Industry News
Big Sky Resort announced yesterday that they will install an eight-seat, high-speed chairlift this summer on Andesite Mountain, where the Ramcharger lift is currently.
The new chair, called Ramcharger 8 and hopefully ready to open in December, will have heated seats, blue wind bubbles, and seats 2-inches wider than the six-seat Powder Seeker chairlift, installed two years ago in The Bowl. Ramcharger 8 will be the first eight-seat chairlift installed in North America. The current Ramcharger lift, a high-speed quad, will be moved to the south side of the mountain this summer and replace the Shedhorn double.
They also announced a planned renovation of the Mountain Mall, which will increase lunch seating capacity by 350 seats; include coffee, wine and beer bars; indoor fireplaces; new food options, including stone-fired pizza, sushi, ramen and crepe stations; new windows to open up views of Lone Mountain; and expanded outdoor patio space.
This is the second phase of “Big Sky 2025”, a 10-year plan announced in 2016 to reshape Big Sky as the “American Alp.” The first phase included the installation of the Powder Seeker lift and Challenger triple. Future planned projects include night skiing on Andesite, expanded snowmaking, and a gondola to replace the Explorer double chairlift. The gondola will be a two-phase project, with the second stage extending it to The Bowl at the base of Powder Seeker.
When asked how mountain biking access will be affected this summer, Big Sky Resort General Manager Taylor Middleton replied that the resort is thinking about running vehicle shuttles for bikers to reach the many new trails built on Andesite Mountain in recent years.
Big Sky Resort announced just last week that they will be joining the Mountain Collective pass for the 2018/19 season, which is on sale now.
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