Planned gondola connecting Lake Tahoe-area ski resorts would create 1 of largest US ski areas

Squaw Valley Ski Holdings LLC announced plans Monday to build a high-speed gondola connecting its Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts near Lake Tahoe and create one of the largest ski areas in the country.

President and CEO Andy Wirth says the gondola would make it easier for skiers to experience the unique terrain of the adjoining Sierra Nevada resorts while reducing vehicle traffic between them.

Wirth says linking the two mountains has been a vision of the resorts' founders and skiers for six decades, and the combined 6,000 acres of skiable terrain would make it among the nation's largest.

A hurdle recently was removed when the company reached an agreement with the owner of property between the resorts to create the connection.

The U.S. Forest Service and Placer County must review the project.