A rare plan to join two independently-operated US ski areas has emerged.
Smugglers' Notch and Stowe in Vermont are near neighbours as the crow flies and it has long been possible, and fairly easy for experienced skiers with lift tickets for both mountains, to traverse between the two. In the past there have been semi-formal inter-connect agreements, but the lift-link plan is new.
The possible move, still in its early stages, has come to light through a notification of the plan to Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources. The idea is to build a gondola lift, about 750 metres long, with a capacity of 1200 people per hour, between the two areas, and it is at least six years old. It's about an hours drive between the two resorts in winter.
Connections between US ski areas are rare, particularly where the two are operated by separate companies. Park City in Utah, Big Sky in Montana and The Palisades in California are all made up of inter-connected, formerly neighbouring ski areas where one company bought out its neighbour. But there are few cases where resorts have built a link but continued to operate separately.
However independent Smugglers' Notch, which has a reputation as one of the world's best resorts for families, and Stowe, now owned by the world's largest resort operator Vail, have insisted they're staying separate since the possible lift connection news broke.
"Should we move forward, we will be rooted in the guiding principles of cooperation and collaboration to ensure this is a win for guests, the environment and the community. This concept is in its preliminary stages, and any actions will be subject to government approvals," a statement from Smugglers' Notch reads.