STOWE, Vt. - By mid-December, if things go as planned, six people at a time will plant their snowsuits on a brand new chairlift at Stowe Resort and travel at 1,000 feet per minute to the summit at the eastern side of Mt. Mansfield.
Stowe's new Sunrise chair is replacing the resort's old mountain triple chairlift, running up 4,200 feet of vertical slope and accessing beginner and intermediate trails.
Sunrise's 13 towers and 81 chairs increases the route's capacity by 100% and gets skiers up the mountain in just over four minutes. The lift will also benefit from more protection from the wind, allowing it to stay open more during colder and more severe weather.
Cost of the project is estimated to be between $7million and $9million, and ensures Stowe stays competitive with other Vermont resorts who have made similar investments.
According to WCAX, "Vermont resorts Last year bounced back from the pandemic, with 3.8 million skier visits, a 6.5% rebound from the previous year, but still 6% under the 10-year average. With a little extra snow, officials are hopeful they can get back to normal numbers."
