Header Image: Donny O’Neill | Location: Steamboat, Colorado
Alterra Mountain Company, operators of the popular Ikon Pass, announced a $223 million investment in capital improvements for 15 North American destinations for 2020-21. The investments include base area improvements, new lifts, terrain expansion, snowmaking, app development, on-mountain dining upgrades and more.
“Three years ago, when we formed Alterra Mountain Company, an initial priority was to commit to investing a half a billion dollars by 2023 across our family of North American destinations,” said Rusty Gregory, CEO, Alterra Mountain Company. “To date, we have invested more than $350 million and are committed to exceeding our original plan, spending $575 million by 2020 on lifts and gondolas, snowmaking, summer activities, real estate development, hospitality and technology, all in the name of creating memories for our guests through an elevated mountain experience.”
The following is a breakdown of significant resort investments for 2020-21.
Steamboat Resort, Colorado
Steamboat will have a terrain expansion for the first time in 20 years, adding an additional 355 acres of skiing into the Pioneer Ridge area, adding to the resort’s assortment of advanced and expert tree skiing. The new terrain will provide 1,800 vertical feet of skiing accessed by the Pony Express lift.
Mammoth Mountain, California
Mammoth’s Broadway Express (Chair 1) will be replaced by a new detachable six-person lift, which will increase uphill capacity by 42 percent. The Canyon Express (Chair 16) will also be replaced by a six-person detachable lift. A $1.5 million snowmaking upgrade will also be implemented, and The Mill, a slopeside BBQ joint, will undergo a $500,000 expansion.
Winter Park, Colorado
Winter Park, one of Colorado’s premier Front Range resorts, will continue to enhance its snowmaking capabilities to boost early season snow quality and terrain offerings. The Sunspot Mountaintop Lodge will receive a complete renovation, adding two new bars, an expanded deck and increased seating.
Deer Valley Resort, Utah
Deer Valley’s Snow Park base lodge will receive a complete renovation that will include menu updates, a new indoor/outdoor bar, coffee shop, bistro and retail locations.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California
The Gold Coast Lodge atop Squaw’s Gold Coast Funitel will receive a dining overhaul in order to “reshape guest flow through the three-level skier services facility.” At the Chalet, on the Alpine Meadows side, the deck will be expanded to include more outdoor seating. Both Squaw and Alpine will have snowmaking upgrades, in order to boost early-season terrain and snow.
Tremblant, Quebec
Tremblant will embark on a two-year terrain expansion project this summer to increase beginner terrain on Versant Soleil. For the 2021-22 season, the Timber summit will open with a high-speed quad and eight trails on Versant Soleil and the North Side.
Crystal Mountain, Washington
A new multi-story lodge focused on ticketing, lessons and equipment rentals will be built at the base area. Crystal will also have a parking expansion to improve capacity by up to 300 cars.
Big Bear Mountain Resort, California
The final phase of base area improvements will begin at Bear Mountain, which will include a pedestrian boardwalk to connect the two skier service areas, as well as food and beverage pop-up stations. The Skyline Taphouse, found at the top of Snow Summit, will receive a full renovation.
