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

Research & Historical Documents

Community Engagement