Nation's Largest Ski Resort Going Semi-Private
Powder Mountain , Utah—the largest ski resort in the United States by total acreage (including cat skiing terrain)—has announced plans to go semi-private.
The new operating method, which involves a mix of public and private lifts exclusive to on-mountain homeowners, goes into effect this time next year.
Powder Mountain on a bluebird day.
Powder Mountain/Ian Matteson
The private-only lifts will include Village, Mary's, and a yet-to-be-constructed lift on Raintree.
The rest of Powder Mountain's lifts will remain public access to pass holders and day ticket skiers.
This summer, Powder Mountain is investing $20 million in its public lift offerings, upgrading two of its lifts to quads (Timberline and Paradise) and adding a brand-new lift that runs from the base of Timberline to the top of Lightning Ridge. The resort plans to move its in-bounds cat skiing operation away from the path of this new lift.
In a letter issued today, Powder Mountain's CEO, Reed Hastings—an investor in the resort and executive chairman of the streaming service Netflix—stated that the decision stemmed from a wish "to stay independent and uncrowded."
Including homeowners-only private skiing in the resort's portfolio is part of a plan to sell more real estate. Hastings explained the resort "has been struggling financially." By including private lift access as part of the deal, Powder Mountain hopes to increase on-mountain real estate sales, thus improving its finances without selling to a conglomerate or joining a mega-pass program—two moves that could increase crowding.
Hastings noted in the conclusion of his letter that the resort has "reduced the price of night skiing from $39 to $19 to make it more accessible for our community."
To read the complete letter from Reed Hastings, click here.
Powder Mountain trail map.
Powder Mountain
Related: Jay Peak "Back And Better Than Ever" After 10 Inch Dump
Don't miss another headline from POWDER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing.
We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging ski-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on POWDER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality ski videos.
