The gondola lift at Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field has been upgraded for the first time in 38 years and will begin operation this winter.
The new gondola lift can carry 10 people and has a spacious interior, allowing you to bring in not only skis and snowboards, but also two mountain bikes. In addition, reinforced plastic glass is used on all four sides, allowing you to enjoy a 2° panoramic view of the spectacular scenery in all four seasons.
The number of pillars, which are one of the causes of the swaying, has been halved from 22 to 11. The span between pillars 7 and 8 (430m) is the longest in Japan for a gondola lift (single-line automatic circulating ordinary cableway) (*). Reducing the number of pillars, which is one of the causes of the lift's swaying, improves the ride comfort and reduces maintenance costs. *According to research by Iwatake Resort Co., Ltd.
Furthermore, by using the domestically manufactured cableway machine "UNI-G", the operating speed has been increased to 6m/sec. The time required to reach the summit area has been shortened by about 1 minute, making it possible to travel in about 7 minutes. The transport capacity has been increased to a maximum of 2460 people per hour, 1.8 times that of the existing gondola lift.
The arrival of the highly maneuverable gondola lift is great news for snowboarders who want to get as many runs as possible. It is also resistant to shaking, so the ride is also a concern.