SAM Magazine - Salt Lake City, Utah, September 2, 2008 - Improved lifts, new lodges and more highlight Utah ski resort investment over the summer. Here's an overview of the most notable projects.

Beaver Mountain

Recent upgrades to Beaver Mountain's food service have caused more skiers to gather in the resort's traditional A-frame lodge for lunch. As a result, Beaver Mountain will make over $300,000 in improvements to the lodge.

Brian Head Resort

Brian Head Resort, in southern Utah, has been busy putting final touches on the major expansion that combined their two separate ski mountains in the 2007-08 winter season. Details include new rock work on the retaining walls, additional slope grading and mountain landscaping.

Brighton Resort

Brighton Resort has built a new day lodge called the Milly Chalet. The lodge will be situated at the base of the Milly high speed quad that was new for last season. This winter's new $1.5 million facility covers approximately 3,500 square feet.

The Canyons Resort

The Canyons Resort has a new lift and gondola. The new Frostwood pulse gondola will use four six-person cabins to transport guests staying in the Frostwood area, which includes the Miners Club, the currently-under-construction Dakota Mountain Lodge, and all other development projects in the area of the resort base. Its top terminal will be adjacent to the Flight Of The Canyons gondola.

In addition, a new fixed grip quad chair will run from the Tombstone base to a location approximately one-half mile below the DreamCatcher lift base. The lift is the first step in the Iron Mountain expansion plans, and will initially be used to access the Tombstone lift at the end of the day.

Trees will be gladed in places such as Mystic Pines, off of the Peak 5 lift, opening up more tree-skiing and riding for guests. The resort also upgraded snowmaking and grooming equipment.

Deer Valley Resort

Deer Valley Resort has invested $8 million in on-mountain improvements including the replacement of the existing Cushing's Cabin at the top of Flagstaff Mountain, adjacent to the Northside Express, Quincy Express, Silver Strike Express and Ruby Express chairlifts. The new cabin will seat 40 to 45 guests, feature updated restrooms and house Flagstaff Mountain Ski Patrol.

In addition, Deer Valley has remodeled the Empire Canyon Lodge to allow more seating upstairs and improve the flow through the beverage and service areas. Deer Valley has also made improvements to snowmaking and maintenance equipment.

Park City Mountain Resort

Park City Mountain Resort will unveil $10.5 million in improvements for the 2008-09 winter season including a new high-speed chairlift, terrain enhancements and renovation of the Mid-Mountain Lodge.

Park City Mountain Resort's new high-speed quad, Crescent lift, will replace and realign the existing Ski Team lift. The lift will begin near the base of the resort and extend to Crescent Ridge (also known as Ski Team Ridge). The new chairlift will significantly increase accessibility out of the base area as well as to the front-side runs, some of the ski resort's best advanced terrain.

To complement the new lift, the resort is making terrain enhancements to improve the skiing/riding experience on the mountain, including a new run addition and expanded snowmaking. Park City will also assume operations for Mid-Mountain Lodge in the 2008-09 season. The resort will renovate the Mid-Mountain Lodge to further develop on-mountain dining.

Powder Mountain

Powder Mountain has added a new Mountain Adventure Center located near the Timberline Lodge, which will house all of Powder Mountain's adventure programs including Snowcat Powder Safaris, Mountain Adventure Tours and the Snow Sports School. Last season, Powder Mountain started all-day guided snowcat tours called Snowcat Powder Safari. Due to the popularity of the program, the terrain available via the snowcat has been increased 100 percent to 2,000-plus acres.

Restaurants in all three lodges have been renovated to improve guest flow and to allow additional menu options. All changes are designed to minimize the time guests spend off the slopes on a powder day.

Powder Mountain is also rolling back the price of a night lift pass to 2002 rates. An adult night pass will be $15 and a child (7 - 12) will be $12. Night operations will start one hour earlier than previous years, at 3:00 p.m.

Snowbasin

Snowbasin Resort has replaced the Little Cat lift, which services beginner terrain, with a new detachable quad starting above Earl's Lodge and ending at the upper parking lot. The new lift will span 1,578 feet in length with a vertical rise of 173.5 feet. A 1,000 foot per minute line speed will yield a carrying capacity of 2,600 people per hour.

The new lift will better accommodate the beginning skier by reducing the intimidation from downhill skier traffic and by easing loading and unloading due to the detachable lift's design.

Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

The Tram Club at Snowbird is undergoing an extensive remodeling project for the first time in 15 years. Owner Bill Carter has updated the previous "disco" feel to a more modern, après-ski setting. The Tram Club will feature 12 flat screens, three projection screens and all major sports packages.

The Aerie Sushi Bar (on the top floor of the Cliff Lodge) has also been renovated and is now open year-round. The Aerie Sushi Bar is no longer a private club, enabling the whole family to enjoy the extensive offerings, including a café menu with kid-friendly items like burgers and fries.

Solitude

Solitude Mountain Resort has invested $7 million in lift upgrades for the 2008-09 winter season, including two new high-speed chairlifts commencing from each base area - Solitude Village and Moonbeam Center.

Apex Express will replace the existing Apex double lift with a high-speed quad and provide access to the heart of the mountain. Another high-speed quad, dubbed Moonbeam Express, will bring Solitude's total high-speed lift count to three. The new lift will create a faster ride, eliminating a large amount of stops per ride due to passenger loading on a fixed grip lift.

Moonbeam Express will provide guests just learning the sport a much easier loading and unloading experience. Solitude's goal with terrain and lift improvements, now and into the future, is to create pockets of terrain that are specific to ability levels.

Wolf Mountain

Major improvements for the 2008-09 ski and snowboard season at Wolf Mountain in Eden include expanded beginner learning terrain, a more convenient skier/guest drop off area and continued improvements to its terrain park.

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