Industry News
Sublette Grand Opening Set for Friday After Huge Winter Storm
(TETON VILLAGE, WYO. – DEC. 17, 2024) – Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) is excited to announce that the iconic Aerial Tram and new Sublette lift will open this week following significant snowfall and extensive preparations on Rendezvous Mountain. A winter storm has dumped more than 36 inches of snow this week to bring the season total to 113 inches at the summit, and JHMR’s mountain operations teams have been hard at work performing avalanche mitigation and setup to ensure a safe and memorable experience for all skiers and riders.
JHMR will celebrate the launch of the new high-speed Sublette lift with a Grand Opening Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 20. The event will honor the lift’s legacy and its future, and usher in a new era for guests eager to reach the legendary intermediate and expert terrain below Rendezvous Bowl faster than ever before.
The Aerial Tram, affectionately known as “Big Red,” will also make its seasonal debut this week, providing direct access to Rendezvous Bowl and opening up 4,139 vertical feet of skiing and riding from the summit of Rendezvous Mountain to the base.
“The Grand Opening of the new Sublette lift, paired with the return of the Aerial Tram, marks an incredible moment for our guests this season. With over three feet of new snow this week alone, we’re thrilled to open more terrain, including access to Rendezvous Bowl and 4,139 vertical feet of skiing and riding,” Tim Mason said, Vice President of Operations at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
“The Sublette lift brings faster and more efficient access to some of the mountain’s most iconic areas, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this milestone with our skiers and riders,” Mason added. “We are deeply grateful to our teams who made this project a reality and to the guests who make Jackson Hole special.”
The new high-speed Sublette quad lift replaces the original Sublette, which was built in 1987 and was removed from the mountain earlier this year. The new Sublette lift will feature 72 European-style comfort chairs that will spin in a clockwise direction, and riders will load straight onto the lift. The detachable design will cut ride time in half—from eight minutes to four—while climbing approximately 1,600 vertical feet at 1,000 feet per minute.
The Grand Opening ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the Sublette lift and will include remarks from JHMR CEO Mary Kate Buckley and a blessing of the lift by Rev. Ben Pascal of the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole. JHMR’s ownership group will perform the ribbon cutting, and guests will be among the first to ride the new lift. The celebration will include a live DJ, along with food and drink specials at the Bear Flats Snack Shack from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Sublette lift is part of JHMR’s ongoing commitment to improving infrastructure and enhancing the guest experience. The resort has installed five new lifts since 2015, including the Thunder lift in 2022.
WATCH: Check out this video documenting the legacy and the future of the Sublette lift.
Currently, JHMR has seven lifts open—Teewinot, Après Vous, Sweetwater Gondola, Teton, Bridger Gondola, Marmot, and Thunder—offering access to a variety of terrain across the mountain. While recent snowfall has improved conditions significantly, guests are reminded that early season conditions still exist, and it is important to stay within open areas and ski or ride with caution.
JHMR also announced that it has extended the window for its Golden Ticket special, which allows skiers and snowboarders who own a valid 2024-25 winter resort season pass anywhere in the world to receive a 50 percent discount on lift tickets at JHMR based on the current daily window rate. Guests who travel to Jackson Hole between now and Dec. 25, Jan. 6 – 17, and March 17 – April 13 are eligible to receive the discount, subject to availability based on daily capacity. Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended.
For more information about Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and current conditions, please visit https://www.jacksonhole.com.
