Industry News
It’s always exciting when ski resorts announce extensive plans for the future. Skiers, snowboarders, and especially locals want to know what those plans consist of and what the resort is preparing to do. Will those plans include terrain expansions, lift upgrades, or any other major improvements to the mountain? Bridger Bowl, Montana, outlined its plans for the resort, and they include more than just terrain expansions and lift upgrades.
Last week, Bridger Bowl released its 2025 Master Development Plan (MDP) for upgrades and improvements in the future. The MDP plans to add new lifts, expand terrain, build new infrastructure, and expand snow capabilities. Bridger Bowl’s MDP has been submitted to the Forest Service for review.
The upgrades include the addition of a new ski patrol lift and five new lifts to enhance beginner and intermediate terrain access and improve terrain progression. The new lifts in the beginner terrain are geared to improve overall learning and skill progression. The MDP states that some of the terrain at Bridger Bowl is too steep for novice skiers and located in high-traffic areas. The new 500-foot beginner lift will be shorter than its predecessor, and it intends to help skiers learn how to ride a chairlift for the first time. According to the MDP, it also provides secondary access to the Snowflake lift instead of using the Sundog carpet.
The planned Bradley Meadows Lift would provide access to the popular backcountry terrain of the Alpine area, making it more accessible for intermediate and advanced skiers. The Pierre’s Knob 2 lift would provide additional lift-served access to advanced and expert terrain on the south side of the mountain, alleviating congestion at Schlasman’s lift. A new rope tow is planned to allow skiers to lap the park area rather than descend back down to a chairlift and ride back up. This rope tow would be located off of the existing porcupine run and would have access to a terrain park geared towards beginners.
The new ski patrol lift is designed to enhance ski patrol access for avalanche mitigation. The resort also wants to add an additional ski patrol shack at the top of the new ski patrol lift to enable ski patrol members to better service existing and planned terrain in that area. The MDP does not go into much detail regarding what a ski patrol lift would encompass yet. Will the proposed ski patrol lift only be used by ski patrol members? If it does, it would be in a class of its own. Ski resorts typically do not have lifts that are solely used by ski patrol members and are not accessible to the public. During incidents, ski patrol members have priority on lifts, but having a lift that is dedicated to only the ski patrol would be completely different.
The resort is also planning to upgrade its guest services to improve the overall experience on the mountain. Bridger Bowl’s plan is that the new lift and terrain would move the ski school’s operation away from the existing ski patrol building. Hopefully, this would provide less congested areas for beginner skiers and ski patrol members. A new Ski School Hub will be established at the base of the learning terrain, and improvements to the Jim Bridger Lodge will be made. The lodge is planned to be expanded and moved closer to the parking areas. The resort hopes this would create a more functional base area and streamline the guest experience.
Another planned upgrade is to expand Bridger Bowl’s snowmaking infrastructure, which would provide consistent snow quality during varying weather conditions. The resort’s goal is to increase its snowmaking capabilities so it can have more terrain open to its guests when there is a lack of natural snow. A new snowmaking pond is also planned in the MDP, but its location has not yet been determined.
Bridger Bowl plans to install night skiing on portions of the lower mountain to improve the ski area’s accessibility and capacity. The resort stated in the MDP that night skiing has the potential to attract guests who cannot come during regular operating hours midweek, such as students or people with Monday-to-Friday jobs. Night tickets are often more affordable and can reach wider audiences. In addition, it opens opportunities to partner with schools for after-school skiing programs. Bridger Bowl added that night skiing also has the potential to improve the egress process at the end of the day. When everyone leaves, as the lifts close at 4:00 p.m., traffic and congestion in the parking lot and on the highway can increase. The resort plans that night skiing will spread out the egress process over several hours as guests trickle in and out.
Finding a good parking spot on peak days at a ski resort can be difficult for any guest, and Bridger Bowl understands this. The resort admits that its existing parking is limited and has tried to encourage guests to utilize bus ridership and carpooling with some success. Therefore, additional parking is planned at Bridger Bowl on the east end of the existing parking area.
According to the MDP, each ski area in the United States on National Forest System (NFS) lands must obtain a United States Forest Service (USFS) Special Use Permit (SUP) to operate on public lands. Forest Service SUPs require ski areas to have an up-to-date Master Development Plan that identifies the existing and desired conditions for the ski area and proposed improvements on NFS lands. MDPs are intended to guide future development and set the stage for project proposals subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and site-specific analysis. The MDP does not authorize the implementation of any of the planned concepts or components.
Bridger Bowl has been around since the 1940s and became a non-profit ski resort in 1954 when the Bozeman State Park and Recreation Association was formed. It is known for its amazing backcountry skiing and steep terrain. Affectionately referred to as “Bridger Bowl University,” the Ridge at Bridger Bowl is a study in tight, technical, and consequential skiing. The infamous Ridge is only accessible via bootpack from the top of the Bridger chair or the Schlashman’s lift. Skiers and boarders are required to wear an avalanche beacon while skiing off of the Ridge simply because the terrain is so variable and consequential. This great ski resort has been around for over 70 years and is still making big plans for the future.
Bridger Bowl has asked for public feedback on its MDP. The resort encourages the public to take a short survey where they can give their thoughts to the resort. These comments are intended to allow the public to provide preliminary feedback and input regarding the planned projects before the final MDP submittal to the Forest Service.
For more information on its Master Development Plan, visit Bridger Bowl’s website.
