There's
not much that George Huxtable hasn't experienced in his 90 years when it comes
to skiing.
But even this avid mountain user
was awestruck by the new Peak 2 Peak gondola, which officially opened between
the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Friday Dec.12.
"You know it really was amazing,"
he said after arriving from Blackcomb Mountain on the first cabin to make the
trip.
He and 22 others, including his son
and grandson, were among those voted to take the first gondola ride by the
community.
"I thought I died about eight
times," he said.
"I
enjoyed it. I enjoy everything. That is why I am still skiing at 90."
Said son Gordy: "It was very fun.
It was smooth, it has a great view and it was very high up but it didn't fall
off. It was spectacular. I think it is a great part of our diversification.
"It certainly makes it so easy and
painless to get back and forth. You could have lunch over there and coffee over
here. I was amazed at just how easy it was to get back and forth."
Asked if he would ski both hills he
replied: "In a heartbeat."
For Whistler dentist James McKenzie
and wife Janis, the 11-minute ride from Blackcomb to Whistler on the
glass-bottom gondola gave them just enough time to renew their wedding vows.
"We wanted to renew our vows, and
it was wonderful," said McKenzie.
Said wife Janis: "It was
unbelievable. We got married up on Whistler 11 years ago and this just all fell
into place, and we did it in 11 minutes."
Paralympian
and coach of the BC Disabled Ski Team, Phil Chew, was also in the first
gondola.
"It was smooth," he said.
"You didn't even feel going over
the towers, and even though it wasn't the clearest day you could see 1,400 feet
down to the bottom of the valley to Fitz Creek."
"I think it will be great for
skiing. At the beginning I didn't know what to think of it, but now I can see
the potential. I can see that it is really going to make a big difference."
The gondola has the longest
unsupported span for a lift of its kind in the world at 3.024 kilometres. It is
also the highest lift of its kind off the ground.
Even Dan Doyle, the head of venue
construction for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Games, came to
the resort to take a ride.
"It was phenomenal," he said.
"What a great thing to bring to
Whistler. I wanted to come to see it because I am an engineer, and this is a
phenomenal feat. Look at the towers, look at the cables, and the cars. It is
fantastic.
"We think the Games are going to
show the world what Whistler-Blackcomb is all about, and now we will be able to
show them this as well. It will be great."
Whistler-Blackcomb's Dave Brownlie
could hardly contain his excitement in announcing the opening.
With an ear-splitting smile he told
the huge crowd that when he first heard of the idea from Hugh Smythe he just
smiled and went back to work.
But once the 2010 Games were won
and the mountains consistently drew over two million skier visits staff knew
the mountains had to look to the future.
"At Whistler-Blackcomb we have
always dreamed big, and we have always been bold, and the Peak 2 Peak is all
about that," he said to an appreciative crowd.
"Building on the top of two mountains
after two big snow years in what can only be described as an overheated
building environment to deliver this project on time and on budget has been a
huge, huge accomplishment.
"The Peak 2 Peak gondola is about
inspiration, and it is about dreams. It will take our guest experience to an
entirely new level, and it will inspire people to come from around the world
and enjoy our playground."
BC
Premier Gordon Campbell was supposed to be on-hand to help open the Doppelmayr
3S gondola, but a snowstorm kept him in Vancouver.
Said Gary Lunn, Federal Minister of
State for Sport, who was in the resort for the event: "Last night we talked to
the weather gods, and we said do we want snow or do we want the Premier today
and we got snow. You can never have too much snow. We love the Premier but we
love snow.
"There is no question that this ski resort is the best in the world, and the new Peak 2 Peak is such an impressive marvel of technology."'o:p>
BC's minister of transportation
Kevin Falcon was also on hand for the event, telling an audience of hundreds
that the gondola will help put BC on the map around the world.
"The Peak 2 Peak is going to be an
iconic symbol of a world class resort," he said.
The Peak 2 Peak runs everyday and
is included in most lift tickets. To find out more go to
www.whistlerblackcomb.com
