Return to List

Mar 03, 2023
Weekly Roundup

Weekly Roundup: Ministry of Environment Approves Cable Car Project in South Korean National Park

Post by nickchu

A scenic view of Mt. Seorak, South Korea, from near the site of the current cable car line; the construction of a second line has been approved and is set to begin operation in 2026, provided that it follows all of the environmentally-conscious conditions put into place by the Ministry of Environment. Image: “Seoraksan National Park, near cable-car” by Olga Lipunova, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • Mount Seymour in Vancouver, Canada, will have a new chairlift for the 2023-24 winter season. The newly revamped quad chairlift will increase capacity by 70% over the original lift, traveling 2.3 meters per second and having larger chairs. The new lift will replace the existing Lodge chairlift that serves the base area to the lowest point of skiable terrain. A notable feature of the new lift is the improved speed of the conveyor loading skiers. Construction is set to be completed during the summer.
  • The cable car project on Mount Seorak has been approved. Mount Seorak is part of a national park in Gangwon, South Korea. The project was approved by the Ministry of Environment, but comes with a number of conditions related to protecting the environment. The vision for a project of this kind dates back to 1982, when a cable car was first proposed. It would be the second cable car on Mount Seorak, with the first one having opened in the 1970’s. If the project moves forward, the system is expected to begin operating in 2026 and will cost over 50 billion won ($38 million USD).
  • New Hampshire’s iconic tram is close to retirement, and there exists some controversy surrounding what type of cable-propelled system should replace it. The original tram began operation in 1938 and was the first passenger aerial tram in North America; the 1938 tram was replaced in 1980 with the current system, and with another substitution now on the horizon, locals are insistent that system type remain the same. State officials are leaning towards installing a gondola, which would be cheaper and faster than the tram due to the increased frequency of the cabins arriving at the stations.
Share:

1 Comment

  • Charles Olson says:

    In re the Cannon tram, the governor wants a gondola and pretty much everyone else involved wants a replacement tram. It’s been pointed out that a tram would probably be less expensive, as it would reuse the existing station structures and platforms, while a gondola would require entirely new construction including a car barn. And, Cannon Mountain is notoriously windy, making a gondola less practical.

You may also like