Belleayre Mountain’s Ski Resort has announced the opening of the new Catskill Thunder high-speed gondola.

The 60-cabin gondolas are carried from the lower mountain’s Discovery Lodge to the summit in seven minutes. The new Catskill Thunder Gondola is able to transport up to eight guests per cabin, approximately 2,000 people per hour, at a maximum speed of 1,000 feet per minute, according to an announcement made by the Olympic Region Development Authority (ORDA), which manages Belleayre in addition to the Gore and Whiteface mountain ski reorts in the Adirondacks.

The gondola will provide the opportunity to carry mountain bikers to Belleayre’s summit, along with wedding and private party rentals.

According to ORDA, plans are also in the works to open nordic / cross-country ski facilities at Belleayre’s summit.

The Catskill Thunder Gondola required 16 lift towers to be installed to enable transportation from the resort’s base to the mountain’s summit covering 6,272 feet horizontally and 1,354 feet vertically. ORDA said that in addition to the gondola install, the resort’s entire electrical service was also modernized and expanded, a new trail was cut, and a skier bridge was installed to connect the west side of the mountain and the lower base Discovery Lodge.

For more information about Belleayre Ski Resort, visit their website.

Photo of Catskill Thunder high-speed gondola, courtesy ORDA/Belleayre Ski resort.