STOWE, VT (December 14, 2006) Governor Douglas said, "Linking magnificent Mt. Mansfield to Spruce Peak with this new transfer gondola is a superb achievement and will be very beneficial to the skiers and snowboarders who visit this first-rate facility. It’s also an important milestone in Stowe Mountain Resort’s extraordinary renaissance. Their investments have been made with great foresight and will be an immensely valuable economic asset for the residents of this region, and our entire state, for generations to come." Stowe Mountain Resort President Hank Lunde remarked, "This is a day we’ve dreamed of here at Stowe Mountain Resort for many years. Now, skiers can access the varied terrain and trails of both Mt. Mansfield and Spruce Peak quickly, conveniently and without hassle. The ‘ski capital of the East’ has a great winter in store for skiers, and a bright future as developments continue at Spruce Peak and the Stowe Mountain Lodge." Skiers and snowboarders at Stowe Mountain Resort will enjoy the benefits of other on-mountain amenities, including state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment, recently introduced high-speed lifts, new trails, and a renovated Cliff House Restaurant high atop Mt. Mansfield. Stowe is in the midst of a resurgence ignited by a $400 million investment that includes improvements at Stowe Mountain Resort and the development of Spruce Peak at Stowe, including the new Stowe Mountain Lodge, scheduled to open in 2007. The development is unfolding in strict adherence to an Environmental Charter designed to preserve the area’s ecological viability. – On December 16, Stowe Mountain Resort will unveil a new transfer gondola – with a little help from Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. The Governor will be on hand to inaugurate the new "Over Easy" gondola, which will unite Spruce Peak with Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s tallest peak. The new lift is a Poma ten-person standing gondola that will span Vermont’s Route 108. The length of the ride between the two mountains is approximately 1,500 feet, with a minimum travel time of 1.5 minutes. True to its name, the "Over Easy" is capable of moving 3,400 people per hour between the mountains and brings to Stowe a big mountain experience previously associated only with Western resorts.