Base to Base Gondola connecting Palisades Tahoe’s two valleys to open Dec. 17

Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley is set to debut its long-awaited Base to Base Gondola on Dec. 17, according to a news release from the resort.

The new gondola makes the popular ski resort, California’s largest, much more accessible.

Currently, skiers at Palisades Tahoe have to choose between the resort’s Alpine and Palisades Base Areas to traverse its 6,000 acres of slopes.

That all changes when the resort opens its Base to Base Gondola, covering 2.4 miles and connecting the resort’s two valleys.

The gondola will operate as either one continuous lift or as two separate lifts from each base area to the top of KT-22, where skiers can disembark to ride the mountain. The full ride is expected to take 16 minutes.

Palisades Tahoe will debut the gondola with a full day of festivities, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m., tours of the two valleys with mountain guides for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders, live music at both bases culminating in a performance by DJ and producer Dillon Francis at 5 p.m. and a fireworks show at 6:30 p.m. The grand opening festivities are free and open to the public.

Now in its second winter season under a new name, Palisades Tahoe is currently running chairlifts to the resort’s upper mountain from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, weather permitting.

For more information, go to palisadestahoe.com.