Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Thousands take joy ride on Baldy


By EXPRESS STAFF

Sun Valley Co. owners Carol Holding, center, and Earl Holding, seated at center-right, cut the ribbon to celebrate the completion of the new Roundhouse gondola on Saturday at the River Run base area of Bald Mountain. Wally Huffman, the resort’s director of development, center-left, and Tim Silva, the resort’s general manager, left, assisted in the celebration.

The verdict is in: Residents of the Wood River Valley are elated about Sun Valley Co.'s newest on-mountain amenity, a state-of-the-art gondola from the River Run base area of Bald Mountain to Roundhouse restaurant.

An estimated 5,000 people came out for the Gondola 'Ganza party Saturday, Nov. 21, to celebrate the completion of the project. After cutting the ribbon on the gondola, Sun Valley owners Earl and Carol Holding hopped in the first cabin to enjoy the quiet, eight-minute ride to Roundhouse.

Jack Sibbach, director of sales and marketing for Sun Valley Co., said 3,200 people rode the gondola. A line of people waiting to enjoy a free ride up the mountain snaked through the River Run base area and over the resort's bridge spanning the Big Wood River.

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The gondola ascends 1,928 vertical feet in six minutes and 40 seconds. At one point, riders hang 204 feet above the ground as the cabin passes over the Lower Olympic ski run. The walls of the eight-passenger cabins are entirely glass, offering sweeping views to the north and east.

Sun Valley will officially open its 74th ski season on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26.

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