- Powdr sells SilverStar, BC to Pacific Group Resorts.
- Excavation begins for the Okanagan Gondola in interior BC.
- A study finds the proposed Zincton project in BC could disrupt grizzly and wolverine corridors.
- Little Switzerland, Wisconsin plans to replace the up-and-over 1-2 lift with two quads in 2026.
- Fall Line Construction’s new website showcases several cool lift projects from the past few years.
- Mad River Glen may acquire 1,100 acres of surrounding land.
- Telluride and its unionized ski patrol remain far apart with a strike possible.
- Compagnie des Montagnes de Ski du Quebec (CMSQ) would like to own ten ski areas in five years.
- Nearly a year since the province of Quebec and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies announced a CA$50 million joint investment at Mont-Sainte-Anne, the deal still hasn’t been signed.
- The Canadian Ski Museum highlights community ski area history in every province.
News
News Roundup: Canadian Retirements
- The town of Nederland, Colorado expects to close its purchase of Eldora before the end of the year for $115 to $120 million.
- Park City’s new map shows the soon-to-open Sunrise Gondola.
- Loon Mountain drops an all-new Rad Smith map showing a future pulse gondola.
- The CTEC 2 quad disappears from Paoli Peaks’ trail map.
- Searchmont, Ontario retires the Quad lift; eyes a longer replacement.
- Marble Mountain, Newfoundland won’t operate Black Mariah or Newfie Bullet this season; may remove them.
- Telluride begins hiring temporary patrollers to prepare for a possible strike.
- Black Mountain files a federal lawsuit against the town of Jackson, New Hampshire over a liquor license revocation.
- Here’s a detailed Deer Valley East construction update.
- SE Group’s Chris Cushing joins the Ski Utah podcast; shares the only alignment from Deer Valley’s original master plan with no lift yet.
- Hatley Point, North Carolina eyes building a base-to-summit six pack; reactivating Breakaway and Beginner in 2026.
- Whitecap Mountains, Wisconsin files for bankruptcy, plans to continue operating during reorganization.
- Doppelmayr’s latest UP magazine highlights several projects at Lake Louise and more.
News Roundup: Conical Towers
- Hickory, New York closes.
- Steel erection begins for the only lift in Arkansas.
- Cannon’s new map shows no more tram.
- Steel and aluminum tariffs increase the cost of certain maintenance projects on the Telluride-Mountain Village gondola by 50 percent.
- Vail CEO Rob Katz reiterates his company’s desire to build new Eagle and Silverlode lifts at Park City.
- A wildlife reserve in Kentucky plans a three station sightseeing gondola.
- Sir Sam’s, Ontario retires the Red Rocket and Eagle View doubles.
- The Los Angeles City Council votes 12-1 to oppose a Dodger Stadium gondola.
- MND hires a Director of Ropeways for North America.
- Snowland, Utah eyes building a T-Bar or J-Bar next summer with $1.46 million in state grant money.
- Unionized patrollers at Breckenridge and Eldora ink new contracts; negotiations continue at Telluride and Whitefish.
- A rider falls from the Montezuma Express at Keystone.
- Whitecap Mountains, Wisconsin could go to foreclosure auction on December 2nd.
- Enjoy these Argo progress photos from reader Munier S.
News Roundup: Gondola Tax
- Ragged Mountain, New Hampshire is sold to local investors, will no longer be operated by Pacific Group Resorts.
- Voters in Mountain Village, Colorado enact a 5 percent tax on Telluride lift tickets starting next week to fund gondola construction, operations and maintenance.
- The Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation launches a multi-million dollar fundraising effort to finish replacing the Wyler Aerial Tramway in El Paso.
- Sugarbush intends to operate the Slide Brook Express this winter after it missed last season.
- Honolulu’s City Council passes a resolution opposing construction of a sightseeing gondola on the island.
- A study finds Utah’s ski industry generated $2.5 billion in spending last season, directly supporting 31,800 jobs.
- Angel Fire’s new map shows off an all-new lift alignment.
- Big Sky’s fresh map depicts the new, curved Explorer Gondola.
- Mount St. Louis-Moonstone shows where its fifth detachable runs.
- Compagnie des Montagnes de Ski du Quebec (CMSQ) to operate Massif du Sud, its fourth Quebec ski area. Planning is underway for a base-to-summit detachable.
- Camp 10, Wisconsin remains unsure about the future of the Red T-Bar, damaged by an October fire and uninsured.
- The first Doppelmayr TRI-Line gondola is commissioned and ready for winter.
- Saskadena Six retires Chair Two, may build a new lift in the future.
News Roundup: Apple Harvest
- The Doppelmayr Group to merge its Frey AG Stans and Garaventa units in Switzerland.
- Four Seasons, New York closes for good to be redeveloped.
- Both the Denver Post and Colorado Sun cover growing local frustration with Telluride’s owner over gondola funding, snowmaking, labor relations and alleged personal conduct.
- Powder Mountain works to build out private skiing while maintaining a public ski resort next door.
- The former owner of closed Spout Springs, Oregon is found liable for the cost of removing improvements from Forest Service land.
News Roundup: Last Tram
- Bretton Woods’ new map shows where the new BEQII goes.
- The new Bryce Resort map shows a backside expansion.
- Lutsen gets a new trail map by VistaMap.
- Deer Valley mountain operations leadership joins Doppelmayr on the Ski Utah podcast to preview the East Village expansion.
- Mont Gleason, Quebec plans to replace the Laurent-Lemaire quad soon.
- Anakeesta to replace its fixed-grip chondola with a detachable.
- The State of Texas to hold a press conference next week announcing the next steps in the Wyler Aerial Tram replacement project.
- It’s the final weekend for the Cannon Tramway with the last trip at 4:45 pm Sunday.
- Red Lodge Mountain details several modifications made to its Triple Chair over the summer due to a fatal deropement last spring.
- Ikon adds nine mountains in Japan, South Korea and China.
- Holiday Mountain offers up classic Poma double chairs.
- Whaleback, New Hampshire expects to lose $300,000 this winter without its chairlift; seeks to raise $210,000 by December 1st to open.
- Powder Mountain installs artwork on several lifts including a neon piece on the Paradise Express, flagpole on Timberline and colorful canopy on a conveyor.
- MND wins a tender to build an energy-neutral aerial tramway on the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.
Steelhead Systems Responds to Ski Bluewood Lawsuit
British Columbia-based Steelhead Systems Inc. (SSI) has responded to a lawsuit filed by Ski Bluewood, Washington over a delayed lift project. As I detailed last month, the two parties initially agreed to bring a used detachable quad to Bluewood in June 2024. The 1993 Doppelmayr lift would replace a base-to-summit triple chair and dramatically reduce ride time. SSI would act as a broker between Pro-Alpin Ropeway Services of Austria and Bluewood, bringing the lift from Sölden to Washington at significant saving versus a new lift. SCJ Alliance would engineer the lift and Bluewood would complete much of the installation work itself. Bluewood announced in late June 2024 the lift was expected to open for the 2025-26 season.
The deal soured this summer when disagreements arose over shipping costs, timelines, the number of shipping containers needed, exchange rates and more. In its claim filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Bluewood alleged breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment by SSI. In its Response to Civil Claim, SSI’s attorney denies many of Bluewood’s claims, including that shipping costs and exchange rates were fixed upon contract signing. SSI alleges only after Bluewood stopped making payments did it stop shipping containers across the Atlantic. “Pursuant to [the agreement], all responsibility and risk with respect to the equipment, including transportation, rests with the Buyer,” the filing notes. “This responsibility includes any changes to shipping costs or exchange rates, which are matters outside the control of the Defendants.” SSI argues three outstanding invoices total $587,548.
SSI also alleges its principal, Zrinko Amerl, told Bluewood in 2024 that fall 2025 completion was an optimistic timeline. The complaint alleges Bluewood failed to provide accurate survey data in a timely manner. Steelhead Systems says SCJ Alliance’s engineer requested a 16th tower, which SSI agreed to provide at below market price. Finally, SSI alleges “ProAlpin insisted that there be a garage system put in place for maintenance and storage of chairs, however [Bluewood] refused to follow this recommendation.” On October 26th, I received word that SCJ did not request a 16th tower and that line was in the process of being corrected in the Response to Civil Claim.
To date 23 containers have been delivered to Bluewood containing chairs, terminal elements and towers. Four containers’ worth of equipment remains in Austria. Alarmingly, Pro-Alpin indicated to SSI that all remaining parts, including bullwheels and the haul rope, not picked up by September 8th, 2025 would be scrapped. “As of today’s date, SSI is unaware if any action has been taken with respect to this,” the filing notes.
Shortly after filing the response, SSI countersued Bluewood’s owners, alleging the lawsuit, associated press release and media coverage have damaged its reputation. The filing specifically mentions Lift Blog’s coverage and reader comments impacting SSI’s ability to sell lifts within the broader mountain resort industry. “As a result of the defamatory statements made by [Bluewood], SSI has suffered and continues to suffer losses to its business,” the suit says, alleging statements made by Bluewood will cause an estimated loss of approximately $10 to $15 million in revenue. The company seeks payment of outstanding invoices plus interest, damages and other costs.
Bluewood officials declined to comment beyond their initial press release, citing pending litigation. The ski area has been busy re-hanging chairs on the Skyline Express, the 1978 Borvig once set to be replaced.
News Roundup: Chairlift Ban
- A ranch in Hawaii scales down its proposed gondola in hopes of allaying community concerns. Even so a State Representative plans to introduce a bill to ban chairlifts and gondolas from ever being constructed in Hawaii.
- A lightning-caused fire burns the drive terminal of Camp 10, Wisconsin’s Red T-Bar.
- Mountain High revives the Discovery lift damaged in a 2024 wildfire.
- Alterra introduces Reserve add-on passes with line cutting privileges and other perks at Big Bear, Blue Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Solitude, Sugarbush and Tremblant.
- Thousands of Crystal skiers aren’t happy about the Reserve Pass.
- Steamboat takes another step toward a detachable base area transit gondola.
- Hermon Mountain, Maine will close after this season if a buyer can’t be found.
- Hickory, New York leaves Indy Pass.
- Skytrac commissions its on-site wind turbine.
- Waterville Valley shares a wild picture of bubble chairs during a fall winds and a T-Bar construction update.
- Deer Valley unveils its 25-26 trail map depicting eight new lifts.
News Roundup: Upset
- Poma France introduces LIFE terminals equivalent to Leitner’s new ROPERA.
- Italian manufacturer Graffer wins tenders to build its two detachable lifts utilizing technology from Turkish manufacturer Anadolu Teleferik.
- Despite the new projects, Graffer’s owner says he’s not trying to take on Leitner and Doppelmayr.
- The Toronto Zoo nears a deal with a private company to build a short gondola.
- Sunrise Park, Arizona leaves Indy Pass.
- The Forest Service seeks public comment on Keystone’s proposal to replace A-51 with a detachable quad.
- Forest Service staffing cuts slow projects approvals, shift work to outside consultants.
- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey breaks ground on a $3.5 billion automated people mover powered by Doppelmayr tech.
- Timberline Lodge outlines an extraordinary rise in insurance costs leading to price increases.
- Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon argues escalating costs make a canyon 3S unfeasible.
- Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz revives his podcast about the company.
- Tijuana, Mexico to jump on the urban gondola bandwagon.
- Sponsored job: Electrician at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
News Roundup: Can’t Just Be About Lifts
- An updated Stratton master plan envisions a competition T-Bar in 2027, a hotel-to-base chairlift in 2030 and gondola replacement circa 2033.
- Los Angeles releases the Draft Supplemental Environmental Report for the proposed Dodger Stadium gondola.
- The Forest Service approves Vail’s proposed replacements for lifts 15 and 21.
- Spirit Mountain’s new Leitner-Poma quad to be called Highline.
- Asked about new lifts on the Vail Resorts earnings conference call, CEO Rob Katz tells analysts priorities lie mostly elsewhere:
“We’re always going to be upgrading lifts; we announced a new lift for next year and that’s critical. But I think we need to realize also as a company and as an industry that it can’t just be about lifts. It’s not the only thing that matters to people. And in our minds we think there’s technology that can make a big difference. How people use technology in the digital experience, how it makes it easier for them to rent skis, how it makes it easier for them to connect with their ski instructor, how it makes it easier for them to get food, how it makes it easier for them to get around a resort or overall book a vacation. I think these are all things that are critical that really speak to the entirety of the guest experience when they come to us. Those are things where we really have a unique advantage because we own and operate all our resorts. They’re all on a common platform. And it’s where you invest dollars that actually impact everyone’s experience with all of our resorts rather than a singular lift, which affects one resort for some people who use that lift. Now that said, we have to keep investing in lifts. When you look back historically, you’ve seen us spend a lot of money on lifts over the last four years. So that’s continuing. We’re still going to keep proposing lifts. But I think the differentiator is going to be in this other area which is not as capital intensive as trying to replace every lift on Vail Mountain or something like that. That’s where we’re putting our focus.”
- A Swiss resort Vail was said to be interested in, Flims Laax, to be purchased by local municipalities.
- Some cool pictures of the nearly complete Mighty Argo Cable Car.
- A BC indigenous group acquires additional land for the proposed Cascade Skyline Gondola.
- BigRock, Maine introduces a new trail map painted by Rad Smith.
- Part of the former Iron Mountain Ski Area near Kirkwood goes up for sale. A reader who’d like to remain anonymous sent along these recent photos of five abandoned lifts.
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