New 6-person High-speed Chairlift Announced for Perisher

December 8th, 2023
A high speed detachable six- person chair to replace the slow double and triple chairs on Mount P. Photo: Perisher

Mountainwatch | Press Release

Perisher,December 8th: We are excited to announce that the existing fixed-grip 2-person Mt Perisher Double lift and fixed-grip 3-person Mt Perisher Triple lift will be upgraded to a new 6-person, high-speed chairlift (‘the Mt Perisher 6’) for the 2025 season.

This new high-speed 6-person chairlift will be the highest lifted point in Australia at 2,042m, support resort capacity and assist to redistribute skiers across Perisher’s network of 48 lifts across four resort areas to reduce general lift wait times and improve flow and circulation.

“The Mt Perisher 6 will service the iconic Towers run on Mt Perisher and provide greater connectivity for skiers and snowboarders than the Mt P Double and Triple that it will replace, providing guests access to all ski runs in all directions on Mt Perisher without having to traverse across slopes or ride multiple surface lifts,” said Nathan Butterworth, Vice President and General Manager of Perisher.

“This significant investment in Perisher’s operations will enhance our guest experience by providing access to higher points on the mountain, faster lift ride times and greater choice of runs from the top of Mount Perisher. Getting on and around the mountain will now be quicker and more seamless for our guests,” said Butterworth.

Faster access to the more advanced terrain.  Photo: Perisher

The high-speed detachable chair will increase chairlifting capacity in the Mt Perisher area by 60%, taking more skiers and riders higher up the mountain than ever before. This also marks the first high-speed lift on intermediate and advanced skiing terrain at Perisher, which will enhance the experience for guests with these skiing and riding abilities significantly.

The new 6-person chairlift will operate at a speed of 4.5 metres per second, cutting travel time up the mountain from 10 minutes to around five and a half minutes, with a faster load and unload at each end facilitating greater circulation and flow of guests around the mountain.

This is a multi-year project with preparatory works to begin ahead of the 2024 winter season. Operation of the new chairlift anticipated to begin in the 2025 ski and ride season in Australia.

The project adds to the Freedom Quad Chair, Leichhardt Quad Chair and continued investment in snowmaking that the resort has implemented in the past 10 years.

“This has been a desired infrastructure upgrade by our local ski community, and I’m thrilled we will be able to make this a reality for our guests,” said Butterworth. “Preparatory works will begin prior to the 2024 season with a 2025 completion date. I would like to thank our teams and contractors for their commitment to bringing this project to life and thank them in advance for the hard work they will do bringing The Mt Perisher 6 to our resort.”

This is part of a larger investment by Vail Resorts as part of the company’s Epic Lift Upgrade capital improvement project and highlights the company’s continued investment in the guest experience.

Follow our social media channels and website news channel for updates on this exciting infrastructure project for Perisher Ski Resort.