Getting to the slopes of Heavenly Mountain Resort is about to be much easier for guests at Ridge Resorts.

After three years without a gondola going between the lodging property at the top of Kingsbury Grade and Stagecoach chairlift, the Hilltrac Skier Express is expected to be operational Dec. 23.

The gondola between Ridge Resorts and Heavenly will open in December.

The eight-person gondola sits on a track about 10 feet off the ground and will look much like Heavenly’s Gondola on the other side of the resort. This is the same type of contraption the St. Regis at Deer Valley uses to transport its guests.

“It will give the Ridge Tahoe an elevated status as far as accommodation properties in the South Shore. It is the only lodging property that sits on Heavenly ski resort that will be ski-in, ski-out,” Teri Sweeney with Ridge Resorts said of the gondola.

The old chairlift between the two entities was taken out in 2008. It required guests to walk across the parking lot. The gondola will drop people off closer to the ski resort chairlift.

Ridge Tahoe guests need only carry their room key to be able to use the new gondola.

— Kathryn Reed