Next year, Big Sky will be adding another innovative bubble chairlift to its network.
Yesterday, Big Sky Resort announced that they will replace the Six Shooter chairlift with a new Doppelmayr D-line high-speed detachable eight-pack bubble chairlift. This will be the third D-Line chairlift at Big Sky, and they will become the only ski resort in North America with two eight-person chairlifts.
The new chairlift will be nearly double the uphill capacity compared to its predecessor, as it will carry up to 2,745 guests per hour. It will also be super fast, with a ride time of eight minutes. The chairs themselves will be super wide and comfortable, with heated seats and individual headrests. The automatically locking safety bars will automatically lower and then rise up at the end of the journey.
The bottom terminal will move down around forty feet from its current location to allow for more queuing space. Other than that, the new chairlift’s alignment will remain the same, dropping off at the same spot. This length will make the longest eight-person chairlift on the planet.
Troy Nedved, who’s the General Manager of Big Sky Resort, described why they’re moving swiftly to replace Six Shooter:
“Replacing Six Shooter has long been an ask of our guests. The lift replacement doubles the uphill capacity at one of our last remaining pinch points, and will enhance what is one of the resort’s coldest lift rides with bubbles and heated seats.”
Construction will begin in April and is projected to open in December of 2024.
After this chairlift addition, Big Sky’s next lift project will be the replacement of the Explorer chairlift with a gondola, which is projected to open during the 2025-26 season.
This move follows the opening of the new Lone Peak Tram, which increased capacity to Big Sky’s most iconic terrain.
Image/Video Credits: Big Sky Resort
