Industry News
It has been a huge summer for lift construction. These projects range in size from massive resort defining projects, to small quality of life improvements. There is a lot to be excited about for the upcoming winter season, and there’s a chance you may interact with some of this new infrastructure in the coming months. Here are the most significant (non-beginner) lift installations and expansions happening in North America this year.
Utah
Deer Valley
New lifts: East Village Gondola, Pinyon Express, Vulcan Express, Neptune Express, Revelator Express
The biggest news in the industry this year might be Deer Valley’s massive Expanded Excellence expansion. The resort will be adding 3,700 acres throughout the next few years, and the vast majority of the new terrain will be ready for winter 2025-26. Expanded Excellence will be the biggest North American ski area expansion project in history. Construction is already well underway and should be completed by December.
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1Water Level at Lake Mead, CO, at Record Low → -
2Alterra Mountain Company Layoffs and Restructuring Plan →
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3Less Than 50 Days: Ski Resorts Opening in October 2026 →
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4All of the Best New Chairlifts Being Installed in North America for the 2025-26 Season →
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5Mountain Guide of Fatal 2023 Avalanche Found Guilty of Negligent Homicide →
Park City
New lifts: Sunrise Gondola
The Canyons side of Park City is getting a much-needed tertiary gateway. This lift will run mostly as a parallel redundancy to the Red Pine Gondola, but will also reportedly be more wind-resistant.
Snowbasin
New lift: Becker Express
Snowbasin has had a flurry of lift installations in the last several years, replacing many older chairs. Becker is finally being replaced by a high-speed quad chair this summer, which will help better service its lower mountain terrain and provide access to the Strawberry area.
Alta
New lift: Supreme
The Supreme chair is getting realigned—so not technically a ‘new’ chair, but a new path through the forest. The alignment was decided as the best course of action in order to eliminate the bumpy ride and maintenance issues, and mitigate the need to replace Supreme in the coming years.
Colorado
Snowmass
New lifts: Elk Camp, Cirque
Snowmass is replacing both the Elk Camp Quad and the Cirque Platter with capacity upgrades for next season. The Cirque will be upgraded from a platter to a T-Bar, and Elk Camp will go from a High Speed Quad to a Six pack. The cirque lift is a key access point to Snowmass’ high alpine terrain, and Elk Camp primarily serves intermediate terrain.
Sunlight Mountain
New lift: Primo, Segundo
Sunlight is replacing two aged double chairlifts with a new triple and a new quad chairlift, which will bring its lift fleet into the modern generation. The two new lifts will combine to service the entire mountain.
Monarch Mountain
New lift: Tomichi
Monarch Mountain is getting a backside. The new lift will service primarily intermediate terrain, with a summit next to the existing Breezeway lift.
Purgatory Resort
New lift: Gelande
Announced in April, the triple-seat lift was slated to connect the Gelande parking lot to Purgatory’s summit, creating a new access point for advanced terrain. The resort planned to complete the work over the summer, but as of late August the lift towers remain stored in a parking lot with no ground broken on the project.
Washington
The Summit at Snoqualmie (Alpental)
New lift: Edelweiss
Old Edelweiss at Alpental was as classic a lift as there ever was. The chair was an old school center pole double chairlift that ran through some excellent expert terrain for 58 years. Many are sad to see it gone. The new lift will be a fixed-grip triple chairlift.
Bluewood
New lift: Skyline Express
Bluewood is replacing its main base to summit lift with a High Speed Quad. The new lift is a used bubble high-speed quad lift from Europe.
White Pass
New lift: Chair 4
White Pass is replacing Chair 4 with a fixed-grip quad. The lift primarily serves intermediate terrain at mid-mountain.
Crystal Mountain
New lift: Rainier Express
Crystal is replacing the dated Rainier Express Quad with a newer model. The old lift was nearing 40 years old and was reaching the end of its operational life.
Alberta
Castle Mountain
New lift: Stagecoach Express
Castle Mountain is embarking on a massive expansion that will expand the resort’s acreage by 25%. The new lift is a used high-speed quad that will flank the side of Mount Haig on terrain that was previously used for catskiing. It will climb 559 meters (1,834 vertical feet) in just 5 minutes.
Lake Louise
New lift: Richardson’s Ridge Express
Richardson’s Ridge is the first expansion to the lift-served boundary of Lake Louise in over 40 years. The new lift is a high-speed quad and will primarily serve intermediate terrain.
New Mexico
Angel Fire
New lift: Rakes Rider
Angel Fire is installing a new fixed-grip quad chairlift on its backside that will primarily service advanced terrain. The lift will also serve as redundancy for the Southwest Flyer high-speed quad.
Taos
New lift: Lift 7
Taos is upgrading the old Lift 7 triple chairlift with a new triple, as the old machine was nearing the end of its operational life.
Montana
Big Sky
New lift: Explorer Gondola
Big Sky’s new Explorer Gondola will replace the Explorer double chairlift and finally provide redundant access to the base of the Lone Peak tram, which will make it easier to reach the peak.
East Coast
Vermont
Killington
New lift: Superstar Express
Superstar is one of the most important lifts in East Coast skiing. The lift services an annual World Cup race in late November, and is routinely the last lift to close in late May or early June. The old High Speed Quad was due for a replacement, and the new Six Pack should be a significant improvement.
New Hampshire
Bretton Woods
New lift: Bethlehem Express
Bretton Woods is upgrading the old Bethlehem Express Quad with a new High Speed Quad, as the old machine was nearing 40 years old and the end of its operational life.
Pats Peak
New lift: Hurricane
Pats Peak is replacing its base-to-summit Hurricane triple chairlift with a fixed-grip quad. This will service the entire mountain except for the Cascade Basin area.
New York
Gore Mountain
New lift: Topridge
Gore is replacing the Topridge triple chairlift with a fixed-grip quad—the lift primarily services intermediate and advanced terrain.
Whiteface
New lift: Little Whiteface
Whiteface is replacing the dated Little Whiteface double chairlift with a new double chairlift. The lift provides access to the summit of Little Whiteface Mountain and primarily services advanced terrain.
Massachusetts
Wachusett
New lift: Polar Express
Wachusett is replacing its base to summit Polar Express Quad with a High Speed Six. This will service most of the mountain.
Ski Butternut
New lift: Jane’s
Butternut is replacing its base to summit Overbrook triple chairlift with a fixed grip quad. The new lift will start further from the base lodge.
North Carolina
Cataloochee
New lift: Omigosh
Cataloochee is replacing its dated base-to-summit Omigosh double chairlift with a fixed grip quad. This will service the entire mountain.
Lift construction remains one of the most impactful investments a ski resort can make. While any single project might appear modest on its own, new lifts ultimately shape how skiers and riders experience the mountain. Over time, they define the flow of terrain, improve access, and influence the character of a resort. The projects underway in 2025 will not only affect the coming winter but help set the stage for seasons to come.
*This article was updated on August 27, 2025, at 7:20 a.m. Central European Time. A previous version of this article contained inaccuracies.
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You forgot Loveland Ski Area in Colorado. We are hard at work replacing Chair #7 (once upon a time a tight two seat Yahn) in the valley with a brand new Poma Triple Chair