Mount Snow Launches Ski Season with Debut of Vermont’s First Six Seat Chairlift

West Dover, VT – Mount Snow ski resort in southern Vermont kicked off its 2011-12 winter season in style on Saturday, with festivities surrounding the grand opening of North America’s only high-speed detachable six passenger bubble lift, the Bluebird Express.

Crowds gather Sunday at Mount Snow's new Bluebird Express, North America's first bubble-covered high speed six-pack chairlift. (photo: Mount Snow) — Crowds gather Sunday at Mount Snow's new Bluebird Express, North America's first bubble-covered high-speed six-pack chairlift. (photo: Mount Snow)

Saturday’s celebration included a ribbon cutting ceremony, champagne spray, lift line party and the entire enthusiastic crowd reciting “the Bluebird Oath.”

The technologically advanced lift cost the ski area’s owner, Wildwood, Mo.-based Peak Resorts, $8.5 million to install and is now the primary lift from base to summit at Mount Snow. Built by Leitner Poma, it carries passengers 7,208 lateral feet at 1,000 feet per minute to the 3,600-foot summit in just over seven minutes, half the ride time of the fixed grip triple chair it replaced.

In celebration of the new lift, for the next two Tuesdays in December, Mount Snow is offering $39 lift tickets to anybody wearing the color blue. This offer is good tomorrow, Dec. 13 and next Tuesday, Dec. 20.