This is my second, slightly more serious photobash of a ropeway.
Like I said before, I really like the idea that the rural towns in this setting all have some kind of reliable public transit option - the larger ones (or ones conveniently placed) are linked by high speed rail, and others nearby might link to those (and to eachother) with ropeways. Easier/cheaper to set up over rough terrain, great view, and pretty reliable - you always know there’s another car coming.
Given the distances between rural towns, I feel like they might need to run several ropeways to cover the distance. Ideally the terminals (the ends of the ropeway) would be in a town, but sometimes, like here, they may just be up in the mountains, which I think could provide a really cool option for a sort of local community hub in an otherwise fairly inaccessible place. (From a bit of reading about ropeways, my understanding is that the drive is at one end, and the other just has the mechanisms for unhooking and rehooking the cabs, and comms back to the drive - if that's the case, then the main motors and power supplies would be in the towns at either end, leaving this spot fairly uncluttered). A basic transfer station might just have the two ropeway terminals and perhaps some restrooms, but I feel like really nice ones could be this sort of base camp and waystation for hikers, rock climbers, and other people enjoying the outdoors. It might have some kind of communal dining hall, bathrooms, perhaps even sleeping quarters. People might hike up to this spot for lunch, or start their adventure here. Or, if they've been hiking from peak to peak for weeks, they might rest up or even catch a ropeway down into a town to resupply.
100% on seasonality - that said, I'll admit when I plan and sketch these scenes (and when I pick which one to do), I'm very much influenced by what I think will look really cool. Realistically, I think most ropeways used to link these towns would hug the ground and follow existing roads, as they usually already follow fairly efficient routs, and the road, even if it has fallen into disrepair, would make access easier for work crews building and maintaining the ropeway. Ropeways can definitely cross treacherous terrain like steep grades, wetlands, etc, more cheaply, and with less environmental impact and engineering work than an entire roadbed or train track, so they may be able to take shortcuts that the old roads couldn't, but property rights and attempting to move human transit into undisturbed spaces might generate enough pushback to make following the road easier and cheaper.
Maybe someday I'll do a scene of a ropeway over a crumbling country road (I won't even have to edit the road, just take a picture around my hometown lol) but I've probably done enough ropeways for now.
As for power, I mostly have seen it listed as comparisons to the alternatives needed to move an equivalent number of people, such as trains or fleets of cars, in which case ropeways come out ahead by a good margin. Compared to not providing transportation, it's definitely going to cost more power, but that society would also be less accessible. Hopefully this community has managed to set up enough green energy options and cut enough other power-consuming things to justify it.
No problem in stuff looking cool. I think ropeways are very cool, and built on top of old roads they would be way preferable over cars. I've never thought about the ropeway as a transportation of the future, but they would be really cool for the terrain I'm living in, and when I look back I have never failed to try ropeways wherever I found them available, from touristy little things floating over a zoo to fancy cabin on alpine peaks. They are cool and most of the time they are so much fun to ride!
Solarpunk is supposed to be fun and look cool, so you have my upvote for the ropeways!