Ski Magazine's Top 8 New Lifts

TomWhite

Ski Magazine has an article on their top 8 new lifts. How 'bout we make this a contest. Name the 8 they give for N America. They have an order but that can wait for a second contest or not at all. Here's part of their opening and below that, I give you 1 of 8 w/o including where it is in their order:
There are several dozen upgrades going in at resorts from coast to coast and Canada—too many to list here. But there are a handful on our radar that have us counting down to ski season. The ones below are each significant in their own way and will no doubt enhance the skier experience at their respective resorts this winter.

Barker 6, Sunday River, Maine
The heated Barker 6 will be so cozy, you’ll wish the ride lasted longer. (Photo: Courtesy of Sunday River)
Over on the East Coast, Sunday River is getting ready to debut the fastest and most technologically advanced six-person chair on the continent. The Barker 6 will boast ergonomic heated seats, an automatic lowering and locking safety bar, and weather bubbles to keep out wind and blowing snow. The new lift is made by Doppelmayr and is part of its D-Line series that focuses on skier comfort and eco-friendly design, the same as resort’s first eight-person lift, the Jordan 8, which opened last season.
Considering that the old Barker quad was mostly known for breaking down, this is a big upgrade to the Barker summit ski experience and will cut ride time to just under five minutes, though you might wish the ride in the cozy heated bubble lasted longer.

newpylong

If Attitash isn't #1 it should be, not for comfort, but for the transformative effect it will have on the mountain.

woodcore

I'd guess the following are on the list:

Lone Peak Tram @ Big Sky
Wild Blue Gondola @ Steamboat
Demoisy @ Snowbasin

TomWhite

I'll be off line for the rest of the evening. So, Newpylong has a 0 for 1 start, while Woodcore is 2 for 3.

lotsoskiing

I know there is a huge new lift going on at Whistler, but every lift is huge there, it seems. That's probably on their list.

TomWhite

Lots is correct, does anyone know the name? Hint, it's a replacement. Another hint, Barker is the only eastern lift on their list. Oh, I read the article/list more closely, "upgrades" not lifts is in the title. Two of the 8 are lodges. Other hints are, 3 of the remaining 6 include the terrain that a new lift opens. The other 3 are replacements (including Barker) though not necessarily in the same alignment. Finally, Woodcore got 2. I'm sure Wild Blue would have been on the list if the lower half wasn't opened last season.

Snowmaster

Fitzimmons at Whistler/Blackcomb is a replacement (rip Park City). Surely Bergman at Keystone made their list? How about the fancy Sixpack Boyne Highlands is getting?

Who is spending a boatload on lodges this year? K1 was last summer, and the Gore skibowl is next summer, right? Hmm... is it Schweitzer's new lift and day lodge area?

lotsoskiing

Snowmaster;c-61120 wroteFitzimmons at Whistler/Blackcomb is a replacement (rip Park City). Surely Bergman at Keystone made their list? How about the fancy Sixpack Boyne Highlands is getting?

I see Bergmans as a real change. Typically high and remote pods are primarily expert terrain, but Bergmans will have mainly intermediate, above treeline skiing. Hope it can hold snow.

TomWhite

Snowmaster is correct on both. Fitzimmons is the "stolen" D 8 pack. Bergman lift and bowl is on their list. Hum, Schweitzer, I'll be skiing there in Feb. Nothing for them is on the list.

z1000307470

Is the replacement Sun Valley Challenger on the list?

TomWhite

z1000307470;c-61126 wroteIs the replacement Sun Valley Challenger on the list?

Another good guess but not on their list.

TomWhite

Here's the article w/o photos. It has to be in two parts.

The 8 Resort Upgrades We’re Most Looking Forward To Next Season
Terrain expansions, mid-mountain lodges, faster lifts, and one very highly anticipated new tram will all debut this winter.
JULY 26, 2023SAMANTHA BERMAN
________________________________________
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
It might be 95 degrees and sweltering where you are, but at ski resorts around the country, new lift towers are going up and construction crews are working hard to keep projects on schedule for their 2023-’24 ski season debut.
There are several dozen upgrades going in at resorts from coast to coast and Canada—too many to list here. But there are a handful on our radar that have us counting down to ski season. The ones below are each significant in their own way and will no doubt enhance the skier experience at their respective resorts this winter.
The Biggest Resort Upgrades in Ski Country for 2023-’24
8. DeMoisy Express, Snowbasin, Utah
The new lift adds uphill capacity to an area of the mountain that can get congested. (Photo: Courtesy of Snowbasin)
Snowbasin is getting a brand-new lift in a critical spot on the mountain that will help ease congestion and improve mountain flow. The six-person DeMoisy Express will add lift capacity in the resort’s Strawberry area, with the lower terminal near the bottom of the Strawberry gondola and the top terminal just above Dan’s Run. The new lift will double the uphill capacity in that area of the mountain, relieve congestion, and provide quicker access to the base. It’s Snowbasin’s 13th lift, and adds to the resort’s already impressive lift system, for which it always earns high marks in SKI annual Reader Resort Survey.
7. Barker 6, Sunday River, Maine
The heated Barker 6 will be so cozy, you’ll wish the ride lasted longer. (Photo: Courtesy of Sunday River)
Over on the East Coast, Sunday River is getting ready to debut the fastest and most technologically advanced six-person chair on the continent. The Barker 6 will boast ergonomic heated seats, an automatic lowering and locking safety bar, and weather bubbles to keep out wind and blowing snow. The new lift is made by Doppelmayr and is part of its D-Line series that focuses on skier comfort and eco-friendly design, the same as resort’s first eight-person lift, the Jordan 8, which opened last season.
Considering that the old Barker quad was mostly known for breaking down, this is a big upgrade to the Barker summit ski experience and will cut ride time to just under five minutes, though you might wish the ride in the cozy heated bubble lasted longer.
6. Mountain Commons, Crystal Mountain, Wash.
Crystal’s Mountain Commons was designed with gathering spaces both inside and out. (Photo: Courtesy of Crystal Mountain)
When the folks at Crystal Mountain were brainstorming how to give the base area the facelift it needed, the idea of community and gathering places were top of mind. After all, the people are what make this Pacific Northwest destination such a special place. When the Mountain Commons opens this season, expect to see plenty of ways to bring people together.
The 25,000-square-foot base lodge will house four new dining outlets, more seating for skiers to relax and gather, and outdoor spaces with fire pits overlooking the slopes to give visitors new ways to connect in the outdoors. The Mountain Commons will also be home to skier services including ticketing and retail. Next up for Crystal: a 100-room hotel at the base and a new, 14,000-square-foot mountain-top lodge to replace the aging Summit House.
5. Fitzsimmons Express, Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.
Whistler Blackcomb is getting two lift upgrades for the 2023-’24 season, but the biggest impact comes with the replacement of the circa-2000, four-person Fitzsimmons Express with an eight-person chairlift. The Fitz, as locals call it, is the main ride out of Creekside village, and had been a frustrating log jam when it came to getting skiers up and out of the base area. The new lift will increase uphill capacity by a stunning 73 percent, and will pull double duty in the off-season as a mountain bike park lift. Interestingly, the Fitzsimmons chair was reallocated to Whistler Blackcomb after Park City’s upgrade plan got derailed last season due to local outcry.
Related: What’s New in Whistler Blackcomb
4. The Aerie Mid-Mountain Lodge, Copper Mountain, Colo.
Copper’s new lodge include’s the resort”s first on-mountain sit-down restaurant. (Photo: Courtesy of Copper Mountain)
Anyone who’s ridden the American Eagle chairlift from the main base area at Copper has watched the massive building go up on skier’s left for the last couple of seasons. Now they’ll finally get to step inside when The Aerie debuts this winter. The 25,000-square-foot mid-mountain lodge will add a bunch of much-needed amenities to the on-mountain experience, including the first full-service restaurant, called Forage and Feast. There will also be a cafeteria with a host of new dining options, a bar and lounge, event space, and expansive views out over the Gore and Ten Mile ranges.
3. Mahogany Ridge Glades, Steamboat Resort, Colo.
The terrain expansion is the final piece in Steamboat’s Full Steam Ahead mountain improvement plan. (Photo: Courtesy of Steamboat)
Steamboat has been busy completing several years’ worth of on-mountain improvements, from a new gondola to village enhancements. But the one we’re most stoked about is this season’s addition of 650 new acres of glades and bowls in the Fish Creek Canyon and Pioneer Ridge portions of the mountain, making the resort the second-largest in Colorado.
The new terrain will be rated advanced to expert, and located skier’s right of the resort’s current boundary. These slopes have been in the resort’s permitted area, but have been hike-to only for the last few years via a backcountry gate. As for the terrain, expect backcountry-like conditions with tight trees, chutes, and even some rock bands. The mellower portions will be accessed by the new Mahogany Ridge high-speed quad, while the terrain in Fish Creek Canyon will be more intense, and require a 20-minute hike back to the chairlift.

TomWhite

2. Lone Peak Tram, Big Sky, Mont.
The cabins, built in Switzerland, are en route to Big Sky this summer. (Photo: Courtesy of Big Sky Resort)
It’s been a long time in the making, but when the new Lone Peak Tram opens this season at Big Sky, we’re pretty sure it’ll have been worth the wait. If you’ve ridden the OG tram, you know that while gliding to the top of Lone Peak is an incredible experience any way you do it, the old 15-passenger boxes were too small to serve the growing resort. The new cabins will make the trip in four minutes and carry up to 75 skiers—though it will not be filled to capacity during the winter.
A ride on the new tram will come with a per-use price tag, rather than per-day, as it had been for the past couple of seasons since the tram fee was introduced in 2021. Big Sky hasn’t announced the cost yet. In previous seasons, the daily fee was set based on seasonality and demand, and ranged from $20 to $80 a day.
As for the experience itself, the glass cabins will serve up 360-degree views, and will be outfitted with glass floors in the summer for an even more dramatic viewing experience. The Swiss-built cabins are currently en route to Big Sky and are expected to arrive next month.
1. Bergman Bowl, Keystone Resort, Colo.
Delayed by a year, the Bergman Bowl expansion is set to open this winter with 16 runs and a high-speed lift. (Photo: Courtesy of Vail Resorts)
It was last summer around this time that word came down that Keystone’s 550-acre addition of mostly intermediate bowl skiing would not open last season due to a construction error—a crew took heavy equipment into an unauthorized area. With that behind them, the highly anticipated expansion into the former catskiing and hike-to terrain is set to debut this season with 16 named runs and a brand-new high-speed six-person chairlift.
While this isn’t going to be hair-raising steeps by any stretch, the pitch is perfect for intermediate and advanced skiers looking for a high-alpine backcountry-like experience. We’re also excited for the incredible views out over the high peaks, and the glades you get to ski through as you wend your way back to the Bergman Express.

https://www.skimag.com/ski-resort-life/biggest-resort-upgrades-2023-24-season/?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=SKI_MAG&utm_campaign=discover_rss