The First of its Kind...  For several years, the Telluride Ski & Golf Company (Telski) worked diligently to

build the first-of-its-kind $16 million public transit system intended to eliminate the transportation and air

quality impact of growth in the region. The first part of the system, the Chondola (a high-speed quad with a

4-person gondola cabin every 10th chair), opened in the 1995/96 season. The gondola, joining the historic

town of Telluride with the town of Mountain Village and serving several ski runs, opened in November of 1996.

Telski is a ski industry leader and role model to other resorts in building trendsetting technology. The

chondola and gondola systems are innovative, imaginative and something no other mountain community has.

They signify the giant leap Telski has taken in initiating advanced transit systems.

Telluride's gondola is the equivalent of three high-speed express lifts. While it transports skiers and

snowboarders to a mountain ridge, it is primarily a public transportation system and it's free to foot

passengers. It virtually eliminates the need for a car and drastically reduces the amount of air and noise

pollution. It eliminates growing traffic congestion and subsequently increases safety. It provides residents

with an easy commute to work or school and allows guests to avoid renting a car. Most remarkably, it is

more convenient and timely than a bus, a car or even light-rail.

All Aboard! When to ride...
Open 275 days/year, 7:00 am- Midnight

Riding Time Stats
Leg 1 = 6.2 minutes
Station Telluride to Station St. Sophia
Leg 2 = 4.7 minutes
Station St. Sophia to Station Mountain Village
Leg 3 = 1.2 minutes
Station Mountain Village to Station Village Parking

Passengers may ride in the same gondola cabin between Station Telluride and Station Mountain Village,

however, passengers must disembark to ride between Station Mountain Village and Station Village Parking.

A lift ticket or season pass is required to disembark at Station St. Sophia and access the mountain during

the ski season.


Moving People Around (Telluride & Mountain Village)
With a total of 32 eight-passenger gondola cabins on the three lines (26 on legs 1 & 2 and six on leg 3),

guests can step into a gondola cabin almost every minute. Commuting this way takes far less time than

riding the old intratown bus system. The hourly capacity of the gondola is 600% greater than the bus system.

(The total hourly capacity of the gondola is 480 people per hour between towns in both directions while the

total hourly capacity of the bus is 80 pph in both directions.) The gondola can handle up to 1200 pph if

consistent demand in the future warrants more cabins being added.

Facts
Terminal Names: Station Telluride, Station St. Sophia, Station Mountain Village, Station Village Parking

Passengers: Eight; mountain bikes can be carried on some cabins
The Chondola: Telluride's Chondola is a cross between an express lift and a gondola in which every tenth

chair is a four-passenger gondola cabin. The base is located adjacent to Big Billies Restaurant and

Apartments in the Mountain Village and the chondola's top station is a 100-yard ski or walk from Station

Mountain Village.
System builders: CTEC of Salt Lake City and Garaventa of Switzerland
Length: 2 1/2 Miles (4 kilometers)

Air, Water, Parking & Noise
The gondola virtually eliminates noise and air pollution, congested parking lots, and the need for people to

drive their vehicles between the two towns. It simultaneously provides clean, smooth, quiet, free and visually

spectacular transportation. The gondola towers are low profile, usually not exceeding tree line, lessening the

visual impact typical of gondolas while also dramatically reducing the likelihood of shut down due to high

winds.  Telluride's box canyon setting captures dust quicker than furniture. Telluride sometimes has

unhealthy air because of an accumulation of several circumstances, many of which are unrelated to ski area

development. Telski has done the most in exhaustively analyzing air quality in the region.

Telluride's gondola offers tremendous environmental benefits by mitigating transportation impacts and growth

caused by the region's residents. The system significantly reduces noise and air pollution, parking demands

and the need for people to drive their vehicles between the two towns. It simultaneously provides clean,

smooth, quiet and visually spectacular transportation. The gondola towers are low profile, usually not

exceeding any tree line, decreasing the visual impact associated with typical gondolas while dramatically