Perisher announced today some serious investment in infrastructure with a new chairlift to replace the fixed grip two person Mt Perisher double lift and the fixed grip triple. A new six person high speed chair (the Mt Perisher 6) will be completed for the 2025 ski season.
The new chair will allow Perisher to claim the highest lifted point in Australia at 2042m and will help redistribute skiers across the resorts network of four resort areas.
“The Mt Perisher 6 will service the iconic Towers run on Mt Perisher and provide greater connectivity for skiers and snowboarders than the Mt P Double and Triple that it will replace, providing guests access to all ski runs in all directions on Mt Perisher without having to traverse across slopes or ride multiple surface lifts,” said Nathan Butterworth, Vice President and General Manager of Perisher.
“This significant investment in Perisher’s operations will enhance our guest experience by providing access to higher points on the mountain, faster lift ride times and greater choice of runs from the top of Mount Perisher. Getting on and around the mountain will now be quicker and more seamless for our guests,” said Butterworth.
The high-speed detachable chair will increase chairlifting capacity in the Mt Perisher area by 60%, taking more skiers and riders higher up the mountain than ever before. This also marks the first high-speed lift on intermediate and advanced skiing terrain at Perisher, which will significantly enhance the experience for guests with these skiing and riding abilities.
The new 6-person chairlift will operate at a speed of 4.5 metres per second, cutting travel time up the mountain from 10 minutes to around five and a half minutes, with a faster load and unload at each end facilitating greater circulation and flow of guests around the mountain.
This is a multi-year project with preparatory works to begin ahead of the 2024 winter season. Operation of the new chairlift anticipated to begin in the 2025 ski and ride season in Australia.
The project adds to the Freedom Quad Chair, Leichhardt Quad Chair and continued investment in snowmaking that the resort has implemented in the past 10 years.?
“This has been a desired infrastructure upgrade by our local ski community, and I’m thrilled we will be able to make this a reality for our guests,” said Butterworth. “Preparatory works will begin prior to the 2024 season with a 2025 completion date. I would like to thank our teams and contractors for their commitment to bringing this project to life and thank them in advance for the hard work they will do bringing The Mt Perisher 6 to our resort.”??
This is part of a larger investment by Vail Resorts as part of the company’s Epic Lift Upgrade capital improvement project and highlights the company’s continued investment in the guest experience.