Little Switzerland, WI

Little Switzerland is replacing one of Wisconsin’s oldest lifts this summer. The 1964 Riblet quad was an “up-and-over” lift with loading on each end; both directions then unloaded at the top of the ridge in the center. Owner Schmitz Brothers Resorts and supplier Skytrac analyzed for several months to determine whether to attempt a new up-and-over lift or two separate lifts. To meet current ANSI code, the first option would’ve required two 13-foot-tall unload ramps, so the two-lift option won. This added seven figures in cost, but the lower profile unload ramps of the two new quad lifts will make it much easier for beginner riders—of which Little Switz has many. 

Financial planning began several seasons ago with the contract signed last November. Immediately following the March close of winter 2025-26, the Little Switz crew began removing chairs and the haul rope. Riblet towers and terminals were set directly into concrete and needed to be cut with a torch. Each new lift will be skiers’ right of the old Riblet, requiring reworking of snowmaking and significant excavation.

The first shipment from Skytrac arrived in May, including tower components for both lifts. Little Switz’s crew, overseen by a Skytrac project manager, built forms for all six towers in the parking lot and excavated for all four terminals.

The new lifts will rise 157 and 153 feet, respectively, and carry 2,000 and 2,220 passengers per hour. Because of the lifts’ size, Schmitz Brothers opted for battery electric evacuation motors rather than traditional combustion engines. Although small machines, the lifts represent a significant investment for a small ski area and will greatly improve the guest experience. Each quad chair will include LED lighting on towers and three new TechnoAlpin TT10s will be installed along the Chair 1 line. Owner Rick Schmitz expects both lifts to be completed by mid-October.

Sun Valley, ID

Sun Valley and Doppelmayr embarked on a large two-lift project on Bald Mountain this spring. Baldy once featured seven Yan detachable quads, three of which were replaced in 2023 and 2024. This summer, Christmas and Lookout Express are up for replacement, representing the fourth and fifth modernization of the original seven. These two quads reached the summit of Bald Mountain within feet of each other, sharing a common maintenance structure and operator enclosure. 

“The new lifts will use the same alignment and top station locations, so it made the most sense from a demo and construction standpoint to do both lifts at the same time and modernize the operator enclosures and building as well,” noted director of mountain operations James Grant.

Lookout Express will go from a four-place to a 1,274-horsepower six-place, and Christmas will remain a detachable quad. Doppelmayr supplied UNI-G equipment for both, with traditional gearboxes, a departure from other recent Sun Valley projects with direct drives. The new Christmas lift runs 671 horsepower with 1,354 feet of vertical rise. Lookout is the larger of the two, with a 7,548-foot slope length and 2,673 feet of vertical.

Doppelmayr began demoing the old lifts on April 13 while Sun Valley Resort began work on the top station maintenance building and operator houses in partnership with local contractors. A Kaiser spider excavator from Talus Mountain Services arrived in early May to demo old foundations and excavate 35 total tower locations along both steep alignments. When complete, Christmas and Lookout will boost speed and reliability compared to the outdated Yan equipment.  

Greek Peak, NY

In March, Greek Peak announced a $3-million snowmaking investment that includes new guns, pipe, and pumping capacity. The project focuses on Greek Peak East, with 33,000 feet of new pipe to feed 250 new guns. This was originally a four-year plan accelerated into one year, and one of the largest capital projects in the resort’s history. 

Greek Peak’s in-house crew began work before the winter ended, stockpiling 6-inch HDPE pipe for air and 8-inch steel pipe for water. They also ordered 31 SV14 guns, 150 Impulses, and 69 Phazers paired with KLIK hydrants from HKD.

The crew welded and fused pipe into larger sections, then hauled the sections over snow into position as the resort closed. They began installation furthest east first, working their way back toward the main mountain. 

As of May, Greek Peak finished work on Crisaean Way and Upper Mars and was wrapping up a trail called Arcadian Gate. The final phase, come fall, will replace a 250-horsepower water pump with a 500-horsepower one in the main pump house, boosting water capacity by 20 percent. “We have a very skilled team including our welders, equipment operators and installers completing this project,” noted assistant mountain operations manager Jarrett Dulemba. This project should dramatically improve Greek Peak’s ability to efficiently produce high quality snow.

Park City, UT

Leitner-Poma of America, the Canyons Village Management Association, and Park City Mountain broke ground on the Canyons Village Skyway gondola March 30. The old Canyons Cabriolet, an open-air gondola, closed a week before the end of the season for removal. An enclosed 10-passenger gondola will rise in its place, mirroring a similar 10-place installed higher on the mountain last summer. While the new gondola will start and end in the same locations as the prior cabriolet, a mid-station will be added to serve several hotels and future development.

Because of the relatively urban nature of the lift, Leitner-Poma utilized a crane to remove towers and an excavator with cutter attachment to break apart the terminals. The 40 historic cabriolet cabins were offered to the public to purchase for $10,000 each, with proceeds benefiting the Park City Community Foundation. The rest of the lift was recycled.

The new Skyway will span 2,700 feet and rise nearly 200 feet, connecting a new 1,840-stall parking garage to Canyons Village. Half of the garage opened last winter with the top three floors set to open alongside the new gondola. Like last year’s Sunrise Gondola, the Canyons Village Skyway will be a direct drive. The new lift is expected to operate 11-plus hours per day, so reliability is key. Favorable weather had the project ahead of schedule as of late May, with opening scheduled for the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

Brattleboro Ski Hill, VT

Nonprofit, volunteer-run Brattleboro Ski Hill is looking to the future with the renovation of its 1965 Doppelmayr T-bar and construction of a new base building this summer. For decades, the base building served as an operator hut, ticket window, and snack shack. At only 6 feet by 10 feet, though, the old building was “impossibly small,” lacked insulation and leaked, according to board member and volunteer Greg Allen. 

The T-bar’s control system, while still reliable, was also due to be modernized. “Although we had a good operating season, we knew our lift system was old and there were no replacement options should we experience a failure,” said Allen, noting that the system was grandfathered and could still operate per the state of Vermont. “However, we chose to be proactive and begin anew so we can operate into the future.” The decision to act was made part way through this past winter.

Come spring, the board of directors set out to fundraise for a brand-new base structure and lift control system. They created a GoFundMe with a goal of raising $85,000: $55,000 for the control system, $20,000 for installation and electrical upgrades to the trail lighting, and $10,000 for the base building, for which the ski hill scored a significant discount on materials from nearby LaValley Building Supply. Skytrac designed a completely new control system for the T-bar. The board has hopes of adding a new communications line to the project’s scope, although the cost recently doubled due to inflation and tariffs.

The new 8-foot-by-12-foot structure will be fully insulated and include a larger window for operators to see up the lift line. Tickets, snacks, and beverages will be sold from a second service window. Four board members and several community volunteers started working on the building in April after the old one was taken away on a trailer. As of June 1, the foundation slab, structural framing, sheathing, windows, door, and roof were complete. 

This winter, Brattleboro Ski Hill plans to continue offering after-school programs and community events. Lift tickets, as always, will be just $5