Idaho — In the midst of celebrating its 90th season, Sun Valley is also looking towards next winter. Based on how this winter has gone across the West, we don’t blame them.
Yesterday, Sun Valley Resort announced that it will replace two chairlifts during the 2026 offseason. The plan is to replace both the Christmas and Lookout Express chairlifts, which will reduce ride times, increase capacity, and improve reliability. Both lifts will be supplied by Doppelmayr.
“The replacement of Christmas and Lookout Express lifts is another major milestone in modernizing the lift network at Sun Valley,” said Pete Sonntag, COO at Sun Valley Resort. “Both lifts play a critical role in getting skiers and riders to the top of Bald Mountain. We are proud to partner with Doppelmayr once again and build on the success of our most recent lift projects – Seattle Ridge, Flying Squirrel, Challenger and Broadway. Sun Valley has the most efficient lift system in the country, and these upgrades will ensure that continues for many years to come.”
The New Chairlifts
The Christmas Express chairlift is a high-speed quad chairlift that was installed in 1996. It will be replaced by a new Doppelmayr UNIG detachable high-speed chairlift. This chairlift will have 14 lift towers, a vertical rise of 1,354 feet, and a ride time of around 4.5 minutes. This is the same type of chairlift as the Flying Squirrel chairlift.
The Lookout Express chairlift is a high-speed quad chairlift that was built in 1996. It will be replaced by a Doppelmayr UNIG detachable high-speed six-pack chairlift. This chairlift will feature 21 lift towers, a vertical rise of 2,673 ft, and a journey time of around 8.5 minutes. Both of these new lifts will be able to travel up to 1,000 feet per minute. Lookout Ridge will be similar to the Seattle Ridge chairlift.
With approval secured from the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, construction will begin in April. Snowmaking upgrades to its four pumphouses, along with a new Connector Trail, are also planned. Add in the fact that the Audi FIS World Cup will return to Sun Valley next winter, and it will be an excellent season there.
Recent Upgrades
Lift improvements have been a focus for Sun Valley since 2019. The 2019-20 season saw the opening of the Broadway Express, which coincided with the Cold Springs terrain expansion. The 2023-24 season saw the opening of the Challenger and Flying Squirrel chairlifts. 2024 saw the debut of the new Seattle Ridge six-pack chairlift.
Another notable improvement has been the glading work done over the past several years. Click here to learn more about those efforts.
Image/Video Credits: Sun Valley Resort, Idaho Ski Lifts
