People ride XC bikes on the main trails at skyline all the time, I reckon there is something up there for everyone, which is really good news for the gondola since the greater variety and number of trails should hopefully make it more successful than coronet peak was.

j2hyde wrote:Gondola will be awesome. Any news on price?

Skyline website says gondola $25

Rides on their chairlift for the luge are $5 a pop. That's gotta cover keeping the luge thingies maintained, but even with a concession on the gondola for multi rides dropping the price a bit I'm picking it would be bloody expensive if you were to try and do a days riding.

Target market will be tourists having another adrenaline experience ?

wuffy wrote:Yeah, a few guys I know have spent 30mins to an hour pushing all the way to the top just for the downs, awesome stuff apparently. Might have to cancel whistler and spend 2 weeks in q-town riding

There are some good tracks on the Q'town hill (and I'm sure more to be developed) but to drop Whistler for 2 weeks on the same 4-5 tracks in Q'town?? I think you would quickly be bored stupid as the gondola does not service the Wynyard area (unless there is a link I haven't discovered?). But hey - lets not be negative, support it and it shall flourish .....

Colin wrote:

j2hyde wrote:Gondola will be awesome. Any news on price?

Skyline website says gondola $25

Rides on their chairlift for the luge are $5 a pop. That's gotta cover keeping the luge thingies maintained, but even with a concession on the gondola for multi rides dropping the price a bit I'm picking it would be bloody expensive if you were to try and do a days riding.

Target market will be tourists having another adrenaline experience ?

$25 a pop isn't going to be a realistic option for mtbers (we're a tight bunch) but I see a season pass for the gondola is only $74. Even if its 3 or 4 times that price for a pass inc bikes that's pretty good value imho.

Of course not riding up a hill is blasphemous and not something I'd ever condone

Cant wait I have spent countless hungover mornings over new years walking up the 4wd road to the top taking anywhere from 35mins to and hour. I guess if it does not effect their current tourist operations for non bikers it migh not be too expensive but they have also got to make it fair for both i.e. they cant charge a biker $20 for one run and yet it costs $25 for any ordinary person to get up (but they do get a return trip down). I think they also may compare it to price of ski fields for a day pass which is usually $90ish. It will be very interesting

How much is it for a day pass at Whistler or other resorts overseas for anyone that may have been?

Skyline Gondola is holding an "Interested parties’ meeting at the Skyline complex at Bob’s Peak on Tuesday, November 9 at 5pm
If you have any ideas or comments regarding the upcoming Mountain biking trial this Summer, Or if you just want to Show your support, please come along

Please RSVP on 4410852 (no charge for gondola)

another article in the Mountain Scene last week

http://www.scene.co.nz/queenstown-mount ... 376a1.page

luvin_dh wrote:How much is it for a day pass at Whistler or other resorts overseas for anyone that may have been?

About $75 kiwi a day for a lift pass but you get access to a lot more tracks and elevation.

qmtbc wrote:another article in the Mountain Scene last week

http://www.scene.co.nz/queenstown-mount ... 376a1.page

That is great news. I am down in December and will do some pedaling up but also using Vertigo one morning...might have to book another trip back down before the trial ends to use up some of my airpoints :-)

J-lo on the bandwagon too
http://www.scene.co.nz/star-mountain-bi ... 629a1.page

good turnout for the official launch up Skyline last night

Season 24th Jan - 29th May, Closed Easter

Prices & more info on Skylines webpage, %10 discount off seasons passes for QMTBC members
http://www.skyline.co.nz/queenstown/MTB/

Why are they waiting 24th January to open? I understand why you wouldn't want this open right over xmas (too many people etc) but why don't they open it now?

petern wrote:Why are they waiting 24th January to open? I understand why you wouldn't want this open right over xmas (too many people etc) but why don't they open it now?

I would suspect because there is a lot to get right on this and a lot of skeptics looking at the trial waiting to pounce and scream that it isn't working. I would suspect they are probably just making sure everything is in place before they throw the switch. They may not even have enough racks manufactured for the bikes yet for all we know.

Looked at the pricing. I think they've got a good balance there. $70 a day is OK if you are already coming in from out of town (that is the least of your costs) and the season pass seems affordable for something that can be used until 8pm 7 days a week.

I think the system they have come up with for hanging the bikes should work well too - the gondola at Whistler is pants in that (a) you have to wait for a crappy / scratched gondola for the ride up and (b) you have to stand with 2 or 3 bikes crammed in with you. Good to see they have been thinking this through for QTown and have been learning from what others have done.

It should rock!

Colour me impressed - prices are way more affordable than I would have expected

I hope it succeeds and goes from strength to strength