The 2.5 mile- (or 4 kilometer-) long Silver Queen Gondola ride takes approximately 14 minutes from the Gondola Plaza in downtown Aspen to the Sundeck Restaurant at an elevation of 11,210 feet (or 3,417 meters) on Aspen Mountain.
Opened in December 1986, with upgraded 6-passenger cabins added in 2006, the Silver Queen Gondola is open both in winter and summer seasons, transporting skiers, boarders, and sightseers through an altitude gain of 3,267 feet (or 996 meters) from the base to the summit.
An Aspen Snowmass lift ticket or season pass gives access to the gondola, or a sightseeing pass can be purchased online or at the Aspen Mountain ticket office. Hikers and uphillers may download on the Silver Queen Gondola at no charge.