Squaw Valley, Caldwell Agree to Gondola Link with Alpine Meadows

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13 April 2015

Push to The Latest: No

SAM Magazine—Squaw Valley, Calif., April 13, 2015—After years of negotiating, Squaw Valley has reached an agreement with private land owner Troy Caldwell to build a base-to-base gondola connecting Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. The linkage traverses White Wolf, Caldwell's land, and has been at the top of both parties' wish list for years.

“Connecting Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows through White Wolf is literally bringing my long-time dream to fruition, I've waited years for this to happen,” said Caldwell.

“For decades, skiers and riders have talked about connecting these two resorts, we're pleased to have reached an agreement with Troy,” said Andy Wirth, president and CEO of Squaw Valley.

Squaw Valley officials said the gondola will be designed to minimize the overall footprint and visual impacts to Caldwell's land as well as to the adjacent Granite Chief Wilderness, and will use minimal-impact construction techniques to preserve timber, soils, and natural resources throughout the planned lift corridor. The proposed high-speed, detachable gondola would travel over the 8,200-foot KT-22 Peak, but there are no plans to allow skiing or other non-skiing activities along the lift route or on the White Wolf terrain, where the Forest Service has permitted only very limited access.

Wirth said the gondola will substantially reduce both resort shuttle service and guest vehicular traffic between the two resorts, leading to a reduction in overall vehicular emissions. To see more about the project you can watch a video here.

Actual completion date of the project is subject to Placer County and U.S. Forest Service approvals, once applications are submitted.