The Telluride/Mountain Village Gondola Long-Term Plan - ARCHIVE
Originally built to improve air quality in the region by keeping cars off the road, the Gondola has been shuttling approximately 3 million visitors, residents, skiers, hikers, festival-goers and commuters per year over 10,500-foot Coonskin Ridge since 1996. It is the first and only free public transportation system of its kind in the United States.
Gondola Background and Current Planning Phase
- Built in 1996 and connects the Town of Telluride and Mountain Village
- Owned and operated by the Town of Mountain Village
- Originally constructed to improve air quality and reduce traffic impacts
- Operating agreement expires at the end of 2027
- Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA), Telluride Ski and Golf (Telski), the Town of Telluride, the Town of Mountain Village and San Miguel County began evaluating a long-term gondola plan in 2015.
- In June 2022, the Gondola Long-Term Planning Leadership Committee – comprised of representatives from TMVOA, Telski, Telluride, Mountain Village, San Miguel County and San Miguel Authority for Regional Transit (SMART) – unanimously decided to pursue a new gondola system as the Locally Preferred Alternative.
Long-Term Planning Roadmap
View the meeting materials archive.
Past Planning Documents & Resources
Leadership Committee Meetings
July 2024: Gondola Long Term Planning
May 2024: Gondola Long Term Planning
April 2024: Gondola Long Term Planning
March 2024: Gondola Long Term Planning
January 2024: Gondola Leadership Committee Meeting
October 2023: Potential Regional Funding Scenarios and Election Services Approach
September 2023: Collaborative Decision-Making Structure and the Path Forward
July 2023: Developing a Regional Gondola Strategy
January 2023: Post-2027 Operations and Preliminary Regional Funding Concepts
September 2022: Future Phase Timeline and Collaborative CapEx/OpEx Funding Strategy
July 2022: Station Planning and Funding Strategy
June 2022: Community Survey Results and Locally Preferred Alternative Decision
March 2022: Analysis of Potential Alternatives and Costs/Benefits
November 2021: Chartering, Planning Objectives and Guiding Principles
Gondola Subcommittee Documents & Presentations
- October 2021: Gondola Long Term Planning Update to San Miguel County
- May 2021: Resolution to Amend the Formation of the Gondola Subcommittee
- January 2019: Gondola Long Term Planning Presentation
Research & Historical Documents
- September 2018: Telluride/Mountain Village Gondola Use, Economic Impact Analysis & Ridership Forecast
- January 2017: Europe Research Trip Presentation
- November 2016: Phase One Existing System Evaluation and Condition Report
- July 1999: Gondola Operating Agreement Summary
- October 1999: Gondola Management Agreement Summary
Community Engagement
In the News
- April 2024: KOTO Community Radio - Stakeholders Discuss Future Gondola Funding
- March 2024: Committee talks funding for the future of the gondola
- October 2022: Gondola Planning Update: Leadership Committee Talks Funding (Telluride Daily Planet)
- August 2022: Gondola Update Includes Recent Decisions, Plans (Telluride Daily Planet)
- July 2022: Gondola Leadership Committee Confirms Recommendation for New System
- June 2022: The Gondola's Future Discussed (Telluride Daily Planet)
- March 2022: Milestone for a Much-Loved Conveyance (Telluride Daily Planet)
- March 2022: Gondola Discussions Continue: March 2022 (Telluride Daily Planet)