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Skiers, Boarders Give Beaver Creek's 'Chondola' High Marks

EAGLE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - For skiers and snowboarders, Thursday was Christmas -- not Thanksgiving.

That's because multiple resorts opened this week. Record amounts of snow fell in some locations. And at Beaver Creek, a "chondola" -- a hybrid chair and gondola lift -- opened.

And like the kid sneaking a peek early at the presents under the Christmas tree, one snowboarder lined up at 5:20 a.m. to be first in line for the chondola.

"Yeah, it's worth it. There's going to be so much terrain. Woo!" he said.

The chondola alternates one gondola car for every five chairs. It ferries 800 more people per hour up the mountain, an increase of 35 percent in capacity. It's the longest combination lift the manufacturer has made.

"It's a very unique piece of equipment and we customized it for Beaver Creek to meet all our needs for all our guests," Phillip Patterson of Beaver Creek said.

Skiers said they like the choice it affords.

"You get a little more time on the mountain because you warm up a little bit every time. Plus we just came in from the parking lot and our skis were already off, so it's nice to just put them in the rack and you don't have to put them on," Mike Wijas said.

Patterson said the benefits also include transporting ski school guests more efficiently and, during the summer and at night, the gondola cars are useful for offseason activities and conventions.

At the top and bottom of the runs, the chairs and gondola cabins load and unload in different locations. That required a new conveyor belt to organize things.

"Trying to load six people in a chair at once is challenging to get everyone to come out at once. Also we need the gates as well to stop people when a cabin comes by," Patterson said.

The lift is the main source to take riders and skiers from the base area and disperse them throughout the mountain.

On its opening weekend, it was a hit.

"I think there's going to be a lot of people that normally get on their chairs and it's their first time skiing or snowboarding, and the gondola is going to give them a much bigger level of comfort getting up there," skier Fred Hammond said.

Check the status of trails & lifts at Colorado ski resorts in the CBSDenver.com Ski Report section.

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