Industry News
Vail Resorts resubmitted the Silverlode and Eagle lift projects in hopes of upgrading the two major lifts at Park City Mountain Resort. The nearly 4-year controversy started when PCMR got approval for a conditional use permit, effectively fast-tracking the project through the council. Now they are back again, attempting to get approved by the Park City town council so skiers can enjoy two brand new lifts. The two upgrades would include changing Silverlode Express from a six-pack to an eight-pack, and converting the Eagle Triple into the Eagle Express six-pack with the addition of a mid-station.
Yes, these are the same lifts Vail wanted to upgrade back in 2022, but was blocked by four residents stating the resort didn’t share enough information regarding how the upgrades would affect capacity at the resort. Specifically, the residents were concerned that the proposed upgrades would exceed the Comfortable Carrying Capacity (CCC) as outline in the 1998 development agreement. CCC is a metric that determines the number of skiers and riders the mountain could comfortably accommodate. In 2023, the case ended up going to court, and the judge ruled in favor of the residents, marking an end to that attempt to upgrade the lifts. The residents also expressed concern that the resort would have to add parking if the lifts were upgraded. The resort argued the upgraded lifts wouldn’t draw more guests to the mountain. These lift upgrades would shorten wait times at the resort, so guests can enjoy more time skiing instead of waiting. if approved on a set timeline, Vail Resorts plans to install both lifts in time for winter 2027-28. Vail Resorts was so prepared for these upgrades that the new lifts were in the parking lot at PCMR ready to be installed. Ultimately, the new Silverlode and Eagle lifts were shipped to Whistler Blackcomb where they now operate as the Fitzsimmons and Jersey Cream lifts.
The Silverlode eight-pack would follow the same alignment as the outgoing lift, with a larger uphill capacity. The bottom terminal of the current Silverlode Express is located in the Miner’s camp area adjacent to the Mountain Village side of the Quicksilver Gondola. The proposed Silverlode upgrade will add a much needed 20% increase in uphill capacity out of the Miner’s camp area compared to the outgoing lift.
The more complex lift upgrade is the Eagle lift. Upgrading this 33-year-old fixed grip triple chair would dramatically improve congestion in the Mountain Village base area. The base terminal would be the same location as the current lift. A mid-station would be added to allow skiers and riders to easily lap the Pick Axe terrain park. Another part of the Eagle upgrade is removing the nonfunctioning Eaglet lift which was originally built for the 2002 olympics. One concern with the Eagle upgrade is that it’s not outlined in the 1998 development agreement, which is yet another potential roadblock for PCMR. Updating the development agreement would be necessary for this and many futures projects to proceed. If the upgrades happen, they will ultimately improved the mountain experience for guests.
Park City Mountain Resort is the largest lift-served resort in the nation, with over 7,300 skiable acres, 41 lifts, and 349 trails. As a community, company, and council, we should be striving to create the best possible resort. Vail Resorts and the Park City town council should work together to update the 1998 development agreement so our beloved mountain doesn’t remain stagnant. While neighboring Deer Valley Resort is in the midst of a record-setting expansion, PCMR continues to struggle to get approvals for infrastructure upgrades. Vail Resorts, Park City leaders, skiers, and riders all deserve larger capacity lifts to ease congestion in main resort areas. These proposed lift upgrades aim to address that, and we are hopeful for a quick resolution to this long, drawn-out experience.
Vail still has not given the CCC information to the concerned citizens of Pork Sushi, and THEY deserve evidence of how VR is routinely exceeding the CCC limit. Which royally screws the locals because the mountain gets infested with Texans, snowboarders, and ignorant writers who ignore the reality of how Vail Resorts screws its passholders.