Whistler Peak-2-peak construction resumes

Wed 07 May 08

After a snowy six month hiatus, construction on Whistler Blackcomb's Peak 2 Peak Gondola has commenced, with completion of the record breaking lift slated for this December, just before the busy winter season swings into high gear

After a snowy six month hiatus, construction on Whistler Blackcomb’s Peak 2 Peak Gondola has commenced, with completion of the record breaking lift slated for this December, just before the busy winter season swings into high gear. 

Phase one of the two-year construction schedule concluded last November with the two tallest towers completed, and concrete poured for the foundations of the remaining two towers. Phase two has kicked off with the clearing of over 10 feet of snow around the lift terminals to prepare for construction. Access roads have been cleared of snow on Whistler and Blackcomb, and the steel for the towers is being moved into place.

“We couldn’t be off to a better start as this second phase of construction has got underway,” says Rick Temple, Peak 2 Peak Gondola Project Manager. “The site is cleared and prepped, the Doppelmayr team has arrived from Europe, and we’ve just placed the first piece of steel on the Blackcomb Terminal, which is a major milestone.”

While formwork crews have begun work on the lift terminals, a very important shipment has begun its journey to Whistler from across the Atlantic Ocean. Five spools of cable, weighing close to 100 metric tonnes each, as well as four “smaller” reels, were loaded onto the Rhine Barge “Pecaro” at the Basel Rhine Port on April 10.

The barge connected with the ocean-going vessel “Star Indiana” in Vlissingen, The Netherlands on April 23 and has begun its trans-Atlantic journey to the Port of Vancouver in Washington State. This US port has a heavy-lift mobile harbour crane and was the closest port with the ability to handle the extremely heavy spools. The cable is estimated to arrive in the US on June 5, when it will be transferred to rail cars to make the journey across the border and up to Whistler. When the cable reaches Whistler, the spools will be lifted onto a special low-bed truck and transported up the mountain.

Once the cables are at the top of the mountain, the cable stringing process begins. The entire process is scheduled to take 12 to 13 weeks. The plan is to fly a small cable across the valley by helicopter. After that cable is strung, progressively larger and larger cables – five in total – will be pulled across the line until the actual cable is finally pulled across.

Upcoming major milestones for the spring construction phase include final concrete pours, construction of the tower head for Tower 3, erection of Towers 1 and 4 and building of the winch platforms on Towers 2 and 3. Watch it all happen at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/peaktopeak with webcams, construction updates, photographs and videos.
 

Related Pages

• New Transceiver Park at Nevis Range
  A new Transceiver Park at Nevis Range is now open for practicing search and rescue scenarios using transceiver, shovels and probes. -29Jan12
• WHISTLER BLACKCOMB 100 PERCENT OPEN
  8,171 Acres, 5,280 vertical and Over 10.5 feet of Snow so far this season. -17Dec11
• SKI FOR FREE AT WHISTLER BLACKCOMB
  During Annual Santa Day the first 75 guests to check in dressed in a full Santa or Mrs. Claus costume on Saturday, December 17, 2011 Ski/Ride FREE -1Dec11
• WHISTLER BLACKCOMB IS OPEN
  Blackcomb Mountain opened today, joining Whistler Mountain which opened six days early on November 18. -29Nov11
• New fencing at the Nevis Range
  The Engineers have been busy building new fencing on the hill A total of 1200 metres of fencing is either completely new, or has been re built. 900 metres of this fencing is brand new rail style fencing. -21Nov11

Related categories

:: Whistler/Blackcomb stories
:: Resort improvements stories

Donate to Snow-camp

We've put a team together for the Everest Challenge on the 25th January in Morzine this year. Support team WSG by making a donation, and help us raise lots of money for Snow-camp

Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada

Related pages

• Whistler/Blackcomb
• Blackcomb Summer Guide
• Canadian summer glaciers
• Registration opens for Whistlers Sapient-Showcase
• 5Star Billabong Ante Up 2010, Whistler
• Billabong Ante Up 2011, Whistler

Main headlines

• The ROXY SNOW PRO 2012 will start tomorrow ! -9Feb12
• World Snowboarding Championships Feb 2012 -9Feb12
• Gillings Ranked World No 5 -9Feb12
• Snow Report Week Ending 11 February, 2012 -9Feb12
• First footage from the Red Bull Supernatural -7Feb12