Minor Investments:<\/strong> smaller-scale changes that aren\u2019t intended to have huge front-facing experience impacts<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Noteworthy Investments:<\/strong> important changes that aren\u2019t the most prominent, but have the potential to bring palpable experience improvements<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Substantial Investments:<\/strong> changes that we expect most guests will prominently notice<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Game-Changing Investments:<\/strong> changes that will not only be noticed, but have the potential to expand the resort’s appeal to a meaningful new clientele.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Several ski resorts are seeing upgrades in snowmaking, trail and glade clearing, grooming, and lift modernization.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Starting out, we have some more under-the-radar investments that won\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s also possible that others are continuing to invest in these areas in an under-the-radar fashion:<\/p>\n Apex<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Aspen Highlands<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Aspen Mountain<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bogus Basin<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Boyne Mountain<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Brian Head<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Brighton<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bromley<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Buttermilk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Copper<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Gunstock<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Jay Peak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Killington<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Loon<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Magic Mountain<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Mount Rose<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Mount Snow<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Palisades Tahoe<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Park City<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Pico<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Purgatory<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Smugglers’ Notch<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Solitude<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Sugarloaf<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Summit at Snoqualmie<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Sunday River<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Terry Peak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Whitefish<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Willamette Pass<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Aspen Highlands<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Aspen Mountain<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bogus Basin<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Kicking Horse<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Kimberley<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Lookout Pass<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Sierra-at-Tahoe<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Whitefish<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Big White<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bogus Basin<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Homewood<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Kimberley<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Lookout Pass<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Silver Star<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Smugglers\u2019 Notch<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Whitefish<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Big White<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Crystal<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Gunstock<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Stratton<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Sugarbush<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Steamboat<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n In addition, Vail Resorts is continuing improvements to its MyEpic App, and will now connect people to ski school services at Vail<\/a>, Beaver Creek<\/a>, Keystone<\/a>, and Breckenridge<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Users of the MyEpic App will be able to connect directly to ski school services at certain Vail Resorts-owned mountains.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Next, we can move on to a few small-scale investments that may be low key, but are still worth calling out individually.<\/p>\n First up, we have Bear Valley<\/a>. 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\u2019re not sure if this improvement will be enough to fully fix that specific issue.<\/p>\n Next up is Brian Head<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The Snake Creek Lodge was Brighton\u2019s first ever substantial mid-mountain facility.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Heading north to Utah\u2019s Wasatch, we come to Brighton<\/a>, 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\u2019s 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Heading across the country to southern Vermont, the under-the-radar Bromley<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Back in California, the mid-sized China Peak<\/a> 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\u2019s Pub and a snack shack at the Base Camp outdoor bar.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Keystone\u2019s new Kindred Resort under construction next to the base of the River Run Gondola<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Colorado\u2019s Keystone<\/a> 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\u2019t make a large difference for most guests, but for those looking for a full-service slopeside hotel at this destination Summit County ski area\u2014or for those looking for a nicer meal at the base\u2014your options just grew<\/p>\n Located south of Lake Tahoe, Kirkwood<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Back out East, New Hampshire\u2019s Loon Mountain<\/a> 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Located in Southern Oregon, Mount Ashland<\/a> 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\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n Up north in Alberta, Canada, Mount Norquay<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> Powder Mountain is investing in significant lift and terrain expansions, but they will not be accessible to the public.<\/p>\n Source: Powder Haven<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Back in the states, Utah\u2019s Powder Mountain<\/a> 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 \u201cMinor\u201d 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. <\/p>\n 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\u2019t 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\u2019s still not cheap by any means). The resort also plans to expand evening lesson availability this winter. <\/p>\n It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Back in the south Tahoe region, Sierra-at-Tahoe<\/a> 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Back in the Eastern half of the US, we have West Virginia\u2019s Snowshoe<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n Back in Utah, Big Cottonwood Canyon\u2019s Solitude<\/a> ski area is making some upgrades to help both with too little snow\u2014and too much snow. First off, they\u2019re 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\u2019re 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\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Stowe\u2019s existing Midway Lodge, situated just above the base, will be completely rebranded.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Northern Vermont\u2019s Stowe<\/a> 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 apr\u00e8s experience at this lodge, which is located a few hundred feet up from the gondola base terminal\u2014although given its location well above the base itself, it remains to be seen how effective the project actually is.<\/p>\n Over in Vermont, Stratton<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Back in the Tahoe region, North Tahoe\u2019s Sugar Bowl<\/a> is making some base area changes. One of those is adding some new lockers to be located below the Village Lodge deck in what\u2019s billed as a \u201cstate of the art\u201d locker facility. Speaking of the lodge deck, that space has been expanded for more seating to enjoy the sunny Tahoe days.<\/p>\n Back in Vermont, Sugarbush<\/a> is improving the beginner experience on the Mount Ellen side of the resort. A new covered beginner carpet called \u201cEasy Up\u201d has been installed, making for a much easier beginner experience than the outgoing Tommy\u2019s Tow\u2014and one that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> The Easy Up carpet under construction.<\/p>\n Credit: Sugarbush via Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Up in British Columbia, Sun Peaks<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Back below the border, Idaho\u2019s Sun Valley<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Sticking in Idaho, the state\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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 apr\u00e8s 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.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Next up, we have the upgrades that have significant potential to overhaul on-mountain resort experiences, although they might not exactly be headliners.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n One of the oldest and most beloved chairlifts in the state of Washington has been replaced by a new triple.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n First up for noteworthy improvements is Washington’s Alpental<\/a>, 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\u2019ll probably always be given the resort\u2019s very close proximity to Seattle. Hopefully this year, we\u2019ll see even better crowd flow in Alpental\u2019s upper mountain thanks to this new lift.<\/p>\n\n
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/heavenlysnowmaking.webp\")
Tier 1: Minor Investments<\/h2>\n
General Upgrade Initiatives<\/h3>\n
SNOWMAKING UPGRADES:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n
TRAIL\/GLADE CLEARING:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n
GROOMING ENHANCEMENTS:<\/h4>\n
\n
LIFT MODERNIZATION<\/h4>\n
\n
My Epic App<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/beavercreekpeak.webp\")
Bear Valley, CA<\/h3>\n
Improved Transit + Lodge Enhancements<\/h4>\n
Brian Head, UT<\/h3>\n
New Glades<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/brightonsnakecreeklodge.webp\")
Brighton, UT<\/h3>\n
New & Improved Facilities<\/h4>\n
Bromley, VT<\/h3>\n
Snowmaking + Signage<\/h4>\n
China Peak, CA<\/h3>\n
Improved Transit + New Dining<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/keystonekindredresortconstruction.webp\")
Keystone, CO<\/h3>\n
New Base Lodging<\/h4>\n
Kirkwood, CA<\/h3>\n
Lodge Enhancements<\/h4>\n
Loon, NH<\/h3>\n
Carpet + Snowmaking<\/h4>\n
Mount Ashland, OR<\/h3>\n
New Trail<\/h4>\n
Mount Norquay, AB<\/h3>\n
New Carpet + Glades<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/powdermountainexpansionmap.webp\")
<\/p>\nPowder Mountain, UT<\/h3>\n
Private Terrain Area + New Ticket Option<\/h4>\n
Sierra-at-Tahoe, CA<\/h3>\n
Minor Terrain Expansion<\/h4>\n
Snowshoe, WV<\/h3>\n
Upgraded Base Facility<\/h4>\n
Solitude, UT<\/h3>\n
Snowmaking + Avalanche Mitigation Upgrades<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stowemidwaylodge.webp\")
Stowe, VT<\/h3>\n
Facilities Enhancement<\/h4>\n
Stratton, VT<\/h3>\n
Lift Improvements<\/h4>\n
Sugar Bowl, CA<\/h3>\n
Base Area Improvements<\/h4>\n
Sugarbush, VT<\/h3>\n
New Beginner Carpet<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/sugarbushbeginnercarpetmtellen.png\")
<\/p>\nSun Peaks, BC<\/h3>\n
Snow Storage System + General Improvements<\/h4>\n
Sun Valley, ID<\/h3>\n
New Glades<\/h4>\n
Tamarack, ID<\/h3>\n
Minor Terrain Expansion + New Parking<\/h4>\n
Tier 2: Noteworthy Investments<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/alpentaledelweisspost.webp\")
Alpental, WA<\/h3>\n
Lift Upgrade<\/h4>\n
Alta, UT<\/h3>\n
Lift Replacement + General Improvements<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.missioncommons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/altasupremeliftbend.webp\")