Park City Plans To Replace Iconic Cabriolet Lift With Modern Gondola

After 25 years of ferrying skiers and snowboarders from the parking lot to the slopes, the beloved but aging Cabriolet lift at Canyons Village is set to be retired. In its place, Park City Mountain and the Canyons Village Management Association (CVMA) have announced plans for a new enclosed gondola, aiming to enhance comfort, capacity, and year-round usability.

The current Cabriolet, an open-air lift that transports guests from the parking lots to the heart of Canyons Village, has been a familiar sight for years. However, its capacity and speed have increasingly become a bottleneck, particularly during peak season. The proposed gondola will offer a fully enclosed, more comfortable, and significantly faster ride, capable of moving a higher volume of skiers and snowboarders per hour.

Vail Resorts said in an email to media that the new gondola would be designed to “enhance mountain accessibility for lodging guests, base and mid village area residents, and day skiers and snowboarders,” 

A Lift Past Its Prime, installed in 2000, the Cabriolet has long served as the primary link between the lower parking area and the base lifts like the Red Pine Gondola and Orange Bubble Express. But with no seats and exposure to the elements, the open-air lift has become increasingly outdated—especially as visitor numbers grow and infrastructure demands evolve.

The gondola replacement is part of a broader transformation of Canyons Village. A five-level parking garage with over 1,800 spaces is currently under construction at the Cabriolet lot, consolidating all public parking at the base. The garage will partially open for the 2025–26 ski season and be fully operational by 20263.

specific capacity details haven’t been released, the new lift is expected to be fully enclosed, bike-friendly, and operational year-round, making it more versatile for summer mountain bikers and winter skiers alike. A mid-station stop near the Silverado Hotel is also under consideration to improve access for transit users4.

Public Input Invited - an open house to review preliminary plans will be held on Monday, July 14, from 4–6 p.m. at the Grand Summit Hotel. Residents and visitors are encouraged to attend and share feedback on the proposed changes.

This upgrade marks a significant step in Park City’s ongoing efforts to modernize its infrastructure and improve the guest experience—while bidding farewell to a quirky lift that’s carried generations of skiers skyward.