Powder Mountain Is Showing Its Wild Side With $40M Expansion

Utah’s Powder Mountain has a well-cultivated reputation as the anti–mega resort: massive terrain, natural snow, minimal lift infrastructure, and one of skidom’s most fiercely loyal fan base who admittedly prefer their ski days a little rougher around the edges.

Now this already sprawling ski area is about to get even bigger—and a little more modern—all while trying to hold onto the soul that sets it apart from the rest.

Powder Mountain just announced a huge $40 million multi-year expansion that will add new chairlifts, overhaul one of its main base areas, and, most excitingly, open over 1,000 acres of advanced hike-to terrain to lift-served skiing. When finished, the ski area will boast a total of 6,000 skiable, lift-served acres, putting an exclamation point (or two) on its claim as one of the continent’s largest resorts.

Considering the public fallout over the last few seasons after privatizing parts of the resort, this is no doubt a relief to Powder faithfuls.

“This development plan is a demonstration of our commitment to keeping Powder a thriving public ski resort for generations to come,” said resort president Brandi Hammon, a local skier who has helped guide the mountain’s recent evolution.

A Locally Beloved Zone Finally Gets a Lift

At the center of the announcement is lift service to a terrain pod that locals have whispered about for years. Powder Mountain plans to open a new Skytrac fixed-grip triple chair serving the terrain known as DMI—short for Don’t Mention It. The lift will access more than 1,000 acres of steep, technical skiing in the Wolf Creek Canyon zone, including 900 or so acres of lift-served terrain with 2,200 feet of vertical.

Hammon was direct about what skiers can look forward to.

“The terrain in DMI is some of the best in Northern Utah,” she said. “Open glades, chutes, steep lines—it’s what you dream of. We can’t wait to hear the hooting and hollering as people drop in.”

But first, this terrain calls for a lift that’s up for the challenge: The resort says the DMI chair will be among the steepest lifts Skytrac has ever built—an appropriate superlative for what’s long been the adventure playground of Powder Mountain’s best skiers.

While DMI targets experts, the resort is also investing in its beginner experience with this upgrade. The existing Sundown Lift will be replaced for the 2026–’27 season with a high-speed quad, increasing uphill capacity from the main base area and improving nightskiing access.

The resort will also add a new lift for beginners and ski school participants: The Doodle Lift, a short fixed-grip quad will access a dedicated learning zone, which Powder has desperately needed, signaling a larger push to attract novices.

“This development plan is a demonstration of our commitment to keeping Powder a thriving public ski resort for generations to come,” says Hammon. “The team and I are committed to our community and season passholders, and will continue investing in their on-mountain experience.”

A Much-Needed New Base Area

To that end, the resort will break ground this summer on a 15,000-square-foot lodge at the Sundown base, which is scheduled to open winter 2027–’28. The building will house ski school, gear rentals, dining outlets, and more in a move that’s designed to modernize the resort’s aging facilities and provide a central hub for gathering and socializing.

In addition to these infrastructure upgrades, Powder Mountain is training its eye on affordability next season. Once a headlining member of the Indy Pass, the independent resort is currently not on any multi-resort passes, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be an affordable option, especially for kids and teens. Youth season passes will start at $249, and the resort is reinstating its Military Pass, which was severely limited in 2024.

Skiing Through Art—Literally

Powder’s big upgrade also puts renewed emphasis on one of the ski area’s more unique offerings: its on-mountain art. The resort will add large-scale sculptures across the slopes this summer, a new project that will create the country’s first skiable art park—made possible by a partnership with the Powder Art Foundation. On completion, there will be about a dozen installations that skiers will be able to find on the trail map.

Oddly appropriate for a mountain that’s crafted its legacy on deep powder, adventurous terrain, and innovative ideas.