A cable-driven hillside tram will connect four new luxury residences with upper Forest Road and Vail Mountain ski access.

One of Vail’s most unusual residential access projects is taking shape at 816 and 826 Forest Road. The steep hillside property is being developed as two duplex buildings containing four residences, with expansive views toward the Gore Range, Red Sandstone Mountain and Vail Village.

Designed by KH Webb Architects and built by Mexamer Construction Group, the project required years of planning, a land exchange with the Town of Vail and approvals addressing the difficult terrain. The residence at 816 Forest Road is being marketed as a six-bedroom, 5,655-square-foot home with completion expected in 2027.

A Funicular for the Final Climb

The signature amenity is a private funicular—an exterior, cable-driven tram designed to carry residents up and down the hillside. Its track follows the shared property line between the two lots and links the residences with an upper recreational structure and ski access. For owners arriving in ski boots or carrying equipment, the system turns a demanding uphill climb into a short ride.

Because the track enters required setback areas and is visible on the hillside, the proposal required both a variance and a conditional-use permit. The Vail Planning and Environmental Commission approved both requests on May 11, 2026, by a 4–1 vote.

Screening was the central issue during the public review. The revised landscape plan added approximately 66 spruce, aspen and chokecherry plantings to soften views of the rails while also meeting wildfire-defensible-space requirements. Most of the track will sit about four feet above grade to allow for winter snow, although it rises higher where the slope changes near the upper retaining walls. The approvals include conditions for continued landscape review and additional screening near the top of the alignment.

The result is distinctly Vail: a sophisticated engineering solution applied to a challenging mountain site. Although Forest Road already has another residence with a funicular, the system at 816 and 826 will remain a rare amenity—one that makes the properties ski-in/ski-out positioning practical as well as memorable.

Additional reporting: Vail Daily.