Franconia, New Hampshire — It was a strange ski season for Cannon, as it was the first time in years that it was without the historic aerial tramway. It sounds like it’ll be a few years before we see a new tram, although progress is being made toward building its successor.
Since the tram closed in late October 2025, Cannon Mountain has been working on getting a plan ready to replace the tramway. First came the structural analysis, which reportedly found that they can use the old foundations, lift towers, and terminals for the replacement. There will need to be some adjustments though, such as refurbishing the base and top terminals, along with modifications to a few of the towers.
“Given previous estimates and a 2023 bidding process from which no action was taken and only a single bidder responded, the project is estimated to cost between between $25 million and $33 million,” said Jace Wirth, General Manager of Cannon, to Engineering News-Record earlier this year. The state has already devoted $27.2 million from the State of New Hampshire to its third-generation replacement.
InDepthNH reported yesterday that a timeframe has been established. A request for proposal, which was recently released, is calling for lift manufacturers to submit bids. Bids are due by July 22, 2026. Cannon has reportedly vetted Doppelmayr and Leitner-Poma as potential partners. The goal is to complete the project by December 1, 2028. If that ultimately happens, it would set the tramway up for a reopening during the 2028-29 ski season. This timeline depends on when the state receives the bids.
In terms of how Cannon plans to bring in visitors during the offseason, a new chairlift will be home to foliage rides. The plan is to run the Peabody Express for chairlift rides this offseason. However, a formal schedule for operations has yet to be announced.
Image/Video Credits: Ian Wood, WMUR, Cannon Mountain
