The Daily Freeman is reporting the Catskill Thunder high-speed gondola at Belleayre Mountain Ski Resort opened December 30, according to a press release from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. The project is one part of the state's plan for the Highmount ski area and is designed to increase year-round visitation, thereby providing a boost to tourism in the Catskills and the region’s economy. The 60-cabin gondola carries skiers and snowboarders from the Discovery Lodge to the summit in seven minutes. The Catskill Thunder Gondola can transport up to eight people per cabin and approximately 2,000 people per hour, at a maximum speed of 1,000 feet per minute, the press release said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.