Industry News
Following last year’s record-breaking winter season, Snowbird in Utah is pleased to unveil several new programs, improvements, and upgrades for the mountain and its guests for the 2023-24 season. These improvements expand upon the recent installation of new Tram cabins and Tram rooftop balconies—celebrating the mountain’s legacy of innovation and stewardship while nodding toward a future of exploration and adventure. From industry-shaking pass products to new guest centers, lift improvements, and events, exciting change is coming to Snowbird.
“With a number of short- and long-term projects in the works, we are taking great strides to make our mountain more accessible, more efficient and more engaging for our passholders and our community.
We are committed to growing the next generation of skiers and snowboarders with our Kids Freeloader Pass, are making our mountain simpler to explore with our new Mountain Center and are dedicated to providing the experiences our community wants with collaborations like a springtime Snowbird x Woodward park and multi-day Helicopter Skiing packages with Powderbird.”
-Snowbird President and General Manager, Dave Fields.
Kids Freeloader Pass
Valid for the 2023-24 season, Snowbird has introduced the first-of-its-kind Kids Freeloader Pass program. Aiming to reduce barriers to entry for snowsports while also embracing different kinds of youth support systems, the Kids Freeloader Pass program gives anyone ages 18 or under a free Snowbird Season Pass when linked to an Adult, Military or Senior Snowbird Summit Pass. This 1:1 pass program means that a Snowbird Summit Passholder can give their Kids Freeloader Pass to a dependent, family member, or community member at no cost, with no restrictions. This progressive program recognizes that families and support systems come in many different forms, and pass products must be inclusive to support the next generation of skiers and snowboarders.
New Mountain Center
Snowbird is dedicated to providing a smooth guest experience from start to finish. With this in mind, the resort is introducing the Mountain Center. In this one-stop shop, guests can make dinner reservations, book a snowcat or helicopter seat with Snowbird Mountain Guides, schedule a lesson with Snowbird Mountain School, buy their lift tickets, get information about the mountain, and more. The Mountain Center will be conveniently located on the Snowbird Plaza Deck, steps away from the Aerial Tram. Additionally, Snowbird Sports will be relocated to Level 2 of the Snowbird Center, boasting a significantly increased floorplan allowing for an expansive offering of top-of-the-line rental and demo gear for guests at the Snowbird Center. Finally, Tram Sundries will debut just outside the Tram dock, next to the Ticket Office, offering quick and easy grab-and-go snacks, beverages, and necessities.
Mountain Improvements & Upgrades
Snowbird’s original Wilbere Lift—installed for the mountain’s opening in 1971 and named for Founder Ted Johnson’s wife and partner, Wilma—is scheduled for a replacement starting in the late spring of 2024. The current fixed-grip double chair will transform into a fixed-grip quad, increasing the uphill capacity of the chairlift to 1,800 people an hour. The loading station, featuring a conveyor belt loading system, will move from its current location on Creek Road to the Creekside base area near the Bryce Astle Training Center, making the chair more accessible from parking lots. The top station will remain near its current area, accessing the same terrain.
As part of the mountain’s continued phaseout of military artillery, Snowbird has installed eight new Wyssen towers this summer. These towers were installed in areas including Mount Baldy, Wilbere Bowl, and Road to Provo, bringing Snowbird’s total towers to 17—the largest installation in the United States. Snowbird’s first Wyssen towers were installed during the summer of 2021—making it one of the first resorts in the country to adopt them—where they have improved worker safety while reducing the time taken to perform avalanche mitigation.
Events & Experiences
Last spring, Snowbird and Woodward launched their first-ever springtime terrain park collaboration, hosting a Woodward Mountain Park and the Woodward Peace Park Championships in Snowbird’s Mineral Basin. Snowbird and Woodward are excited to announce the continuation of a springtime collaboration during the 2023-24 winter season. Information about the evolution of this collaboration will be released in future months.
New this season, Snowbird will be offering premiere, multi-day heliskiing packages with Powderbird, designed to provide the ultimate backcountry experience. With both two- and three-day options, each multi-day package offers lodging at The Cliff Lodge, access to The Cliff Spa, breakfast and lunch at the Powderbird Heliport, dinner at The Aerie, and, of course, an amazing helicopter skiing experience in the Wasatch. On inclement weather days, guests will get premium, guided access to Snowbird’s 2,500 acres of terrain. Snowbird and Powderbird are proud to offer unmatched access to helicopter skiing, less than an hour from Salt Lake City International Airport, with access to more ski terrain than all Utah ski resorts combined.
