Pats Peak, New Hampshire announced this week it will uprade its second oldest chairlift to a modern quad chair. The new lift will be designed by Skytrac and contain a mix of new and used parts. Skytrac will supply a Monarch XL drive terminal, which will also include a Chairkit loading conveyor. The return terminal, towers and chairs will be 1997 Garaventa CTEC equipment, arriving by way of Lake Compounce Amusement Park in Connecticut. The new lift will follow the same alignment as the current Hurricane triple, which is being retired after 47 seasons. Both loading and unloading areas will be reconfigured to improve accessibility and flow. Pfister Mountain Services and Phoenix Excavation will handle installation with several tower foundations already completed last summer.
Hurricane will be the first quad chair for family-owned Pats Peak, which operates a fleet of double and triple chairs. “This new lift is an exciting step forward for Pats Peak,” said Kris Blomback, Pats Peak General Manager. “We are dedicated to continuous improvements that enhance the skiing and riding experience for all of our guests, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to enjoy the benefits of this new quad next season.” Chairs from the outgoing Borvig triple are for sale to the public.
America’s second largest nonprofit ski area plans significant changes to its lift layout under a proposed 2025 master plan. Located near fast-growing Bozeman, Bridger Bowl proposes to add an expansion lift called Bradley Meadows, an infill lift called Pierre’s Knob 2 and three smaller lifts serving beginner trails and terrain parks. The plan was prepared by SE Group and is still undergoing finishing touches.
Bridger Bowl remains the continent’s third largest ski area without a detachable lift and that distinction is unlikely to change, though specific lift types have not been released. The first major project is a lift in Bradley Meadows, a carryover from Bridger Bowl’s 2015 Master Plan Update. This lift would service advanced terrain to the north of the existing Alpine triple. Bradley Meadows lies within Bridger’s existing Special Use Permit area in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest and includes several new trails. As part of the lift-served expansion, Bridger would construct a patrol only platter lift to the ridge, supplementing an existing patrol platter used for avalanche hazard reduction work. A new rope tow is also planned to service a terrain park between Alpine and Powder.
A second new chairlift carries the working name Pierre’s Knob 2 and would access terrain between Pierre’s Knob and Schlasman’s. These two chairs are quite far apart and require significant traversing to transit between them. The new lift would service several new trails on the south side of the mountain. All told, additional developed trails in Bradley Meadows and Pierre’s Knob 2 would encompass 70 acres.
Bridger Bowl also plans to expand its offering for beginners. Much of Bridger’s existing beginner terrain is located in high traffic areas near existing lifts. A more secluded beginner pod is planned, which would require a modest expansion of Bridger’s Special Use Permit area and a new chairlift. A second, shorter beginner chairlift is planned closer to the Virginia City lift. Interestingly, the current Snowflake lift used to run in a similar alignment before it was moved in 2017. The plan also includes major enhancements to snowmaking, a new night skiing program, lodge upgrades and additional parking.
The Bridger Ski Foundation plans to host two community open houses to solicit feedback on its proposed master plan. The first one, to be held at the ski area on February 27th, will include season passholders and members. A second open house is open to anyone on March 1st in Bozeman. You can also submit feedback online before the Master Development Plan is formally submitted to the Forest Service for acceptance.
A bipartisan group of Senators sponsor a bill that would direct the Forest Service retain some of the fees resorts pay to the federal government for ski purposes, such as processing resort improvement projects.
Arkansas will get an operating chairlift for the first time in 50 years come 2026. Runway Group, owned by members of the Walton Family, today announced it will build a lift-served bike park in Bella Vista. The OZ Trails Bike Park will feature more than 20 miles of gravity trails designed by Gravity Logic & Rock Solid and connect to existing trail networks. The site lies just 15 minutes from the Walmart home office in Bentonville and will feature a bike shop, full-service dining, hiking and public art.
As part of the project, Leitner-Poma will construct a state-of-the-art detachable quad beginning this spring. The lift will span roughly 2,700 feet and carry bikers and hikers 270 vertical feet from a base plaza to the top of the park. Every other chair will be a dedicated bike carrier. “As Northwest Arkansas’s first purpose-built gravity cycling facility, the park’s location strengthens the natural connection between Bella Vista and Bentonville, positioning both communities as premier global cycling destinations,” said Tom Walton, Runway Group CEO. “Its focus on progression ensures everyone from beginners to experts will find their place here.”
Once the lift is complete in early 2026, there will be just four states without an aerial ropeway: Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
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