Sugar Bowl to Build New Gondola
California’s Sugar Bowl has announced a major lift upgrade. The resort will replace its four-person gondola with a modern eight-passenger Doppelmayr system, enhancing access to the resort village and preserving the resort’s unique alpine charm.
Sugar Bowl Resort, one of California’s oldest ski destinations, has announced a major lift upgrade with work set to begin in spring 2026. The resort will replace its iconic four-person gondola with a modern eight-passenger Doppelmayr system, enhancing access to the resort village and preserving the resort’s unique alpine charm.
The new gondola, which will incorporate Doppelmayr's state-of-the-art D-line operating system, will mark a significant milestone in Sugar Bowl’s $100 million revitalization plan — the most ambitious in its 86-year history. Alongside the lift replacement, the resort will rehabilitate the existing gondola garage and parking deck with slope stabilization and structural reinforcements, opting for renovation over full reconstruction to reduce environmental impact.
Sugar Bowl’s first gondola, originally installed in 1953, was the first of its kind on the West Coast. The upcoming upgrade to a more recent version that dates from the 1980s, aims to maintain the resort’s historic character while improving capacity, comfort, and reliability for skiers and residents alike, the resort says.
Construction is scheduled to begin after the upcoming 2025–26 ski season, with the new gondola expected to be operational by winter 2026–27.