A gondola installation provides the greatest benefit to Skeetawk’s community from a financial standpoint and long term planning rationale.

pass price

Some of Skeetawk’s core principles are Accessibility and Affordability with the objective to provide mental and physical health benefits from wintertime outdoor recreation at a low entry cost. To purchase a high capacity lift, regardless of lift type, Skeetawk will be required to incur a large amount of debt. After evaluating the multiple lift types on the market, the Skeetawk board of directors selected a detachable gondola as the preferred choice for Lift 2. The rationale for this choice stems from the ability to maximize year-round revenue, which will keep pass prices lower.

Hatcher Pass is an extremely popular destination for both summer and winter recreators. Gondola rides are the most preferred form of summertime lift accessed recreation due to ride comfort and protection from the elements. Skeetawk plans to capitalize on the popularity of summer visitors to Hatcher Pass, generating revenue from summer gondola rides which will supplement regular wintertime skiing/snowboarding revenue. The revenue from summer visitors will reduce Skeetawk’s need to increase wintertime pass prices to pay off the debt. Essentially, Skeetawk will be able to keep pass prices cheaper for local users, because of revenue generated from summer visitors.

Economic development

Skeetawk’s development as a year round recreation attractor in the Matanuska Susitna Borough (MSB), will be an economic accelerator for the southcentral region of Alaska.

Per the non-profit’s lease with the MSB, Skeetawk will function as a day use facility, meaning overnight accomodations and services that don’t directly support alpine recreation activities will occur in other core areas of the MSB. Amenities typically found around alpine recreation facilities (i.e. hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and other services) will result in opportunities for entreprenurial growth and business activity. Installing the gondola that holistically supports year round recreation will ignite and maximize economic growth in the region.

Physical Access

The gondola will allow for a greater number of users than just skiers, boarders, and mountain bikers to access the mountains. The gondola will better support people with access limitations (physical or mental disabilities, elderly, unable to ski/ride) in a manner that a traditional chairlift cannot support during normal operations. Skeetawk will provide carriers for adaptive ski/ride equipment to efficiently load and unload the gondola for the user’s preferred activity.

beating the elements

A gondola is able to operate in more adverse weather conditions. Protection and better performance in the elements including precipitation, temperature, and wind.