The 2019 winter season will indeed be a big one in the Mountain West with new lifts and other additions enhancing the alpine experience at several of the choicest resorts. Access new terrain and enjoy the comforts of a gloriously renewed day lodge. Here’s a list of what’s been added at your favorite mountains. It’s time to shred.
Jackson Hole
After years in the making, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is proud to welcome Solitude Station to its world famous Rendezvous Mountain. Solitude Station is an on-mountain facility entirely dedicated to kids and adults who are looking for an amazing family experience combined with a great way to improve as a skier or rider. An easy two-minute ride up the Sweetwater Gondola will bring guests to this vast complex, which includes an expansive lodge with dining, rental, and an official Mountain Sports School home base. It’s an all-in-one, state-of-the-art service center for every need under one roof. Designed for children ages seven and up, families, and adult groups, Solitude Station is THE place to go for learning and progression. jacksonhole.com
Deer Valley
Famous for its long-running tradition of adding new chairlifts and expanding terrain, Park City’s Deer Valley has replaced their Homestake lift with a new detachable, high-speed quad. Access from Silver Lake Village to the top of Bald Eagle Mountain will now be ridiculously easy with the new chair cutting the ride-time in half and increasing uphill skier capacity by 400 skiers per hour. Other improvements for the 2019 season include snow making system enhancements and the acquisition of four new snowcats. deervalley.com
Sun Valley
Just a few days after the end of last year’s ski season, the iconic Warm Springs Day Lodge (located at the base of Bald Mountain on the Warm Springs side) caught fire and endured extensive damage. Sun Valley Resort has been rebuilding and redesigning the lodge, and it is set to be in operation on December 15 with a Grand Reopening Celebration happening on December 22. The new building will feature several improvements such as increased seating, a more user-friendly layout, fully updated restrooms, and a larger bar area that will be at the front of the lodge with unobstructed views of the mountain. The Konditorei (an excellent bakery at Sun Valley Village) will add an express location at Warm Springs Lodge. sunvalley.com
Alta
The original Snowpine Lodge has been reincarnated and now boasts the fact of being the first luxury resort in Alta with ski-in/ski-out access thanks to the brand new Snowpine ski lift being located at its doorstep. Stay at the Snowpine for the ultimate 5-star ski vacation experience with features such as a slopeside heated pool, a spa with an oxygen bar, hot tubs, an indoor grotto, and so much more. The lodge also features The Gulch Pub for the best in après and The Nest for an old fashioned arcade gaming experience. snowpine.com
Arapahoe Basin
Colorado’s famed Arapahoe Basin has a new lift and some enticing new terrain for this winter. Named The Beavers & The Steep Gullies, this area features a whopping 34 new runs over 468 total acres for the intermediate to expert level shredders. The Beavers feature 339 acres and is served by a 4-person lift. The open bowls are sweet and the glade skiing is rumored to be some of the best in the state. The Steep Gullies is comprised of steep, extreme, expert-only terrain and 129 acres. arapahoebasin.com
Park City Mountain
Vail Resorts has been at it again and has added a brand new detachable quad to Park City Mountain called High Meadow. The High Meadow Family Fun Zone has been redesigned and enhanced with opened up runs, upgraded snowmaking, and a candy cabin above the Red Pine Gondola. True to its name, this area is the perfect spot on the hill for beginners, little ones, and the entire family. parkcitymountain.com
Heavenly
Tahoe’s Heavenly Mountain Resort has replaced the 2-seater Galaxy lift with a new, 3-person chair. This addition will open up access to an impressive 400 acres of intermediate terrain. Get stoked. skiheavenly.com
Big Sky
They do everything big at Big Sky Resort. This winter season sees a brand new eight passenger lift (the first ever in North America) being added to the mountain. Known as Ramcharger 8, this lift replaces the original Ramcharger high-speed quad, which heads to the Shedhorn area of the mountain. Also in the works for a plan known as Big Sky 2025 is a 2-stage gondola at North Village and even more. bigskyresort.com