New "Chondola" Proposed at New Mexico Ski Area

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 3:57 PM ET

Just outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sandia Peak Ski Area has proposed replacing its Lift 1 with a hybrid ropeway capable of carrying chairlifts and gondolas, colloquially known as a “Chondola.”

The plans, briefly detailed in a letter attributed to District Ranger Kenneth Born, would see the removal of Lift 1’s upper and lower terminals. The existing walkway at the upper terminal would be replaced with an ADA-compliant alternative.

Lift 1, a Stadeli two-seater, was installed in 1963 and decommissioned in 2017. Its uphill capacity was only 566 skiers or snowboarders per hour, and riding the lift—which travels from the base area to the summit—took 15 minutes.

The proposed lift would halve that ride time and boost capacity to approximately 2,400 skiers or snowboarders per hour. The intermittent gondolas also allow non-skiing guests to “access the summit restaurant from the base of the ski area and will conversely allow guests that take the Sandia Peak Tramway to the summit, downhill access to the ski area base lodge,” the letter reads.

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Sunday River, Maine is home to a chondola. The lift has six-person chairs and gondola cabins.Photo: Jack Milton/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Lift 1’s replacement was highlighted in the previously accepted 2016 Sandia Peak Master Development Plan (MDP) and pertains to several of the MDP’s goals as noted in the letter, like “Provide additional recreation opportunities for Tram passengers” and “Provide upgraded facilities in order to improve the quality of the alpine ski experience.”

Comments related to the proposed Lift 1 replacement can be emailed to Richard.Wilhelm@usda.gov.

In 2023, Mountain Capital Partners (MCP), a mountain group with several Southwestern ski areas in its portfolio, announced that it inked a joint venture with Sandia Peak Ski Company and added Sandia Peak to its multi-pass, the Power Pass. One year later, MCP assumed both ownership and operation of Sandia Peak.

We’ve contacted MCP for comment regarding the proposed lift replacement and will update this article if we receive a response.

The 2024-2025 ski season has proven challenging for Sandia Peak. In February, the ski area announced a temporary closure due to low snowfall and warm temperatures. However, a late-season storm allowed Sandia Peak to offer a final “bonus day” of skiing and riding on Sunday, April 6, with access to Lift 4.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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