SUN VALLEY — The sleek Porsches parked in Sun Valley Resort lots finally have some competition on the mountain — the resort’s new gondola.

It sails quietly over Douglas fir, climbing 1,928 feet up Bald Mountain in 6 1/2 minutes while offering 360-degree views of the Wood River Valley.

The gondola will usher in a new age for Sun Valley Co., in which passengers will follow heated pavers to a refurbished Roundhouse Restaurant and a view of the snowcapped Pioneer Mountains as the resort’s slopes await.

“It’ll change the way skiers ski because those who aren’t very good skiers will be able to go to Seattle Ridge without having to go to the top of the mountain,” said Peter Stearns, Sun Valley’s mountain manager. “And skiers will be able to ride the gondola down at the end of the day if they’re tired.”

The gondola’s 56 eight-passenger cabins will be pressed into service at8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, when the resort marks the start of its 74th ski season by ferrying passengers to the Roundhouse for its inaugural First Tracks continental breakfast buffet.

But skiers and non-skiers alike can take the gondola for a free ride on Saturday when the resort holds its Gondola ’Ganza and Winter Expo from9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at River Run Plaza.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. and Resort Owners Earl and Carol Holding plan to take the first ride.

Free rides will be offered the public from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., while a free snowshoe/foot race will take place from River Run Plaza to the gondola’s top terminal at 11:15 a.m.

The event will include raffles and prizes, snowmaking and lift evacuation demonstrations, a chance for people to climb aboard Sun Valley’s snow cats, free cocoa and cider and “tastes of the mountain” prepared by Sun Valley’s chefs. Snow Park Technologies will set up rails and boxes for skiers and snowboarders to try as a sneak peak at the new Jib Park that will be set up this year on Dollar Mountain.

“There’s going to be a lot of energy,” said Jack Sibbach, Sun Valley’s marketing director. “We were in Boise last weekend and a lot of people said, ‘I’m coming up for it.’ And we’ll be at the CSI Ski Swap this weekend so I expect to get people from Twin Falls.”

Rob Reeder, of East Fork, was among a steady stream of skiers and snowboarders who have climbed part of the mountain this week to make turns on the manmade snow.

“The first turns of the season are so good,” he said. “I can’t wait for Sun Valley to start up the lifts.”

Karen Bossick may be reached at kbossick@cox-internet.com.