New Gondola Being Built at Lutsen Mountains

Offers Premier Mountain Resort Experience in the Northlands

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Officials at Lutsen Mountains have broken ground on a major project.

The $6-7 Million dollar expansion is focused on offering more people a place to sit on the high-speed gondola.

The current gondola has been there for 30-some years and only seats four people per cabin, the upgrade will seat eight.

The gondola is an iconic staple of the resort and its business, helping to connect the four mountains to the resorts 95 runs.

With 100,000 people visiting every winter, Lutsen Mountain’s Co-Owner and Co-President said the expansion is exciting and will greatly help accommodate the increasing number of visitors.

This project is part of a 10-year, $25 Million dollar transformation that has evolved Lutsen Mountains into a state-of-the-art destination ski resort.

“About 300 (people) an hour now (ride the gondola) and it will be 1,000 (people) an hour when it’s completed. It will have the potential to go up to 2,400 people per hour just be adding cabins,” said Rider.

“We’re excited to come up this winter and test it out,” said Kevin Spaniol an excited Lutsen visitor.

Construction on the gondola is set to end mid-fall.

It will be up and running by November, at which point the current gondola will be shut down and its cabins will be auctioned off.

With such a big project Rider tells Fox21 lift prices will be raised this season, but nothing has be finalized.