Industry News
Big Sky, Montana, August 19, 2024 – The countdown to ski season has officially begun, with just 100 days remaining until opening day on November 27, 2024. This winter, the resort will unveil several new infrastructure upgrades as part of a massive 10-year capital improvement plan, Big Sky 2025, which continues its final chapter.
This summer, teams from Big Sky Resort and Jackson Contractor Group have been working to bring to life an architectural marvel at the base of the Lone Peak Tram—a new protective enclosure for the lower terminal. Designed to safeguard the tram cabins from the elements when not in use, this enclosure ensures that they remain pristine for many ski seasons to come.
This remarkable structure, composed of over 400 panels of one-inch-thick glass, creates a protective canopy over the terminal’s base, where visitors begin their journey to Lone Peak.
The enclosure’s stunning design draws inspiration from the intricacy of snowflakes. As the light plays across the glass surface, shadows and reflections dance, mimicking the dynamic and ever-changing nature of snow and ice. This interplay creates a unique visual experience that shifts with every glance, much like the landscape of Lone Peak itself.
“It’s going to be a very unique structure in itself. There’s not going to be another one like it anywhere,” said Patrick Doolin, project lead for Jackson Contractor Group, whose team is working on the lower terminal enclosure this summer.
On the north side of the mountain, Doppelmayr and Big Sky Resort crews are building the world’s longest 8-seat chairlift, Madison 8. The new lift, which replaces the Six Shooter lift, will nearly double the uphill capacity and reduce ride time by 30%, from 12 minutes down to an eight-minute ride.
“Big Sky Resort is at the forefront of transforming the North American ski experience by adding the most advanced and comfortable lift system to our mountain. This lift replacement supports our long-standing reputation for having some of the shortest lift lines in the Rockies.”
– Troy Nedved, general manager
Madison 8 is expected to open to skiers in December 2024.
As summer days dwindle and winter returns to the Rockies, Big Sky Resort will be ready to welcome skiers back on the day before Thanksgiving.
