Snowmass Starts $10M Sky Cab Replacement in August 2027

Aspen —A $10 million project. Twelve cabins. One very specific goal: stop calling it Skittles, or at least start charging like it’s something more than a candy dispenser.

Snowmass Town Council received an update Monday on the replacement of the Sky Cab Gondola, widely known as “Skittles.” The project moves from planning to execution with a firm target: construction begins in August 2027, and the new system opens by Thanksgiving of that same year.

Mak Keeling, vice president of Mountain Planning at Aspen Skiing Company (SkiCo), confirmed the timeline to the council. He didn’t mince words about what this means for the local infrastructure. The old pulse-gondola, built in the early 2000s, runs from Lot 1 of Snowmass Base Village to the Timbermill Property on Daly Lane. It’s functional, but it’s slow. The new detachable design will nearly double capacity from 510 people per hour to 1,000.

Let’s do the math on the money. The $10 million price tag is split evenly between SkiCo and the town of Snowmass Village. That’s $5 million from each. On paper, that’s a clean split. In practice, it means local taxpayers are on the hook for half the bill to get a faster ride and fewer towers blocking their view.

Keeling noted that the new upper terminal will reuse as much of the current structure “as humanly possible.” This includes a permanent ramp and an electric snow-melted walkway connecting the mall to the plaza. They’re replacing the current gravel area with something turf- or grass-based.

Council Member Cecily DeAngelo asked the obvious question: Is there something wrong with the gravel? Keeling replied that while it drains well and requires little maintenance, it’s been in place for five years and provides an unstable surface. “We feel that we can have a better storefront, if you will, for our product,” he said.

There is one risk factor outside the immediate base area. The ramp, retaining wall, and landscape design require approval from neighboring property owners. Keeling flagged this component as “at risk.” If those neighbors drag their feet, the timeline could slip. All other work, including narrowing a staircase with planters to improve line formation, stays within SkiCo property.

Mayor Alyssa Shenk called the progress “really exciting,” noting the long wait for this upgrade. SkiCo’s internal branding team is currently working with town staff to decide on logos and color schemes that respect the “Skittles” nickname while looking less like a toy.

The bottom line for locals is straightforward. You’re paying $5 million to reduce wait times and improve the aesthetic of Base Village. If the neighboring property owners approve the landscape work on time, you’ll have a faster gondola by next fall. If they don’t, expect delays. The alignment remains virtually the same, so your commute up the mountain won’t change much — just how long you spend waiting in line.