Gondola, The Town’s People Speak

People of Carrabassett Valley haven’t seen a bottom to top lift since the 1980s. Currently Sugarloafers need to ride at least 3 lifts just to reach the peak of Sugarloaf. The first bottom to top lift was a Gondola. It was operational in 1965 providing skiers with a long ride of 8,340 feet from the base of the mountain, through the mid station, all the way to the top of Maine’s second highest mountain. Due to multiple maintenance problems the Gondola had to shut down and did not reopened until 1991. When it reopened the Gondola wasn’t the same. It still provided skiers with a ride to the peak, but it began half way up the mountain. The restored lift only lasted 6-seasons when it had to be shut down, due to the aging equipment. Needless to say Sugarloafers would be ecstatic to see a Gondola erected once again on the mountain.

This week my goal was to find out what local Sugarloafers thought of the Gondola idea. As I stumble into the local watering hole, Tofulios. I hear locals talking about how great the conditions of Sugarloaf are and how they can’t wait for tomorrow. Most of the people in the bar are sporting goggle tans and some are still in their ski apparel. Tufolios isn’t your weekender’s hot spot to get a drink; the bar is just crawling with locals that have been skiing since opening day. I know I have come to the right place to find how town’s people feel about a possible bottom to top Gondola on Sugarloaf.

The first man I speak with was Johnny, Sugarloafer since 1975. I first question him about his ski day. “Beautiful day today. I was only wearin’ a t-shirt today.” Johnny has been retired for 5 years now and tries to ski everyday he can. After a beer and trading stories about the mountain I bring up the idea of a Gondola on the mountain. Instantly his face brightens up with a smile from cheek to cheek. “I’d love to see one again. The only problem is in this economy. Where are we going to find the money for that? I’d be more than willing to pay more taxes because I know, in return the mountain would be more successful.” He then went on to tell me how Sugarloaf used to be the “hot spot” during the winter, when the old Gondola was running.

After finishing talking with Johnny I made my way through Tofulios asking Sugarloafers what they thought about the Gondola idea. Many of the response went like this: “How soon can we make this happen?!” “Let’s DO IT!” “Are you taking donations?” “I like the sound of that. How can I help?” “Heck Yah!”

Clearly Sugarloafers want their Gondola back and it seems they are willing to do just about anything to get it back. The town is starting to rally around their Gold Medalist Seth Wescott as the unofficial spokes person for the Gondola Project. The project will be costly but the return on it could bring an economic boom to Carrabassett Valley. Until the kick-off of the project you can show your support by E-mailing the town manager, Dave Cota at: towncvtm@roadrunner.com or call the town office at 207-235-2645.