Resorts of the Canadian Rockies today unveiled a landmark order for four Leitner-Poma and Skytrac quad chairlifts set to debut at three British Columbia mountains over the next two years. The news follows RCR’s similar deal with Doppelmayr for three detachable lifts at Mont-Sainte-Anne in March. The total commitment for seven new lifts is remarkable considering the company last built a lift in Western Canada in 2011 and Eastern Canada in 2017. Over the next three years, RCR will add a 10 place gondola, two six packs, three detachable quads and one fixed grip quad across four of its six mountains. From the Leitner-Poma/Skytrac order, two lifts will go to Fernie Alpine Resort, one to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and one to Kimberley Alpine Resort. “This is a major investment in our BC resorts and shows our company’s commitment to providing excellent experiences for our guests and our resort communities,” said John Shea, President & Chief Resort Officer at RCR.
First up, Leitner-Poma and subsidiary Skytrac will head to Kimberley, replacing the Tamarack double with a fixed grip quad. The current chair is the oldest in RCR’s nationwide fleet, dating back to 1972. Tamarack was originally installed at Lake Louise before moving to Kimberley in 1998. The Tamarack Quad will follow the existing alignment and is expected to debut in December 2026. It will become just the second Skytrac in Western Canada following Whistler Blackcomb’s order for a Monarch quad earlier this year.
The following season, Leitner-Poma will construct two detachable quads at Fernie. The first will replace the 1989 Elk Quad, an out-of-base workhorse that spins both summer and winter. Elk Express will reduce ride time by nearly 50 percent and better accommodate downhill mountain bikers. Equally exciting is the installation of Cedar Bowl Express, a brand new lift from the bottom of Cedar Bowl to the summit of Great Bear Express. This lift will effectively replace the Haul Back T-Bar and eliminate a three lift ride from Cedar Bowl to Bear. Both of Fernie’s new detach quads are slated to debut in late 2027.
Finally comes huge news for Kicking Horse, which has suffered from lack of redundancy and lift downtime in recent seasons. A new Pioneer Express quad will more than double out-of-base capacity and travel to Stairway to Heaven, providing a sorely-needed alternate to the Golden Eagle Express Gondola. As part of this project, a 1986 Riblet also called Pioneer will retire. Pioneer Express will follow a completely new alignment to Crystal Bowl, rising some 2,600 vertical feet over 8,200 feet of slope length. This beast of a machine is expected to open for the 2027-28 ski season.
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies also announced major new real estate projects at Fernie and Kicking Horse. “Undertaking these new projects is a significant investment into our resorts and allows us to modernize our infrastructure and to significantly improve the experience for our guests, focusing on performance, comfort and innovation,” said Matt Mosteller, Senior Vice President of Resort Experience.
Powder Mountain plans to invest $40 million on the public side of the resort over the next two years with a focus on the Sundown zone. Under new majority owner Reed Hastings, Powder operates a public-private model, with lifts on the eastern half of the resort open only to homeowners. So far, Hastings has added five new lifts since 2023 with up to five more on deck.
DMI expansion on the backside of James Peak seen last summer.
Sundown lies within the public western half of the resort with a variety of terrain for both day and night skiing. By fall 2026, Skytrac will complete a new public lift called DMI, serving 1,000 acres of steeps on the backside of Sundown. Construction began last summer on the triple chair, which will rise 1,796 feet and rank among Skytrac’s steepest-ever lifts. On the front side, Leitner-Poma will replace the existing Sundown quad with a detachable. Powder’s fourth high speed quad will expand both capacity and hours. The old Sundown chair will then move to become a beginner chairlift called Doodle. “Doodle allows beginners and ski school students of all ages to get efficient laps on a gentle, dedicated pitch,” said Powder. In addition to three new lifts, the Sundown Lodge will be replaced with a modern 15,000 square foot facility featuring ski school, rentals and dining for 2027-28. “This development plan is a demonstration of our commitment to keeping Powder a thriving public ski resort for generations to come,” said Powder President Brandi Hammon. “As a local and an avid skier, the team and I are committed to our community and season passholders and will continue investing in their on-mountain experience.”
PowMow didn’t announce specifics for the private side known as Powder Haven, though construction began on a new Half Pint chairlift last summer that could also be completed this year. For this project, Powder opted to repurpose equipment from the old Paradise quad for a new high-alpine neighborhood. Powder’s master plan also calls for a new lift up Cobabe Canyon, which could eventually replace the aging Sunrise Poma. For now, Powder Mountain says the Sunrise lift will remain publicly accessible for the 2026/27 season regardless of further lift development on the private side.
Powder Haven Half Pint lift under construction last summer.
A chair became lodged sideways entering the top terminal of Lutsen Mountains’ Raptor Express yesterday, leading to a full rope evacuation. Winds were reportedly picking up at the time and made for a multi-hour evacuation. The 2023 Leitner-Poma six pack crosses several roadways, allowing a ladder truck from the local fire department to reach some of the lift’s 53 chairs. Other riders were roped down by resort staff. “We sincerely appreciate the patience and continued support of our guests,” the mountain noted on its snow report. “We are grateful to our patrol, ops and lift teams for all they do to keep us safe and having fun,” Lutsen said. I have asked Lutsen whether anyone on the affected chair fell or was injured and will update with any new information.
The impacted chair being lowered out of the terminal following the evacuation. Photo credit: Andrew Shultz
Lutsen says the Raptor Express will remain closed for several days as parts arrive for repair. The Bridge double will run in Raptor’s place, providing access to all the same terrain. “Our teams are working hard to ensure safe operations, and we look forward to delivering positive experiences on the mountain today and throughout the season,” said Lutsen.
Update 1/19: Lutsen provided the following statement to Lift Blog: “On Saturday, 1/17 at approximately 9:45 am, Lutsen Mountains experienced a mechanical failure on the Raptor Express chairlift which caused the lift to cease operating. After a thorough inspection, it was determined the guests on the lift would need to be evacuated. In total, 44 guests were evacuated by Lutsen Mountains Ski Patrol and transported to Lutsen’s Ski Patrol building and Eagle Ridge Registration building where cookies, hot drinks and guest services personnel awaited them. One guest experienced non-life threatening injuries as a result of the mechanical issue, and no guests were injured in the evacuation process.
At this time, Raptor Express remains closed until the upcoming weekend while the team awaits replacement parts. In the meantime, guests can continue to access the same terrain via Bridge Lift. Any updates will be made via our website, daily mountain report, and social media. Thank you for your patience during this time and we thank our ski patrol for their training and professionalism during the evacuation.”
Update 1/20: Lutsen confirmed to Lift Blog that “four people fell from the chair at the top terminal of Raptor Express when the mechanical failure occurred. Ski Patrol responded immediately and minor injuries were assessed on-site.”
As the world bids farewell to 2025, 49 new lifts are up and running across North America. Forty five of those rose in the United States plus four in Canada. That’s eight fewer installations than 2024 as the Covid-era outdoor travel boom waned slightly. Marquee projects in ’25 included ten passenger gondolas at Big Sky, Deer Valley and Park City – all providing new out-of-base access. Several ski areas pushed boundaries, most notably Deer Valley with six new lifts in the East Village.
Despite a shortage of snow, Loveland Ski Area became the first to open a brand new lift this season at Loveland Valley.
The Rocky Mountain region saw strong investment with 24 lifts opening in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Utah. The East also proved strong with 15 new lifts, up by three from 2024. The Pacific states, the Midwest and Canada fared weaker with just a handful of projects each.
Killington debuted its first Doppelmayr lift in history, a six pack servicing the famous Superstar pod.
Both fixed and detachable chairlift construction fell markedly while gondola projects increased to an impressive eight machines. Surface lifts also outperformed with four new platters and T-Bars supplied by three manufacturers. No aerial trams opened this year but that could change soon with projects on the horizon at Cannon Mountain, New Hampshire and Franklin Mountains, Texas.
The Mighty Argo Cable Car under construction in Colorado.
Expansions prevailed with more lifts breaking new ground than any year since 2019. In Alberta, Lake Louise opened Richardson’s Ridge with a Doppelmayr detachable quad and Castle Mountain built the Stagecoach Express serving hundreds of acres of alpine terrain. Stateside, Powder Mountain completed the Davenport addition for homeowners serviced by a Leitner-Poma detachable quad. Monarch Mountain, Colorado will soon debut Tomichi, a Skytrac triple ascending No Name Basin for the first time. In the east, Bryce Resort also partnered with Skytrac to debut a backside expansion with four new trails. Only 30 of 49 new lifts this year directly replaced old lifts, down by nine from last year.
Pinyon Express, one of several new D-Line detachables at Deer Valley Resort this winter.
The only gondola in South Carolina debuted at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in August.
Doppelmayr and the HTI duo of Leitner-Poma and Skytrac continued to dominate the market in North America. LPOA won slightly more than half of projects (22) with Doppelmayr completing 20 installations. HTI paricularly excelled in the fixed-grip realm with five new Leitner-Poma Alphas and seven Skytrac Monarchs. Doppelmayr dominated the gondola and detachable spaces with six D-Lines and six UNI-Gs. By vertical transport feet per hour (VTFH), Doppelmayr edged out HTI with 46 percent of installed capacity vs. 45 percent. MND Ropeways built its first new lift in three years here, a T-Bar for Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.
The upcoming gondola at Hawks Nest State Park, West Virginia, set to open in spring 2026.
Lifts at places other than ski resorts took off in 2025. The State of West Virginia invested in two fixed grip gondolas at state parks, one of which opened this fall and the other of which will launch come spring. Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina debuted a gorgeous river crossing gondola in partnership with Leitner-Poma, the first detachable ever built in that state. The Tennessee State Fair debuted a fixed chairlift and OZ Trails Bike Park in Arkansas is putting the finishing touches on a Leitner-Poma high-speed quad, the first detachable in that state.
Park City’s new Sunrise Gondola, a two year project which opened this month.
Nearly 90 percent of lift projects were new-from-manufacturer with just six used lifts re-installed. They represented just under eight percent of new VTFH with Castle Mountain’s high speed quad the largest followed by Alta’s relocation of the Supreme chair. The majority of used lifts were Pomas of various vintages and types.
East Street at Ski Santa Fe, a Poma Alpha reinstallation.
Deer Valley’s new gondola earned largest new lift of the year followed by Big Sky’s Explorer Gondola then Elk Camp Express at Snowmass. Both Doppelmayr and Leitner-Poma engineered lifts across the VTFH spectrum while Skytrac and MND lifts skewed smaller.
Omigosh, a Doppelmayr Alpenstar addition at Cataloochee, North Carolina.
There’s a narrative that only conglomerates can afford new lifts. While lifts have certainly become costlier, this year showed that isn’t the whole story with dozens of independent operators buying really nice machines for their customers to ride. From Wachusett to White Pass and Welch Village, independent ski areas are thriving. Setting aside the Deer Valley megaproject funded by Extell Development Company, Alterra only added one new lift to its existing portfolio at Crystal Mountain, Washington. Same story with Vail Resorts, which built the Sunrise Gondola at Park City in partnership with the Canyons Village Management Association. More than half of all new lifts this year went to what I would consider mom-and-pop, family-owned single mountains.
The industry also retired 53 lifts in 2025, three more than last year, at an average age of 42 years. Eight Halls, six Riblets and four Borvigs went to scrap as resorts modernized fleets. Some 211 Halls, 213 Riblets and 118 Borvigs still spin across the continent, however, with more to be replaced in 2026.
Next year is shaping up to be similar to 2025. Announced new lifts are pacing just slightly behind this time a year ago with 41 installations on my list of likely projects. Several installs initially intended for 2025 were pushed to ’26 including Purgatory’s Gelande triple, Powder Mountain’s DMI and Halfpint lifts, Homewood’s gondola and Bluewood’s summit lift. Several ski areas already announced fresh investments for 2026 including two replacements at Sun Valley, two lifts at Little Switzerland and a new gondola at Sugar Bowl. Independent mountains are poised to continue out-investing conglomerates despite accounting for less than half of skier visits. Vail announced three new lifts for next year and Alterra has several in the pipeline.
As these projects unfold, I hope you’ll continue to read Lift Blog in 2026. 2025 was another record year for the site with 841,000 unique visitors reading nearly 4.7 million pages. Thank you for your support, think snow and Happy New Year.
One of four Canadian projects this year at a Mont-Tremblant real estate developmentcalled L’Hymne des Trembles.
Tennessee mountaintop theme park Anakeesta will debut a detachable gondola next year, part of a $100 million expansion called Making More Magic. The high-speed, six place lift will replace Anakeesta’s fixed grip chondola, which has carried millions of guests from downtown Gatlinburg to the park over the past nine years. The current lift moves only 200 feet per minute, leading to long ride times and limited capacity. Leitner-Poma designed the new gondola to move more people with 56 Diamond Evo cabins featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and glass floors. “Designed to offer panoramic, 360-degree views of the Great Smoky Mountains, each cabin transforms a simple ride into an unforgettable experience,” said Anakeesta. “As guests glide gently upward during the four-minute ascent, the world unfolds beneath the cabin—lush forests, native wildlife and the charming skyline of downtown Gatlinburg.” This will be the first true gondola in Gatlinburg, a bustling town with no fewer than five scenic chairlifts and an aerial tramway.
Construction will begin this month and the existing lift will spin through the Christmas holiday period. Anakeesta will close completely on January 5th and reopen in March with alternative transportation. The upgraded gondola will follow later in the spring alongside a reimagined mountaintop village and expanded treetop skywalk.
Ikon Pass signs three more mountains to the two day bonus tier: Grouse Mountain & SilverStar in BC and Ski Butternut in Massachusetts (full Ikon only, subject to blackout dates.)
A jury finds the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and a drop ride manufacturer liable for $205 million after a child’s death; the gondola-accessed park says “the size of the total jury verdict award puts the existence of Glenwood Caverns at serious risk.”
Amid removal rumors, I asked Hunter Mountain about D-Lift and the Highlands Poma. GM Trent Poole shared the following:
“We’re in the process of removing the D-Lift. Thanks to last year’s Epic Lift Upgrade – the new Broadway Express – our updated lift infrastructure provides faster, more efficient access than what D-Lift provided, and similar terrain can be accessed at Hunter North via the Northern Express. At this point, the lift is both redundant and outdated, and the time and resources needed to revive this lift are better focused where guests will see a positive impact to their experience on mountain, like our snowmaking upgrades.
The Highlands Poma is something our team has discussed as part of long-term planning. We’re always exploring ways to enhance the guest experience, and that lift remains part of the broader conversation. For now, our focus is on showcasing the significant upgrades we’ve already delivered—Broadway Express, Otis, and automated snowmaking additions—along with maximizing the terrain available on Hunter North, West, and East. It’s also worth noting that Hunter is the only ski resort in New York to feature three high-speed six-passenger lifts: Northern Express, Katskill Flyer, and Broadway Express. For now, we’re confident in the strength and efficiency of our current lift system.”
Powderhorn, Colorado will welcome a new lift for its 60th season, expanding detachable access to 100 percent of terrain in 2026. The new Wild West Express will replace the venerable West End double, which has served the western half of the resort since 1972. The new lift will cut ride time by more than half from 13-plus minutes to about six. Pending Forest Service approval, Wild West will follow a shorter alignment terminating 700 feet below the current top station.
Leitner-Poma of America, headquartered in nearby Grand Junction, will realize the project utilizing parts from the former Elk Camp lift at Snowmass. LPOA plans to overhaul both terminals, rebuild sheave assemblies, replace the electrical drive system and supply new grips. Leitner-Poma and Powderhorn completed a similar refurbishment to create Powderhorn’s other detachable, the Flat Top Flyer, in 2015. That project included used equipment from Marble Mountain in Newfoundland, Canada. Interestingly Poma constructed both Elk Camp and the Marble lift in 1995 and the two machines will reunite at Powderhorn 30 years later. “Powderhorn has a special place in my heart, both personally and professionally,” said Daren Cole, President and CEO of Leitner-Poma and former Powderhorn general manager. “Our teams are excited to work on our hometown mountain. Once the lift goes through our rigorous refurbishment process, it will feel like a brand-new installation. Powderhorn is an essential asset for this community, and we are honored to be a part of their future.”
Powderhorn is one of six regional mountains operated by Pacific Group Resorts and a new detachable is a big deal for the company which last built a lift eleven years ago. “This is a major step forward for Powderhorn,” noted Powderhorn General Manager Ryan Schramm. “Installing a high-speed lift on the west side of the resort will feel like opening new terrain,” he continued. “The old West End lift was long enough that most people only did a run or two before returning to the Flat Top Flyer. This upgrade marks the next chapter in our commitment to invest in the resort’s future and enhance the guest experience across the mountain.” Construction is expected to commence in summer 2026 with opening planned for the 2026-27 ski season.
Three more chairlifts are coming to Utah’s Powder Mountain over the next two years, though you’ll need to purchase a house or know someone with one to ride two of them. First, a bit of background. Ever since Powder Mountain’s founding in 1971, the ski area struggled to generate enough cash for growth and capital improvements. The volume of skiers venturing beyond more accessible resorts like Park City and Snowbird was never enough to match the ambition and available terrain at PowMow. Not a single new lift was constructed from 1976 to 1993 while dozens popped up across the Wasatch including an entire new ski area named Deer Valley. Fixed grip doubles and triples serviced the bulk of Powder Mountain’s terrain well into the mid-2000s. A couple different owners tried their hands at PowMow over the following years with only modest growth.
Fast forward to 2023 and Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings purchased a controlling stake in Powder for $100 million. He quickly pivoted to a bifurcated model where real estate sales and private skiing would subsidize a smaller public mountain. The public side would continue to be known as Powder Mountain with the private complex dubbed Powder Haven. Two existing lifts, Village and Mary’s, were removed from the public area and reserved for homeowners only. Last year, Hastings constructed four new lifts, three of which opened to the public. Raintree became the first all-new lift to be reserved exclusively for real estate owners. The public gained new access to Lightning Ridge. This season Powder will span 8,000 acres, making it the largest mountain in North America (with several caveats.)
Powder broke ground on three more lifts this summer, one of which will be public and two private. I’m told the initial plan was for all three to be completed this summer but permitting delays recently pushed two to next year. The first to open will be Primetime, a Leitner-Poma detachable quad servicing the all-new Davenport territory and topping out next to Raintree. Davenport makes up “1,000 gnarly acres of powdery glades and cut runs on the northeast face of the mountain,” notes Powder Haven’s sales site. “Serviced by a new high-speed detachable lift, Davenport is ready and waiting for those ready to push their limits and let it rip on some of North America’s most uniquely challenging terrain.” Primetime will become the first detachable quad at Powder open exclusively to homeowners and their guests. It will also be the lowest elevation lift at Powder, increasing the mountain’s vertical to 3,346 vertical feet – if you have means to access it.
Powder Haven Half Pint lift line.
Next summer a fixed grip quad will rise to service the private Shelter Hill neighborhood. Its 39 homesites will encompass “a blend of family retreats and bespoke enclaves, each one rare and distinctive in its own way,” the sales deck notes. Skytrac will install the lift, called Half Pint, utilizing CTEC equipment from the former Paradise quad. “Private ski slopes glide down the mountain below,” says the website. “All around, panoramic views and a closeness with the wild world around you.”
By next season Powder Haven will swell to 2,700 private acres, making it larger than most US ski areas with five dedicated chairlifts. A 73,000 square foot lodge is set to open for winter 2027-28, designed by the same architect as the Yellowstone Club, Spanish Peaks and the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch. The private facility will include a rock climbing wall, thermal pools and omakase experience, among other amenities.
Powder Mountain DMI expansion
The public can look forward to a new DMI lift, scheduled to open for winter 2026-27. This Skytrac triple will service some of the steepest terrain at PowMow, currently accessed only via guided expedition. The lift will rises out of Wolf Canyon and terminate at the top of Sundown. DMI will add 900 acres of lift-served and 147 acres of hike-to access, for a total of 1,047 acres of public advanced terrain. With the addition of DMI, Powder Mountain’s public lift fleet will span two detachable quads, four modern fixed grip chairlifts and several surface lifts. The future of the Sunrise Poma is unclear, woefully under capacity with equipment over 30 years old and a potentially private Cobabe lift earmarked for the same vicinity.
Powder continues to buck industry trends, shunning multi-mountain passes and reserving peak weekends for season passholders again this season. “Escape the Masses,” Powder’s public homepage proclaims. I hit Powder Mountain several times last winter and its was indeed uncrowded and powder-filled, even on weekends. In a letter to passholders last year, Hastings wrote “the previous business model was failing. While we’ve historically been uncrowded and inexpensive, we’ve been losing money, not upgrading lifts or lodges, and building up debt,” he said, simultaneously announcing increased prices but eliminating a cap on the number of season passes sold. “The rise of Epic and Ikon have made the independent ski resort business very challenging, and we likely would have been acquired by one of the mega pass owners had we stayed on the old model…Our Wolf Canyon expansion, alongside limiting day ticket sales and not accepting mega passes, continues to fulfill our promise of keeping Powder Mountain uncrowded, independent, and truly a special experience for generations to come.”
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