Industry News
Sun Valley Resort, Idaho, has been at the forefront of lift upgrades for several years. After receiving approval from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in March, Sun Valley is currently undergoing lift replacements and infrastructure upgrades on Bald Mountain. Notable changes include upgrading the Christmas and Lookout Express lifts in time for the 2026-27 season. These upgrades will continue modernizing Sun Valley’s lift network, increasing both reliability and uphill capacity.
In an early July update, grooming and trails Manager John Nichols discussed completing the lift tower concrete bases on the new Lookout Express. The work required a helicopter lifting 4,000 pounds of concrete for each tower. Following that, the team will fill in the cement pourings with the dirt and rock that was dug out to create the hole. Backfilling the holes anchors the towers into the mountain. On Aug. 20, the resort posted on Instagram that a Chinook helicopter had flown in the new steel towers for both lifts, marking a big milestone for the off-season project. As the lift lines become visible with the towers in place, the new chairlifts begin taking shape.
The new Lookout Express lift will carry skiers to the top in approximately 8.5 minutes, with an astonishing 2,673-foot vertical rise. While not the largest vertical rise for a chairlift at the resort (Challenger’s 3,138-foot rise holds that distinction), it remains an impressive figure for any chairlift. The new Lookout Express lift will replace the old Lookout chair, which was built in 1993. The lift will sit in the same alignment and be upgraded from a quad to a high-speed six-pack, and feature 21 towers. The new Lookout Express will be a Doppelmayr Uni-6-CLD and will use the standard geared drive system.
The old Christmas lift was a detachable quad dating back to 1988. It will be replaced with a new high-speed detachable quad. An initial proposal had Christmas as a chondola, with chairs and gondola cabins on the same line. That idea was abandoned in favor of a standard, high-speed chairlift. A new maintenance facility will be located near the top terminal of both lifts. Like Lookout Express, the new Christmas will use the standard geared drive system. The expected ride time for the new detachable quad will be 4.5 minutes and should greatly enhance reliability and crowd circulation in the area. The upgraded lift will have a 1,354-foot vertical rise and will consist of 14 towers.
Over the last few years, Sun Valley has made significant investments in modernizing its lift infrastructure. The replacement of the Christmas and Lookout Express lifts marks another important step in that effort. As COO Pete Sonntag noted in a press release issued by the resort, these lifts are critical to accessing Bald Mountain. Their replacement follows the resort’s recent upgrades to Seattle Ridge, Flying Squirrel, Challenger and Broadway. These new lifts will be ready to welcome visitors for the winter season and will ensure that its lift network will continue to provide the experience guests have come to expect at Sun Valley.
