooperate and we get some natural snow.

"We apologize for this inconvenience – please know that we are working as fast and safely as we can to get the Gondola back open. Throughout the process, we will frequently update you on our social channels (please make sure to watch our stories). Additionally, our team members will be around to direct you and answer questions if needed. We are grateful for your patience and understanding!"