What’s New at Every Destination Ski Resort: 2025-26
The past few years have seen some of the largest capital investments in North American skiing history, and for the 2025-26 season, the trend is continuing. This past summer, more than 70 ski areas spearheaded some sort of investment to their slopes, lodges, lifts, and many other aspects of the resort experience. And this year is especially notable in that one particular region is having its biggest investment season in over four decades, with the introduction of over 80 new trails, 10 new or refurbished lifts, and a half dozen new lodges (we’re actually running a trip there this March so you can experience it for yourself, but more on that at the end of the video).
But not all investments are created equal. So which ones are solely “nice-to-haves”, and which ones have the potential to be true game changers? And are we expecting the same caliber of improvements as the past few seasons, or are things starting to slow down? In this piece, we’ll go through the scheduled upgrades at each of these mountains for the 2025-26 season, and we’ll detail the implications if you’re planning a trip there.
To break everything down, we’ll tier each suite of improvements into four different categories:
Minor Investments: smaller-scale changes that aren’t intended to have huge front-facing experience impacts
Noteworthy Investments: important changes that aren’t the most prominent, but have the potential to bring palpable experience improvements
Substantial Investments: changes that we expect most guests will prominently notice
Game-Changing Investments: changes that will not only be noticed, but have the potential to expand the resort's appeal to a meaningful new clientele.
Several ski resorts are seeing upgrades in snowmaking, trail and glade clearing, grooming, and lift modernization.
Tier 1: Minor Investments
Starting out, we have some more under-the-radar investments that won’t exactly make a splash, but are intended to keep resorts operating to their fullest potential for the foreseeable future. And there are a ton of resorts getting these small-scale upgrades.
General Upgrade Initiatives
Before we jump into specific projects, we want to highlight a few general upgrade initiatives that have made their way to dozens of resorts around the continent. A large chunk of the North American ski scene has announced investments in snowmaking, new grooming equipment, minor lift refurbishments, and trail and glade clearing for the upcoming season. It’s also possible that others are continuing to invest in these areas in an under-the-radar fashion:
SNOWMAKING UPGRADES:
TRAIL/GLADE CLEARING:
GROOMING ENHANCEMENTS:
LIFT MODERNIZATION
My Epic App
In addition, Vail Resorts is continuing improvements to its MyEpic App, and will now connect people to ski school services at Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, and Breckenridge.
Users of the MyEpic App will be able to connect directly to ski school services at certain Vail Resorts-owned mountains.
Next, we can move on to a few small-scale investments that may be low key, but are still worth calling out individually.
Bear Valley, CA
Improved Transit + Lodge Enhancements
First up, we have Bear Valley. This midsized California resort is making some changes to its parking shuttle system, which should make getting to the base area more efficient from its long and narrow parking lot. In addition, some changes are being made to the base lodge, with new lockers, new seating, a new roof, and a new paint job, to keep the existing lodge in tip-top shape; that said, the existing lodge is already a bit small for the demand of the ski area, so we’re not sure if this improvement will be enough to fully fix that specific issue.
Brian Head, UT
New Glades
Next up is Brian Head, located in southern Utah. This mid-sized ski area will be adding some beginner-focused glades on its beginner and intermediate-focused Navajo Mountain, as well as expanding its snowmaking there. The ski area is also upgrading its fleet of rental equipment and resources for ski patrol, as well as debuting an updated terrain park.
The Snake Creek Lodge was Brighton’s first ever substantial mid-mountain facility.
Brighton, UT
New & Improved Facilities
Heading north to Utah’s Wasatch, we come to Brighton, one of the snowiest resorts in the country. After the somewhat disappointing debut of its mid-mountain Snake Creek Lodge a few years ago, the resort is making some efforts to improve its on-mountain facility experience. First off, the resort is adding some heated gondola cabin seating directly outside the Snake Creek Lodge, and while it’s unclear whether the cabins will be open to the public as of right now, if they are, they have the potential to increase the capacity at this relatively small stopping ground. In addition, the resort is adding another mid-mountain cabin called the Holiday House, which promises an additional stopping ground for food and indoor seating. Down at the base, Brighton is adding a slopeside waffle hut called the Waffle House (though sadly, it won’t be open 24 hours a day like its southern-based namesake). This adds a sweet alternative to the typical base-area hot dogs and pizza, and will also add another place for warm drinks like coffee and hot chocolate.
Bromley, VT
Snowmaking + Signage
Heading across the country to southern Vermont, the under-the-radar Bromley is making some behind-the-scenes changes to continue providing a compelling alternative to nearby Stratton and Okemo. Bromley is adding new snowmaking equipment, including a number of high efficiency guns, as well as updating on-mountain signage for easier navigation on the mountain.
China Peak, CA
Improved Transit + New Dining
Back in California, the mid-sized China Peak is making a few changes. Similar to Bear Valley, which shares the same ownership as China Peak, parking shuttles are getting an upgrade, intending to ease the transition from the car to the slopes. In addition, some new food options are opening at the base, including a coffee bar at Sully’s Pub and a snack shack at the Base Camp outdoor bar.
Keystone’s new Kindred Resort under construction next to the base of the River Run Gondola
Keystone, CO
New Base Lodging
Colorado’s Keystone Resort will see a new lodging option at its base, the Kindred Resort. This property will offer more than 100 hotel rooms, dozens of condos, and a number of higher-end restaurants. This won’t make a large difference for most guests, but for those looking for a full-service slopeside hotel at this destination Summit County ski area—or for those looking for a nicer meal at the base—your options just grew
Kirkwood, CA
Lodge Enhancements
Located south of Lake Tahoe, Kirkwood is known for its rough-around-the-edges aesthetic. However, every once in a while, everything needs a bit of a touch up. This year, the Timber Creek Base lodge has received a new exterior to keep the area looking up to date, although the interior of the lodge remains the same.
Loon, NH
Carpet + Snowmaking
Back out East, New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain has been on a development kick the past few years, and that continues this year with a new surface lift and snowmaking improvements. The new lift will be a short carpet called Little Sass, which promises to ease the learning experience for first-time skiers and riders. Loon’s snowmaking improvements are largely hidden, consisting of pipe replacements, booster pump improvements, and new hydrants, but these will allow for easier and earlier snowmaking for years to come.
Mount Ashland, OR
New Trail
Located in Southern Oregon, Mount Ashland is in the midst of a multi-year renaissance, building the new intermediate Lithia lift last year and replacing their two longest lifts next year. This year is a bit of a calm between those storms, but they’re still adding a new trail to the map. The new Bumblebee trail will provide beginners a new way to lap the Lithia lift, and will help make this more advanced-focused mountain a little better for those progressing from the bunny hill.
Mount Norquay, AB
New Carpet + Glades
Up north in Alberta, Canada, Mount Norquay is also making some improvements to the beginner experience. A new beginner carpet will be added, expanding the learning area and improving the experience for first time skiers and riders. Additionally, some new glades will be cleared around the Mystic pod, expanding tree skiing opportunities in that area.
Powder Mountain is investing in significant lift and terrain expansions, but they will not be accessible to the public.
Source: Powder Haven
Powder Mountain, UT
Private Terrain Area + New Ticket Option
Back in the states, Utah’s Powder Mountain is making a big investment that almost no one watching this video will experience. A new high-speed quad called Primetime will serve multiple new blue trails in the Davenport area. On the surface, this lift seems like it should be higher than the “Minor” section, but access will be reserved exclusively for homeowners on Powder Mountain, so only a select few will get to experience the newly-lift-served terrain here.
For the general public, the biggest improvement will arguably be the new Quattro product, which offers four days of flexible skiing and riding at the resort except on the passholder-only February weekends. Now that Powder Mountain isn’t on any multi-resort mega passes, this is finally a way to save a bit of money on peak-time lift tickets at the resort (although at $599 for adults, it’s still not cheap by any means). The resort also plans to expand evening lesson availability this winter.
It’s worth noting that the DMI zone lift, which was originally planned to bring 900 acres of new public terrain this winter, has been pushed back another season.
Sierra-at-Tahoe, CA
Minor Terrain Expansion
Back in the south Tahoe region, Sierra-at-Tahoe is making some minor adjustments to its trail network that should make getting around a little easier. The resort is adding two new blue trails, Pika and Skipper, that should provide a second route from the top of the Easy Rider lift to the bottom of the West Bowl area, and one that’s less flat than the existing Marmot trail. The resort is also expected to open additional bunny hill terrain near the base and expand its terrain park builds on the Aspens and Upper Main runs.
Snowshoe, WV
Upgraded Base Facility
Back in the Eastern half of the US, we have West Virginia’s Snowshoe, the largest ski area south of Pennsylvania. This Alterra-owned mountain is making an upgrade to its Shavers Center, one of the main indoor areas at this upside-down mountain. This new center will house dining, indoor seating, ski school, and ski patrol for years to come, replacing the old Shavers Center that was 50 years old.
Solitude, UT
Snowmaking + Avalanche Mitigation Upgrades
Back in Utah, Big Cottonwood Canyon’s Solitude ski area is making some upgrades to help both with too little snow—and too much snow. First off, they’re investing in their snowmaking system, replacing some underground pipes; this is hard to notice while on the slopes, but ensures resilient slopes for years to come. They’re also investing in four new Wyssen Towers in Honeycomb Canyon, which will help with avalanche mitigation in this expert-oriented zone. These towers join four other existing ones, and hopefully, they’ll help Solitude bounce back from the deteriorating operational reliability the resort has seen in the past few years on its advanced and expert-level terrain.
Stowe’s existing Midway Lodge, situated just above the base, will be completely rebranded.
Stowe, VT
Facilities Enhancement
Northern Vermont’s Stowe is giving its Midway Lodge a full refresh this year, adding an expanded porch, redoing the interior, and rebranding the whole space as the new Tower Five Bar. The upgrade is aimed specifically at enhancing the après experience at this lodge, which is located a few hundred feet up from the gondola base terminal—although given its location well above the base itself, it remains to be seen how effective the project actually is.
Stratton, VT
Lift Improvements
Over in Vermont, Stratton is making a few improvements to keep lifts running. One is a modernization of the internal parts of the American Express six-pack, which should keep that lift running in shape for years to come. Another improvement is the extension of the wind fence adjacent to the Summit Gondola, a lift that is notorious for wind holds. This should allow the gondola to run in higher winds, although only time will tell if that's the case.
Sugar Bowl, CA
Base Area Improvements
Back in the Tahoe region, North Tahoe’s Sugar Bowl is making some base area changes. One of those is adding some new lockers to be located below the Village Lodge deck in what’s billed as a “state of the art” locker facility. Speaking of the lodge deck, that space has been expanded for more seating to enjoy the sunny Tahoe days.
Sugarbush, VT
New Beginner Carpet
Back in Vermont, Sugarbush is improving the beginner experience on the Mount Ellen side of the resort. A new covered beginner carpet called “Easy Up” has been installed, making for a much easier beginner experience than the outgoing Tommy’s Tow—and one that’s isolated from the elements as well. This will be the first carpet lift on the Mount Ellen side of the resort, so that may pull some first time skiers and riders from the main Sugarbush side to Mount Ellen.
Sun Peaks, BC
Snow Storage System + General Improvements
Up in British Columbia, Sun Peaks is trying some new ideas this year to improve resiliency and early season coverage. This past off-season, they have been utilizing a Finnish snow storage system to ensure slope coverage on opening day, storing about 14,000 cubic meters of snow under what are essentially massive thick blankets for the snow. That will largely be utilized for coverage on their race slopes, but it could be a bellwether for how ski areas can open earlier and more consistently in the coming years. Other improvements this year include snowmaking enhancements, a few trail widenings such as 5 Mile, Rambler, and Lower Chute, glade clearing, new groomer machines, building accessibility improvements, and new kids adventure zones.
Sun Valley, ID
New Glades
Back below the border, Idaho’s Sun Valley is continuing some forest health projects through forest glading, this time focused on areas around the Lookout Express chair. These will continue to expand tree skiing for advanced and expert skiers and riders, although Sun Valley's modest natural snowfall means prime days to explore these areas may be limited.
Tamarack, ID
Minor Terrain Expansion + New Parking
Sticking in Idaho, the state’s Tamarack resort is making the best of a tough situation. This summer, the resort just barely avoided being overrun by the Rock Fire, and this ended up clearing some trees from right along the south boundary of the ski area. The damaged land will be utilized to create some new runs south of the popular Bliss trail, with the new terrain being advertised as a 60-acre expansion of skiable terrain, though this terrain has previously been skiable as advanced glades.
Outside of fire-related investments, Tamarack has widened the green-circle Waltz trail, working to improve the beginner experience there. Ski lift loading and unload ramps have also been rebuilt, and an old snowcat has been repurposed as a mobile DJ, allowing for pop-up après across the mountain. Finally, Tamarack has also added a number of parking options, expanding both the Upper and Lower Village lots, as well as adding a large lot called Aspen a bit further away from the base.
Tier 2: Noteworthy Investments
Next up, we have the upgrades that have significant potential to overhaul on-mountain resort experiences, although they might not exactly be headliners.
One of the oldest and most beloved chairlifts in the state of Washington has been replaced by a new triple.
Alpental, WA
Lift Upgrade
First up for noteworthy improvements is Washington's Alpental, which is a part of the larger Summit at Snoqualmie complex. Here the iconic Edelweiss chair (also known as Chair 2), a fixed-grip double from 1967, will be replaced with a new fixed-grip triple. This new chair will keep the same alignment, ride time, and iconic top station as the outgoing lift, but will provide a substantial uphill capacity increase to this incredibly popular zone. Lines for the old chair could regularly reach well over a half hour, and although the Internationale chairlift installation last year substantially helped with the lines, they were still somewhat of an issue, and they’ll probably always be given the resort’s very close proximity to Seattle. Hopefully this year, we’ll see even better crowd flow in Alpental’s upper mountain thanks to this new lift.
Alta, UT
Lift Replacement + General Improvements
Down in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon, we come to the iconic Alta. Despite only being installed eight years ago, the Supreme lift is getting rebuilt this winter, taking out the interesting bend in the middle. This feature was put in to use the same lift line as the old Supreme and Cecret lifts and avoid tree removal, but the bend made for an incredibly bumpy few seconds of riding—and, perhaps more importantly, caused the lift to wear much quicker than it should have. The overall experience for skiers will be mostly unchanged, though you may notice your teeth rattling less on your way up.
Another project is underway at the Albion base lodge, which is midway through a two-year expansion. This may result in a few aesthetic changes, though construction will be halted over winter and the lodge will operate as usual. Other projects include a rebuilt snowmaking line, the addition of a few Wyssen towers on Devil’s Castle and Sugarloaf Peak, and some improvements along the iconic High Traverse in order to make that traverse more reliable when snowfall may not be as consistent.
The Supreme chairlift at Alta previously featured a bend in the lift line that put excess wear on the structure in just a few years.
Beaver Mountain, UT
New Base Lodge
Next up, we move to the longest continuously-family-owned ski area in the country, Utah’s Beaver Mountain. This modestly-sized resort is getting a new base lodge this winter, adding new food and retail options as well as a new ski school space. The current Food Service lodge isn’t permanently disappearing, but it’s going to be closed for renovations starting this year.
Bretton Woods, NH
Lift Replacement + New Trail
Back out east, New Hampshire’s Bretton Woods is making a big lift investment, replacing its Bethlehem Express high-speed quad with a new high-speed quad in the same alignment. The outgoing lift was over 35 years old, and the new lift is expected to slightly improve crowd flow thanks to a revamped loading maze several feet uphill from the current one as well as a smoothed out unloading area more suitable for less-experienced guests. Elsewhere at the resort, a new glade trail will open up near the Rosebrook Lodge, expanding options for advanced skiers and riders looking for some trees.
Crystal, WA
Lift Replacement
Crystal Mountain in Washington is making a significant investment in the resort, though its palpable impact on the slopes will likely be minimal. The popular Rainier Express quad, locally known as REX, will be replaced with a new high-speed quad with a similar uphill capacity. The main reason for this replacement is that the outgoing REX is 37 years old, and despite the high demand in that area, the resort says there isn’t enough room at the top terminal to upgrade to a larger lift such as a six-pack.
Gore, NY
New Parking & Lodge + Lift Upgrade
At New York State’s Gore Mountain, a few notable upgrades are happening across the footprint. For one, the Topridge triple will be replaced with a new fixed-grip quad, increasing uphill capacity. This new chair will also feature a loading carpet, though the new lift will still have a nearly 10-minute ride. Also, the North Creek Ski Bowl base area is getting a new and expanded lodge, making for a new place to stop to warm up, rent equipment, or get some food—and leading to an environment in which the Ski Bowl will finally be open for skiing and riding seven days a week. Additionally, snowmaking and lift modernization projects are also ongoing, mainly to keep up with maintenance. Finally, a new parking area will open below Lot G, opening up another 375 parking spaces.
The multi-colored cabins on Killington’s Skyeship Gondola, which date back to the mid-1990s, are being replaced this season.
Killington, VT
Lift Upgrade + Snowmaking
Moving a bit east to Vermont, the East’s largest ski area is continuing to improve, even as it moves from corporate to independent ownership. Killington will see multiple projects opening this year, including a new lift, enhanced snowmaking, and new gondola cabins. First up, the iconic Superstar Express Quad, which serves some of Killington’s notorious mogul runs and latest-open spring terrain, has been replaced with a new high-speed six pack, which should provide a more speedy, reliable, and wind-resilient ride than the outgoing 38-year-old lift. For snowmaking, Killington is installing over 1,000 new snowmaking guns over this year and next, making for one of the biggest snowmaking investments we’ve seen. This includes some new guns on the Superstar trail, which sees snowmaking happen as long as possible to build an incredibly deep snowpack and allow for skiing and riding as late as June in the best years.
Elsewhere on the mountain, Killington is also replacing all the gondola cabins on its Skyeship gondola, as well as upgrading the gondola cabin storage barn. This should make for a more comfortable ride on this incredibly long lift. A few other smaller projects are going on, such as the replacement of a beginner carpet on Snowshed, the opening of the Ledgewood Yurt for on-mountain dining, five new snowcats, a new snowplow, and new investments in on-mountain lodging around the Snowshed and Ramshead base areas, though that last project is independent from Killington itself. Overall, what many would consider Vermont’s best ski area is continuing to invest and keep itself on top of the Green Mountain ski scene.
Loveland, CO
Lift Upgrade
Located way up on the Continental Divide, Colorado’s Loveland ski area is making a few notable improvements to the beginner experience. First off, the resort is replacing its Chair 7 double lift with a “triple” (it technically has quad carriers, but it will only be operated to allow three people per chair). Chair 7 is located in the Loveland Valley area of the resort, which is largely focused on beginner and intermediate terrain. This replacement will increase capacity by around 50%, and make for a comfortable ride given the extra seating that riders will be able to spread out into. Additionally, the Zig-Zag trail, also in Loveland Valley, has been regraded and reshaped, making for an easier experience for beginners on this green trail. Together, these should make for better progression for those learning to ski or ride at the relatively affordable Loveland, and help it remain a family favorite in the competitive Front Range ski scene.
Lutsen, MN
New Restaurant + Trail Map
Up north in the Midwest, Lutsen is making a number of small improvements. Most importantly is the rebuilding of the Papa Charlie’s restaurant, which was destroyed in a fire in 2023. The new restaurant will now be called Charlie’s Alpine Bistro and will provide a modern option for food and après at Lutsen’s main base. In addition, Lutsen has commissioned a new trail map from Vista Maps. Lutsen’s old map was one of the worst in the industry, and this new map is much simpler and clearer.
Lutsen’s new restaurant under construction viewed from the gondola.
Mount Bohemia, MI
New Facilities + Glades
Just across Lake Superior we come to Mount Bohemia, which is making a few base and on-mountain upgrades this season. First up is a new rooftop bar at the base, which will be Tiki-themed and should provide great views of the frontside slopes. In addition, a new hot springs mineral pool has been added to the Nordic Spa. On the mountain, four new glade runs have been cleared, and some existing expert glades have been cleared of some smaller vegetation. Finally, a new, small parking lot is added for overflow on the busiest of days.
Snowbird, UT
New Restaurant
Moving back to the Little Cottonwood Canyon of Utah, we have our next resort, Snowbird, which is opening a new on-mountain restaurant called “The Nest” located near the top of the Mid-Gad lift. This re-branded lodge has been closed the past year, and with its reopening, you can now stop for a quick bite or warm up in the Gad Valley area without heading down to the base. The resort has also invested in some new avalanche and snowmaking equipment for the upcoming season.
Sundance, UT
Terrain Expansion
Just south of Snowbird is our next resort, Sundance. This small Utah resort is embarking on a multi-year expansion—and will get a new lift next year—but this year some new terrain will come online. This year, about 60 acres of new terrain will open to the skiers’ right of the Vertigo run. This will also provide some new advanced and expert gladed skiing opportunities, something Sundance already has a bit of a deficiency in. Additionally, the current Far East ridge run will be extended to provide a new egress route and be down-rated to a blue; the Pipeline run in Bishop’s Bowl is expected to see a similar down-rating as well, and we’re expecting to see some smoothing out of the terrain as a result.
Sunlight in Colorado is replacing not one, but two lifts this season.
Sunlight, CO
Lift Upgrades
Moving over to Colorado, the locally-oriented Sunlight ski resort is making its biggest set of investments in a single year since it opened, replacing its Primo and Segundo double lifts with a quad and a triple, respectively. The lifts will run in essentially the same alignment as the old lifts, and we don’t expect noticeable speed changes, but the new lifts should provide reliable operations for decades to come.
Taos, NM
Lift Replacement
Down in New Mexico, Taos Ski Valley is making a few improvements focused on keeping the mountain running as smoothly as possible in the coming years. One of these is the replacement of Chair 7, a fixed-grip triple, with a new lift of the same time. While it may seem like a confusing choice to replace a chair with the exact same capacity and speed as the old one, Chair 7 isn’t long enough for a high-speed lift to make sense, and capacity has never really been an issue in that area of the mountain. In addition to the lift replacement, Taos has regraded the Maxie’s trail in order to make for a better skiing and riding experience, and the resort has also added RFID gates to a few of the main lifts.
Waterville Valley, NH
New T-Bar Lift
Back east in New Hampshire, we come to Waterville Valley, a ski area that’s very closely linked with ski racing—and is expected to continue that association with this year’s capital improvements. A new T-bar will run up the Lower White Caps run, largely serving ski racing and terrain park users, but it will be open to the general public as well. This lift indirectly replaces the World Cup and Exhibition surface lifts, but it’s expected to run in a much longer alignment, allowing for longer race training runs and more extensive terrain park laps.
Waterville Valley, known for its racing scene, already makes use of surface lifts on several parts of the mountain. A new one is coming this winter.
White Pass, WA
Lift Upgrade
Next up, we head back west to White Pass in Washington, where the Chair 4 double chair is getting replaced with a fixed-grip quad. This replacement is largely due to capacity and age of the lift, and the ride time will remain the same. The biggest benefit is that the uphill capacity will about double, and we expect this quiet pod of runs will remain devoid of lines. Elsewhere at White Pass, a new base lodge is under construction near the base of the Far East lift, though this project won’t be completed until next season.
Whiteface, NY
Lift Upgrade + Snowmaking
Finally, we move back east to Whiteface in the Adirondacks of New York State. Here the Little Whiteface fixed-grip double chair has been replaced with a… fixed-grip double chair. However, this new lift isn’t just replacing Little Whiteface, it’s also taking over the role of the Mountain Run double chair that neighbored the bottom half of it. As a result, the new chairlift will have a midstation where the Mountain Run chair unloaded. Whiteface is also investing in snowmaking, putting in over 100 new snowmaking guns this year, many of which will be on the Hoyt’s High run, ensuring this south facing run will have adequate coverage. Finally, Whiteface is also adding a new snowcat to its fleet.
Tier 3: Substantial Investments
Next up, we have headliner changes that we expect the vast majority of resort guests to prominently notice.
Angel Fire, NM
New Lift + Terrain Expansion
Kicking off the substantial upgrades is New Mexico’s Angel Fire, which is adding a new lift in a brand-new alignment this winter. The resort’s back side is getting some help with the new Rakes Rider fixed-grip quad, which will provide the most direct lift access to the aptly-named Steeps area in nearly three decades. This lift will also provide a secondary route out from the back side, connecting directly to the terrain park lift, and as a result, it’s expected to provide welcome redundancy to the Southwest Flyer lift despite being slower. In addition, the new lift is being paired with seven new named trails and glades, including two blues, three blacks, and the resort’s first-ever double-black-diamond runs—the latter two of which are both directly served by the new quad.
Big Sky’s new Kircliff observation deck is intended to increase the year-round appeal of the resort.
Source: Big Sky Resort
Big Sky, MT
New Gondola + Summit Observation Deck
Next up, we move to a perennially-upgrading mountain, Montana’s Big Sky. If all of the upgrades over the past few years happened this season, the resort would earn its spot in our game-changing section, but the resort has been building out an ambitious master plan little by little. This year, that upgrade is a new 10-passenger gondola on a new alignment from the Mountain Village base to the base of the Lone Peak Tram, with a midstation serving some beginner terrain previously served by the outgoing Explorer Double chair. This will make a huge change for the beginner experience at this massive resort, providing a fast, heated ride up what used to be a slow, fixed-grip double chair. It will also provide a second high-speed route from the main base to the Lone Peak side of the resort, potentially offering significant relief to the nearby Swift Current 6 bubble chair. The new gondola will make getting to the Lone Peak terrain even faster than Swift Current, though the extra tram cost still applies for those accessing Big Sky using an Ikon or Mountain Collective Pass.
Speaking of the Lone Peak Tram, a new attraction is opening at the top station of that lift, which serves the summit of the resort. The Kircliff, as Big Sky calls it, is a glass-enclosed and glass-floored observation deck that is open to skiers, boarders, and foot traffic. This addition will not only be open in the winter, but will provide a compelling summer destination, as similar attractions such as the Columbia Icefield Skywalk and Grand Canyon skywalk have been incredibly popular stops when visiting those areas, and summer visitation in the Gallatin River Valley is already a large market due to the proximity to Yellowstone National Park.
Lake Louise, AB
New Lift + Terrain Expansion
Up north in the Canadian Rockies, the beautiful Lake Louise is continuing to make big investments. Last year, the Pipestone Express chair improved access to a bunch of upper mountain runs, and this year, another new high-speed lift is being built, this time on the back side of the mountain, and this time serving a true expansion. The Richardson’s Ridge Express quad will provide expanded terrain for intermediate and beginner skiers, specializing in gladed terrain. This lift will run across the valley from the Paradise triple chair, and it’s planned to start from above the Temple Lodge. Notably, you won’t be able to access the lift from the Temple Lodge itself, and if you’re stopping in for a break you’ll need to take a ride up the Larch or Ptarmagan lifts before heading back to Richardson’s Ridge. (The resort does plan to install a future surface lift from the lodge to the Richardson’s lift base as part of its master plan.)
We imagine this lift could have a significant impact on the overall mountain experience for beginner and intermediate skiers and riders, with a new compelling mountain pod with incredible views for those who haven’t progressed to black-diamond slopes. However, it is worth noting that the expansion isn’t expected to open until quite a bit of the way through the season, with the opening timeline pegged for spring 2026.
The new terrain at Lake Louise (highlighted in purple) will be located behind the existing backside terrain.
Park City, UT
New Gondola
Back in the US, we head to Park City, the largest ski area in the United States, and home to the only major project at a North American Vail Resorts-owned ski area this winter. Here, the Sunrise double on the Canyons side of the resort is being replaced by a 10-passenger gondola. The new lift will start from the same base near the Hyatt at Canyons Village, but it will extend substantially further up to the Red Pine Lodge, making it a lot easier to access the heart of the Canyons terrain from that part of the base and providing a welcome piece of redundancy out of the Canyons base complex. Around the Red Pine Lodge itself, the learning terrain has been regraded in places to make for a better experience for those sliding on snow for the first time. Additionally, a few thousand feet of snowmaking pipe has been replaced, hopefully ensuring slopes can remain open when the weather is less than ideal.
Snowbasin, UT
Lift Upgrade + RFID Gates
Just north of Park City, we head over to Snowbasin, which has been making constant lift infrastructure investments. This year they are replacing the Becker triple chair with a high-speed quad, making for three new high-speed lifts in the past five years. The new Becker lift will halve the ride time of the old chair, taking only 6 minutes in comparison to 12, though the capacity of the new lift will be about the same as the outgoing model.
In addition to the lift replacement, Snowbasin is adding RFID gates to lifts, making it a lot less annoying to get your pass scanned, especially if you have an Ikon or Mountain Collective Pass. Finally, Snowbasin is also doing some regrading and widening of the Bear Hollow run, which is a beginner run off Becker. This will allow for an easier experience for those just graduating from the Littlecat chair, and it’s expected to ease trail congestion on the run.
Snowbasin’s outgoing Becker triple chair took over ten minutes to ride. The new high-speed quad should cut that ride time in half.
Snowmass, CO
Lift Upgrades + Dining Expansion
Finally for this category, we have Snowmass in Colorado, which is replacing not one, but two lifts for this season. First up is the Elk Camp quad, which is being replaced by a six-pack on the same alignment. This will increase capacity for this popular lift, likely decreasing lines. Also being replaced is the Cirque platter lift, which will be replaced with a t-bar in a slightly adjusted alignment. This new lift will more than triple uphill capacity (barring misloads), though the ride time will be slightly longer. It’s also worth noting that the High Pass trail off towards the Hanging Valley area of the resort has been regraded from a blue to a black, although the other side of the t-bar remains blue-rated. We also expect a more reliable operating schedule from the new surface lift, but we’ll have to wait until this season to know for sure.
Snowmass is also seeing some on-mountain facilities changes. The resort’s Ullrhof restaurant is currently undergoing a massive renovation, which should be done next year. That does mean that it will be closed, so for those looking to stop in near the base of the Big Burn lift, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Elsewhere at the resort, the Elk Camp restaurant will have a 120-seat expansion opening this year, so it’ll be a little easier to find a seat over there. In addition, the Spider/Sabich race area will have a place serving food, the Hot Dogger.
Tier 4: Game-Changing Investments
Finally, we get into investments that have the potential to be true game changers for their respective resorts, of which there are three for 2025-26.
Monarch’s No Name Basin expansion, which debuts this winter, features a new lift, nearly 400 acres of terrain, and several new trails and glades.
Monarch, CO
Substantial Terrain Expansion
This season, Colorado’s Monarch Mountain is opening the largest terrain expansion in the state with its new Tomichi triple chair serving terrain on the backside of the mountain. Monarch is a small ski area in the crowded Colorado ski scene, but with this nearly 400-acre expansion, it’ll push Monarch further up in this competitive market.
This expansion, also known as No Name Basin, will provide quite a bit of intermediate-focused cut terrain and some new advanced glades, as well as a small warming hut near the lift base that is home to a few tables for those who bring their own food.
While this terrain expansion doesn’t have the flashiest new lift or most extreme terrain, it does provide some much-needed room for skiers and riders to spread out on this smaller mountain. While lines were never the largest issue at Monarch, the resort hasn’t been the emptiest in recent years either, with race training on Saturdays causing congestion on the front side. This extra dimension makes it a lot easier to find a pod of terrain away from crowds, something that is getting all too rare in the state of Colorado.
Castle Mountain’s new lift will serve terrain previously only accessible by snowcat.
Castle Mountain, AB
Substantial Terrain Expansion
Moving over to Western Canada’s Castle Mountain, this under-the-radar Alberta ski area is adding its first high-speed lift. And rather than replacing one of its workhorse lifts such as Sundance or Huckleberry, Castle is using this lift to anchor an expansion into new terrain on Mount Haig with the Stagecoach Express. This investment is especially interesting for a number of reasons. For one, the lift they are putting up is the old Angel Express from Banff Sunshine Village, a lift that was originally built in 1988, making this new lift actually one of the oldest detachable chairlifts on the continent; however, it has undergone extensive refurbishments, so the resort is expecting it won’t feel like a nearly 40 year old lift. It’s also worth noting that given its mid-mountain location, this will be one of only a few detachable chairlifts that you have to first ride a fixed-grip chair to access.
The new terrain accessed through this lift is expected to largely be intermediate-to-advanced in nature, with one top-to-bottom green trail as well, though the final trail map has not yet been released. The terrain was previously used for cat skiing, but that service will end with this lift installation. This update is expected to expand Castle’s lift-served skiable acreage by around 25%, and it should make spending time on Mount Haig much more compelling for those looking for intermediate and advanced terrain.
The next stage of Deer Valley’s multi-year expansion is easily the most significant upgrade to any resort in North America for 2025-26.
Deer Valley, UT
Substantial Terrain + Base Area Expansion
Finally, we come to the biggest change at a ski area for this year, and possibly the biggest one-year change in multiple decades.
Deer Valley has been working on what they call “Expanded Excellence” for a few years now, and they really went all out this year. Over 70 new trails, six new lifts, including a two-stage 10-passenger gondola, and a more complete base area at the East Village, including lodging, rentals, and day-skier amenities, are arriving for the upcoming winter. Entire mountainsides have been developed for new skiing, including beginner-focused runs on Park Peak, long intermediate and advanced groomers served by the Revelator and Vulcan Express chairs, more easily lappable blue trails via the Galena Express, and some more green and blue terrain near the base served by the Pioche and Neptune Express lifts, which also access some new on-mountain homes. This terrain ranges in elevation from 6,350 ft to 9,350 ft, and much of the terrain will heavily utilize new snowmaking infrastructure, as well as new maintenance buildings for preparing the 2,000 acres of new terrain.
Last year, the first terrain on Deer Valley East opened, serving some long blue groomers that had some fantastic views of the Jordanelle reservoir, but it was clear that was just the beginning. Some of the runs felt disjointed, and new lifts and trail connections are expected to help make the area feel more complete. But the expansion isn’t even complete after this year, as more terrain and lifts will open next year, culminating in almost 3,750 acres of new terrain once the expansion is all said and done.
However, not everyone will be able to enjoy this new terrain, as Deer Valley’s snowboard ban will continue to stay in effect with all this terrain.
Ultimately, this massive expansion will catapult Deer Valley into the upper echelon of ski areas in terms of size. What was originally to be a new ski area has been morphed with the existing Deer Valley to span almost 5,800 acres, adding plenty of beginner through advanced terrain. Lower-elevation terrain will be quite susceptible to low snow conditions, but Deer Valley is hoping investments in a massive snowmaking system will mitigate some of those issues.
Final Thoughts
So that’s our comprehensive overview of the projects going on in the North American ski scene for the 2025-26 season. While it may seem all over the place, there are a few general trends we’re seeing.
For one, the Tahoe and Vermont areas are generally down on improvements this year. No new lifts have been installed in the Tahoe region since 2022, when new lifts went in at Palisades Tahoe, Heavenly, Mount Rose, and Northstar, though that is looking like it will change next year with gondolas going in at Homewood and Sugar Bowl. In Vermont, only Killington is getting a new lift this year. Interestingly, last year we said the same for both Vermont and Tahoe.
On the other hand, Western Canada’s Alberta is home to some big improvements, with Castle Mountain and Lake Louise both getting terrain expansions. And Utah is the biggest winner again, with Deer Valley, Park City, and Snowbasin leading the way in big improvements, and all of the Cottonwoods resorts seeing some enhancements done as well.
What do you think about these upgrades? Any in particular you’re stoked to try out? Let us know in the comments below!
