Powder Mountain’s newly public expert zone leads our picks for 2026–27, alongside fresh terrain at Deer Valley, Sundance, Purgatory and Lake Louise. Sun Valley earns an honorable mention.
More than 1,000 acres of newly public advanced terrain at Powder Mountain. Seven new runs at Deer Valley. A ridgeline groomer and expert gladed chutes at Sundance.
The 2026–27 ski season is bringing meaningful changes to familiar mountains, with additions that give skiers and snowboarders fresh reasons to return.
Utah claims the first three spots on our list. Colorado contributes a steep new terrain zone, while Lake Louise continues building out Richardson’s Ridge. We’ve ranked these five projects by their potential to change a ski day, with Sun Valley’s additional glading earning an honorable mention.
1. Powder Mountain, Utah: A Major New Destination for Expert Riders
What’s coming: More than 1,000 acres of newly public advanced terrain, approximately 900 directly lift served.
Powder Mountain’s DMI project is the most substantial addition on this list.
A new Skytrac fixed-grip triple will serve the Wolf Creek Canyon zone, opening access to advanced and technical terrain with 2,200 feet of vertical drop.
For strong skiers and snowboarders, that creates the possibility of spending much of a day exploring a new corner of the mountain. The scale is the attraction: DMI adds a substantial destination within the public resort.
Powder Mountain plans to open the lift when conditions allow during 2026–27. Its acreage figures distinguish between the broader newly public zone and the roughly 900 acres directly served by the lift.
Best for: Advanced and expert skiers and snowboarders.
See Powder Mountain’s official expansion plans here.
2. Deer Valley, Utah: Hail Peak Brings Seven New Runs
What’s coming: 200 skiable acres and seven runs served by Hail Peak Express.
Deer Valley’s east-side transformation continues with Hail Peak, another terrain pod accessible from Deer Valley East Village.
The new express lift will climb 1,130 vertical feet and carry up to 2,400 people per hour. The expansion is expected to bring the resort to 4,500 skiable acres and 32 aerial lifts for the 2026–27 season.
For returning guests, Hail Peak offers another reason to explore the resort’s growing eastern side. This winter’s new acreage is the 200-acre Hail Peak addition; the much larger Expanded Excellence project has unfolded across several seasons.
Best for: Deer Valley skiers eager to explore its next expansion phase. Deer Valley remains a skier-only resort.
Read Deer Valley’s official Hail Peak announcement here.
3. Sundance, Utah: A New Ridge Run and Faster Back-Mountain Laps
What’s coming: More than 100 acres, the Storyteller ridge run and Electric Horseman high-speed quad.
Sundance’s expansion has an especially appealing combination for groups with different abilities: a long new groomer, expert tree skiing and a faster route back to the top.
The signature addition is Storyteller, a 1.7-mile upper-intermediate run following the former Far East Ridgeline. It also provides access to three expert gladed chutes.
Electric Horseman will serve more than 1,850 vertical feet per lap, with a ride of approximately six minutes. The lift is designed to let visitors repeat the back mountain on a single high-speed chair.
Sundance’s August announcement puts this phase at more than 100 acres, bringing the mountain to 605 skiable acres for 2026–27.
Best for: Intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders, particularly groups looking for varied terrain.
Explore Sundance’s Electric Horseman project here.
4. Purgatory, Colorado: Colorado Couloir Opens Steeper Options
What’s coming: Approximately 40 acres of advanced and expert terrain, with new access from Gelande.
Purgatory’s Colorado Couloir project could have an impact beyond its acreage.
Five new trails, gladed skiing and two connector trails will add options in one of the resort’s steepest areas.
The fixed-grip triple will climb approximately 1,625 vertical feet in roughly nine minutes. It also creates direct upper-mountain access from the Gelande parking area, reducing reliance on the shuttle to begin the day.
The project combines new skiing with improved access to existing glades. For experienced visitors, that should make the front side a more interesting place to spend time.
Purgatory’s announced opening target for Colorado Couloir is December 2026, conditions permitting.
Best for: Confident skiers and snowboarders seeking steeper terrain.
Explore Purgatory’s announcement here.
5. Lake Louise, Alberta: More Ways to Explore Richardson’s Ridge
What’s coming: Expanded glades, new runs and improved terrain connections.
Lake Louise’s Richardson’s Ridge continues evolving this winter, with additions that should appeal to families and mixed-ability groups.
SkiBig3 lists expanded intermediate and advanced glades, plus Grove Glade, a new groomed green run connecting Merlin’s to the Richardson’s Ridge chairlift.
Pikaboo will provide a second route between the Paradise and Richardson’s Ridge lift bases, while a new Prunepicker connection links Marmot to the ridge’s base.
Those routes matter because they make it easier to move into and around the terrain zone, giving groups more choices about how to explore.
The original 200-acre Richardson’s Ridge addition and its quad opened in early 2026, during the previous ski season. This winter’s entry represents the next stage of that expansion, rather than another newly opened 200 acres.
Best for: Families, mixed-ability groups and returning Lake Louise visitors.
See SkiBig3’s official 2026–27 terrain update here.
Honorable Mention: Sun Valley, Idaho, Adds 50 Acres of Glades
Sun Valley is adding 50 acres of newly gladed terrain between Christin’s Silver, Leigh Lane and Upper Broadway on Bald Mountain.
The work builds on 90 acres completed the previous summer and continues the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project, which pairs forest-health improvements with more opportunities for tree skiing.
For skiers and snowboarders who enjoy leaving the groomers, the additional glades offer another reason to revisit Bald Mountain this winter.
See Sun Valley’s official announcement here.
Which new terrain would you ski first? Tell us which expansion belongs on your winter itinerary.
Related: The 10 Most Important New Chairlifts Opening in North America This Ski Season