The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
at Whistler Blackcomb Gondola ride
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
July 14, 2015

The Peak 2 Peak Gondola is a tri-cable gondola lift located in Whistler, British Columbia that links Whistler Mountain's Roundhouse Lodge with Blackcomb Mountain's Rendezvous Restaurant. It is the first lift to join the two side-by-side mountains. It holds world records for the longest free span between ropeway tower at
1.88 miles and highest point above the ground at 1,430 feet.

The Peak 2 Peak Gondola was built by the Doppelmayr Garaventa Group in 2007 and 2008 at a cost of CDN$51 million. The Peak 2 Peak Gondola is the first Doppelmayr "3S" tri-cable lift in North America; there are four similar but smaller lifts in Europe which were built in 1991, 1994, 2002, 2004 and 2010 in Switzerland, Austria, France and Germany. Whistler-Blackcomb has touted the gondola as an iconic attraction and uses it to transport skiers in the winter months as well as sightseers year round.

Below: The ride up the mountain.

The ride up the mountain. The ride up the mountain.

Below: Looking down at the bicycle path and a bicyclist.

bicycle path a bicyclist
some kind of walkway Whisteler Village as seen from Gondola
 

looking down at another bicyclist.

gondola trams another bicyclist.
  • Length: 2.73 miles

  • Capacity: 4,100 people per hour

  • Line Speed: 16.8 miles per hour

  • Ride Time: 11 minutes

mountain mountain
view from gondola mountain, snow and clouds
intuit

Arrival on peak 1 - Whistler's Mountain

sign: two peaks, two past sign with info about the lift operations

The Peak 2 Peak Gondola terminal buildings are the two largest lift terminals in the world. To create the concrete footings, platforms, masts, and columns, 5,200 cubic yards of concrete had to be trucked and helicoptered up the mountains. The 12,000-square-foot Whistler terminal, which houses the drive motors and backup engines in an underground vault is 85 feet wide and 138 feet long and has 228 tons of steel. The 14,000-square-foot Blackcomb Terminal is 85 feet wide and 158 feet long and contains 279 tons of steel. The Blackcomb terminal can house 15 cabins, the Whistler terminal 13 cabins in a cabin parking area when the system is not in use.

Karen Duquette, Canadian flags, mountain with snow Karen Duquette, Canadian flags, mountain with snow
Canadian flag and mountain with snow Canadian flag and mountain with snow
Karen Duquette and the olympic rings the two RV Gypsies and the olympic rings
Whistler Blackcomb building tall statue
snow lodges snow machines
view from Blackcomb Mountain view from Blackcomb Mountain
view from Blackcomb Mountain view from Blackcomb Mountain

Whistler Blackcomb Tram has been put on more than one page to avoid loading too many photos on one page. This will also help photos preload faster and make viewing the page more enjoyable. So please continue on to page two - the glass bottom gondola and a bear. Thank you.