Industry News
New Gondolas, Base Area Redevelopment and Enhanced Facilities Planned for Winter 22/23
Alterra Mountain Company announces its plans to invest $344 million in capital improvements for winter 22/23, reaching over $1 billion invested in transformational changes over the past five years. This reaffirms the company’s dedication to enhance the guest experience at its 15 North American destinations and almost doubles the original financial commitment of $555 million over five years announced when the company was formed in 2018.
This year’s $344 million plan includes $237 million in large-scale resort development, including $93 million in increased capacity and terrain expansion, $91 million in skier services upgrades, and $16 million in guest experience technology to improve the booking and on-site experience. The largest focus of the annual investment will support five major destinations, including the continuation of major developments at Steamboat in Colorado and Palisades Tahoe in California. In addition, significant multi-year developments will kick off at Deer Valley Resort in Utah, Mammoth Mountain in California, and Crystal Mountain in Washington.
“This historic investment is clear evidence of our commitment to deliver a premier guest experience at our North American destinations and our engagement towards the long-term future of our mountains. More than ever, we continue to infuse meaningful capital into projects that will transform our base areas while significantly improving our physical and digital on-mountain offerings to ensure that our guests experience the best of the mountains.”
– Rusty Gregory, CEO, Alterra Mountain Company
Palisades Tahoe, California
The highly anticipated $65 million Base-to-Base Gondola at Palisades Tahoe will be completed for the 22/23 winter season. The gondola will connect the two mountains of the resort for the first time, giving skiers and riders a brand-new way to access a combined 6,000 acres of storied terrain. Together, Palisades Tahoe will become the third-largest ski area in North America. The 16-minute gondola ride will take skiers and riders between the two base areas, The Village at Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Lodge, reducing road congestion in the region and making it easier to enjoy both mountains in a single day. It is the first gondola of its kind in North America, with four terminals connecting two base areas via a climb of nearly 2,000 vertical feet, offering panoramic views of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.
Steamboat, Colorado
Winter 22/23 will bring Phase 2 of Steamboat’s Full Steam Ahead redevelopment with $90 million of investment to include the relocation of the lower terminal of the Christie Peak Express lift and the first leg of the Wild Blue Gondola, which will take guests to the new Greenhorn Ranch learning center at mid-mountain. Redevelopment of Steamboat Square continues with The Range Food Hall, Skeeters Ice Rink and slope-side guest amenities including new and expanded restrooms, lockers, and more. Phase 1 of Steamboat’s Full Steam Ahead transformation brought significant changes in 2021, including the relocation of the lower gondola terminal, the installation of escalators, and the demolition of Gondola Square to make way for the new Steamboat Square amenities. For a complete timeline of Full Steam Ahead projects, visit www.steamboat.com/fullsteamahead.
Crystal Mountain, Washington
Over the next five years, $100 million in infrastructure and service advancements will be invested at Crystal Mountain. The largest investment ever made at Crystal will transform the base of one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved mountains with a focus on greater access, more space, and significantly enhanced skier services. Work will begin this spring with a $25 million investment in additional parking and a new 25,000 sq. ft. skier services facility, called Mountain Commons. The two-story building will replace the existing skier services building and will include a new guest services and ticketing experience, retail, dining, and an expanded slope-side beach area. The project is expected to break ground in March 2022 and open for the 23/24 winter season.
Mammoth Mountain, California
Summer 2022 will see the beginning stage of ground and infrastructure work to facilitate the replacement of two key lifts, Canyon Express (Chair 16) at Canyon Lodge and Broadway Express (Chair 1) at Main Lodge. These new high-speed six-pack lifts are planned to debut in winter 23/24. In addition, Mammoth will initiate a multi-year upgrade at Woolly’s Adventure Summit by re-orienting, expanding, and lengthening the tube runs and installing a summer tubing surface for year-round fun. Future phases will include the installation of one of the longest mountain coasters in North America and the addition of adventure ropes courses and a permanent base lodge with food & beverage services. When complete, Woolly’s will become a year-round adventure center with a variety of activities for kids of all ages. Mammoth will also begin a multi-year snowmaking enhancement program that includes higher efficiency equipment to open more terrain faster in the early season. Also planned for this summer are improvements to the popular Mill Café that includes expansion of indoor dining seats, restrooms, with new furnishings and an exterior refresh. Finally, Mammoth Mountain continues to work on the planning and entitlement process for the eventual redevelopment of the Main Lodge and Mammoth Mountain Inn.
Deer Valley Resort, Utah
The renaissance of the Snow Park Village, which will create a premier arrival experience designed to transform the base area, is currently in the permitting process with Park City Municipal. The plans include a reimagined plaza and transit arrival with hospitality accommodations, new food and beverage options, retail, and an expansive ski beach. The project is currently planned to break ground in 2023. And new for winter 22/23, the Burns Express chairlift will debut on Deer Valley’s Wide West learning area. The new chairlift will connect the Snow Park base area to Little Baldy Mountain, offering Ski School access to more beginner teaching terrain, also providing an additional option for skiers to navigate out of the main arrival area.
Time to open new not-for-profit ski resorts. Millions of acres sitting out there set aside to protect frogs and foxes. lol
Hopefully the tree hugger karens will allow it to happen.
Build some employee housing that gives people some dignity first. Who’s gonna run your mountain when there’s no housing. It’s not a lifestyle for mountain employees it’s a trap!! Rusty your a POS
What good is a nice menu if they only have enough workers to sling frozen pizza and cold hot dogs and fries?
My impression was that most J1 ski resort workers spent every penny and more here. Especially shopping before going home. But I’m all for paying resort workers more. All workers have to realize that money printing caused inflation. $20 is the new $15. Fight for it, they are still printing.
Nothing for the Northeast? Not good, and shows a lack of leadership and knowledge of these areas. I think it would be good if the ski areas in the Northeast were run by people from here, and they actually skied, putting the customer first instead of the corporate bosses. Stratton and Sugarbush have ridiculously high day ticket prices ($176 for Stratton;Sugarbush is higher).
*cough* Tremblant *cough*
How about you invest some of that money back into your workers that you paid damn near minimum wage and still charge them out the ass in the employee housing.
Let’s not forget that a good percentage of her workers are J-1 Visa workers…a major tax break for the company….. These workers take money out of the united states back to their home country but it doesn’t return. Very bad for the United States economy
Spot on comment. They need to replace all the ancient 2 person lifts at Summit with high speed quads or sixers. Need a new menu at Skyline Taphouse too.
And once again, Big Bear Mtn Resorts,(Snow Summit & Bear Mtn) get dumped on again by Rusty. Even though it is one of Alterra’s biggest cash cows per skier, They get pennies on the dollar. God knows the beginner lifts at Snow Summit are a joke, and Chair 9 at Bear holds on by a thread. But whatever makes a “splash” per marketing will get the dollars.
Nothing good will come from people that are from Chicago in the ski industry, ugh.
Please stay in the big city alterra haven’t you killed enough mountain culture?
Show me on the Native American woman where the name change hurt you.
It Will Always be SQUAW
Gondola construction completion is currently on permit hold due to CALOSHA oversight for safety to riders on KT22 chair with potential snow buildup after storms falling on KT chair because gondooa cars will not have terminal space for removal during storms and how it will cross above KT transport line.
So sNObrains get off the bs promoting of this stupid lift that doesnt open any new terrain and will block access to world class lift access terrain aka West Face and Chute 75, due to placement of top terminals.
Sheesh bunch of complete idiots who know nothing about reality of such construction and permitting.
Nice to hear Mammoth Mountain is once again pouring money into Mammoth Mountain but almost criminally neglecting its sister resort that it owns…June Mountain. June has been held back by Mammoth’s, and now Alterras, neglect to now be a 3rd rate resort which is doesn’t deserve. It has a creaky and dangerous 1963 center bar double chair that serves as the main lift to get to their Chalet. It’s so sketchy I know local ski patrollers that wont put their own kids on it. I’ve personally seen people fall off of it while being down loaded because they also refuse to invest in snow making. When the inevitable death occurs on this lift Rusty Gregory will have blood on his hands!
The Palisades gondola is not highly anticipated by anyone other than the marketing department. And even with the gondola, it will still be two separate ski areas, just with a gondola connecting the bases, and almost zero impact on traffic.
F- OFF ALTERRA, YOU ARE EVIL! GO AWAY YOU GREEDY JERKS. NO ONE WANTS YOU HERE!