Industry News
Across the United States, many resorts have attempted ski area expansions. Whether it’s one lift with a couple runs or a much larger expansion bringing a whole new terrain pod, expansions can keep visitors coming back to discover new terrain or alleviate crowded areas. Many resorts have gone through multiple expansions over the years. Sometimes, approved expansions never come to fruition. Here we discuss several interesting expansions that haven’t made it out of the design phase.
Snowbird Resort, located in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, got approval in April 2016 for a major expansion near Mineral Basin. The approval gives Snowbird the right to expand into the Mary Ellen Gulch in the American Fork Canyon area. Based on a 2016 approval from the Utah County Board of Adjustment, Snowbird had planned to incorporate the terrain into its already intense offerings. The plan included a 500-acre expansion, served by two new chairlifts and an additional tram. The terrain is immediately southwest of Mineral Basin. With any expansion, there are setbacks, and Snowbird ran into several. Challenges ranged from pushback from local residents to required environmental reviews. Ten years later, this project has yet to happen. Skiers and riders will have to wait to explore this potential large expansion, which represents a 20% increase in skiable acres for Snowbird.
Also approved in 2016, Mt. Sunapee‘s West Bowl Expansion has been stagnant for over 10 years. The proposed expansion of the New Hampshire resort was driven by Triple Peaks, LLC. It involved a 1,082 foot vertical drop, a new high-speed quad, and five runs. The proposal included a new base area with its own beginner zone, base lodge, and parking. The project was approved by the state of New Hampshire, but it faced setbacks from environmental groups, as the expansion sits in state park land. In 2018, Vail Resorts acquired Mt. Sunapee. Since that time, Vail has updated the master plan without including the West Bowl Expansion. The resort’s current plan includes snowmaking upgrades and other on-mountain projects.
Sugarbush Resort, Vermont, had an expansion planned under the longest detachable quad in the world. Currently, the Slide Brook Express lift travels two miles connecting the Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen sides of Sugarbush, creating one cohesive resort. The terrain under the lift is outside the resort boundary. Currently, many locals ski this backcountry area, and the long discussed expansion would bring some of this terrain inbounds. Rumors of this proposal have been floating around since 1982. Details of the expansion were outlined in the Sugarbush 2007 master plan, which consisted of a new chairlift, a handful of trails, and a large gladed area. All of this descended from a ridgeline between the resort’s two distinct mountains, Mt. Ellen and Lincoln Peak.
These proposed expansions all have one thing in common: they haven’t materialized yet. Challenges related to environmental reviews and pushback from local residents can make it difficult for resorts to follow through on all of their proposals. Resorts on United States Forest Service land often require additional approvals. Furthermore, when changes in ownership happen, sometimes priorities will shift, and an approved expansion will fall by the wayside. We love imagining skiing and riding all of the amazing terrain in these proposed resort expansions—and guests love exploring terrain that has never been skied before.
