It’s an early Christmas gift to all Whistler Blackcomb guests. Vail Resorts, owner of Whistler Blackcomb, has announced this morning it is investing $66 million to build a new gondola and a high-speed four-person Catskinner Chair for Blackcomb, and a new six-person Emerald Express Chair.

From Press Release: Get ready to enjoy more time on the mountain. Vail Resorts has just unveiled an early Christmas gift for all Whistler Blackcomb guests, investing in faster lifts and a new Blackcomb gondola for 2018. The $66-million CAD project will be the heart of Whistler Blackcomb, cutting wait times at the core of each mountain.

On Whistler, a new six-person Emerald Express chair will make life in the Family Ski Zone easier, while a high-speed, four-person Catskinner chair adds laps to your day on Blackcomb. Access to this mountain will be faster, warm and dry, as well. A 10-person gondola, from the Upper Village to the Peak 2 Peak connection, will open the first fully-sheltered route up Blackcomb year-round. Sightseeing or climbing the Ascent Trails? Extend your stay. There’s a covered cabin for the ride down.

And we didn’t forget the mountain bikers. Loam lovers will be shredding fresh trail in Creekside as the Whistler Mountain Bike Park reveals its most extensive expansion this spring! Get all the details here.

• Stay warm and dry in Blackcomb’s new 10-person gondola
• Cut the kids’ wait time for Emerald Express with the new 6-person chair in the Family Ski Zone
• Add more laps and improve faster with Blackcomb’s new 4-person, high-speed Catskinner lift
• Be the first to shred Creekside’s new trails in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park