Big Sky Resort‘s Explorer Chair has been in operation since the resort opened back in 1973, but starting in the 2025/26 ski season a new gondola will take its place. The new Explorer Gondola will connect to the lower terminal of the Lone Peak Tram and extend all the way to the Bowl, transforming access to the Explorer and northern Swift Current terrain.
Construction kicked off during the summer of 2023 with earthwork and foundation work at the mid-station. This past summer the mid-station was brought to near completion with the installation of lift components. A new 21,000-square-foot mid-station parking structure will allow for the storage of all 83 gondola cabins.
Upper terminal foundational work was also completed this summer, setting the stage for Doppelmayr to install lift components in the summer of 2025. Lower terminal construction is set to begin on March 30, 2025, with it set to be completed during next summer. The new Gondola is set to be unveiled for the 2025/26 ski season.