With the exception of bike parks, disc golf, and the occasional hiker, summertime at ski resorts means one thing– construction.
Related: The 5 Most Iconic “Old School” Chair Lifts in the USA
Right now, construction crews are beginning work on a variety of things from lodge renovations to building new chair lifts. And while locals won’t be that stoked on the newly planned lodge renovations, a new chairlift coming to their home ski hill is sure to stir the pot.
Here are the new lifts coming to a ski area near you…
Sweetwater Gondola | Jackson, WY
JHMR officials’ main focus this summer is building the Sweetwater Gondola. The newly built gondola will replace the outdated Sweetwater Chair. The new gondola will transport skiers from the base area to just above the Casper restaurant. Resort officials hope the new lift gives intermediate skiers access to terrain better suited to their skill set. On the other hand, locals hope the new lift eases tram traffic and instead puts more skiers on the northern end of the ski resort.
Sweetwater Stats
- 8 Person Gondola Cars
- 1,276′ vertical rise
- 2,000 people per hour
Related: Jackon Hole’s New Sweetwater Gondola Will Ease Tram Traffic
Cloudchaser | Mt Bachelor, OR
The underdeveloped east side of Mt Bachelor is about to get a boost with the newly engineered Cloudchaser Lift set to go up this summer. The new high-speed detachable quad will add 635 acres to Mount Bachelor’s already famed terrain for the first time in over 20 years.
Cloudchaser Stats
- High speed detachable quad
- 1448′ vertical rise
Related: Mt. Bachelor To Install New Lift For Next Season!
Sun Up Lift | Vail, CO
Once upon a time, back in the early 90’s, the lifts accessing the back bowls @Vail were some of the slowest and oldest in the country. Nowadays, most of those lifts have been replaced– except for the Sun Up Lift. That will change this summer as Vail plans to replace the old school triple with a high speed quad.
Sun Up Stats
- Detachable high speed quad
- 4 minute ride
Challenger + Lone Peak | Big Sky, MT
The Challenger double will be replaced with a triple chair and Lone Peak triple will be replaced this summer by a high speed quad. The replacements will be completed by Dopplemayr.
Challenger Stats
- Triple chair
- 1,672′ vertical rise
Lone Peak Stats
- Quad chair
- 833′ vertical rise
Blackfoot Chair | Grand Targhee, WY
The Blackfoot Chair at Grand Targhee hasn’t been updated since 1974 but that all changes this year. The Wydaho resort plans on replacing the historic lift with a fixed grip quad that will cut the ride time in half.
Blackfoot Stats
- Fixed grip quad
- 1,200′ vertical rise
- Ride time decreased from 12 to 7 minutes.
- 1,800 skiers per hour
Grand Canyon Express | Arizona Snowbowl
Arizona Snowbowl plans to construct its first six-pack chairlift this summer– the Grand Canyon Express. The new lift will whisk skiers and riders 1,530 vertical feet in a matter of minutes.
Grand Canyon Express Stats
- Six-pack, high-speed detachable chair
- 1,530′ vertical rise