Third Generation Tram Planning Underway At Cannon
After 45 years of legendary service, Cannon Mountain is preparing to retire its iconic second-generation, 80-passenger aerial tramway, paving the way for a third-generation tram system to be designed and built in the coming years.
Cannon—home to the nation’s first aerial tramway, launched in 1938—is the only mountain in North America to reach a third-generation tram. Since 1980, the current tram has carried more than nine million passengers to the 4,080-foot summit, covering a one-mile span in under seven minutes, making it one of the most iconic lifts in the East.
“She’s aged gracefully, but like all legends, she deserves a dignified retirement,” said Jace Wirth, General Manager of Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch State Park. “It’s time to begin writing the next chapter.”
With $27.2 million secured through New Hampshire House Bill 25, along with additional capital resources anticipated, a structural analysis—pending Governor and Executive Council approval—will soon begin to confirm the renovation strategy for existing towers, terminals, and foundations. This analysis will also help refine design requirements and load considerations for the next-generation tram system.
“The Cannon tram is a symbol of New Hampshire,” said Sarah Stewart, Commissioner of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “Governor Ayotte has declared 2025 the ‘Year of New Hampshire State Parks,’ and this project ensures we continue investing in our most treasured places. We’re excited for what’s ahead.”
Following the 85th anniversary of the original tram’s installation in 2023 and the 45th anniversary of the current system’s commissioning in June, Cannon’s management team plans to wind down public operations after this fall as part of the transition to a next-generation system.
“This is a moment we’ve been preparing for,” said Wirth. “While we know the transition will bring change, it’s also an opportunity to honor the legacy of the tram while ensuring we move forward with purpose.”
Cannon Mountain was the site of the first passenger aerial tramway in North America. From its construction in 1938 to its 1980 retirement, the first tram carried 6,581,338 passengers up the 2.1-mile (3.4 km) route to near the summit of Cannon Mountain. On May 24, 1980, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway II was dedicated. Alexander Bright, a skier involved in developing the sport in the area, conceived the idea of building a tramway in New Hampshire during his trip to Europe as a member of the US Olympic Ski Team in 1933. In Europe, Bright had seen passenger-carrying tramways and recognized that building one in New Hampshire could foster the growth of skiing and summer tourism in the White Mountains.
n July 1978, a contract for the replacement project was awarded to Nuova Agudio. Preliminary construction begun in July 1978, with the lower terminal completed in April 1979. During the summer of 1979, helicopters were briefly used to airlift some major components. Unlike the original construction project in 1937, there was no need to erect a freight tramway since the existing tramway could be used as the work-horse for moving materials up the mountain. Even as construction proceeded heavy summer passenger traffic was maintained. Construction continued through the cold but nearly snowless winter of 1979-1980. In February 1980, the tramway successfully passed a series of stringent operational tests conducted by Nuova Agudio and was approved for passenger traffic by the State of New Hampshire. Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway II ascends the famous slopes of Cannon Mountain for 5,359 feet (1,633 m). Its two cabins, each with a capacity for 80 passengers and one attendant, travel at a speed of 1,500 feet (460 m) per minute, with an hourly passenger capacity of 1,540, or 770 in each direction, more than three times the capacity of the original tramway.
