As the temperatures drop and the days get shorter, skiers and snowboarders begin counting down the days until the much-anticipated winter season. This year skiers and snowboarders have even more to look forward to with exciting improvements to Summit County ski areas.
Breckenridge Ski Resort: 5-Chair Upgrade
When winter operations ended on May 21, Breckenridge Ski Resort wasted no time in making improvements to the Summit County ski areas by immediately starting the upgrade of Peak 8’s 5-Chair.
The previously two-person lift has been upgraded to a high-speed quad and is considered to be a fundamental upgrade in the evolution of the resort’s busiest base area.
Now, all four of Peak 8’s chairlifts are high-speed, improving the circulation and flow of the base area. Skiers and snowboarders can now access the resort’s five peak’s easier and faster.
The Five SuperChair will provide access to the Alpine slide during summer operations.
The project has been underway all summer with helicopters flying concrete for the base of the Five SuperChair’s new lift towers.
The lower terminal was constructed in late August.
Breckenridge expects most of the remaining work to be completed by early October with load test taking place in mid-October.
Although the start of the summer season brought frequent rainstorms, the Five SuperChair is currently on track and expected to be revealed in November when Breckenridge Ski Resort opens, dependent on weather and conditions.
Keystone Resort: Bergman Bowl Expansion
Another one of the improvements to Summit County ski areas is the much-anticipated expansion of Keystone’s terrain by adding lift access to the Bergman Bowl. The new high-speed six-person chairlift will provide access to 555 new acres and access to 16 new trails.
The lift was originally set to open for the 2022-23 winter season however the project was delayed by the U.S. Forest Service after construction commenced in a sensitive Alpine environment last summer.
A restoration plan to save disturbed topsoil and collect plant seeds was implemented by Keystone Resort Vice President and General Manager Chris Sorensen and Vail Resorts.
The delayed project was quickly resumed after the restoration plan was in place and approved by the U.S. Forest Service. It is back on track to be revealed for the 2023-24 winter season opening.
Prior to the new lift, skiers and riders were able to access Bergman and Erickson Bowl’s via hiking.
According to the Keystone Resort Facebook page, the lower terminal construction was underway in late July.
The top terminal sits at over 12,280 feet, offering guests a 360-degree view of the county as they ski off the lift. Additionally, in an effort to open the new terrain as soon as possible, the new terrain has 37 new snow guns.
The Bergman Bowl’s sustainable patrol hut is also being constructed, utilizing beetle-kill pine wood and will run on solar power while being heated by a pellet stove.
The Bergman Bowl expansion will continue through September with plans to pour concrete via helicopter in the coming weeks leading up to winter. The new lift is expected to open this winter.
Keystone is aiming for a mid-October opening date, weather dependent. Breckenridge announced their projected opening date to be Nov. 10.
Live your life elevated this winter by checking out these exciting improvements to Summit County ski areas at two of Colorado’s most popular ski destinations!
