Solitude Mountain Resort announces over $16M in upgrades to winter and summer operations

Solitude Village. Photo: Courtesy of Solitude Mountain Resort.

UTAH — Today Solitude Mountain Resort announced over $16 million in improvements coming to the resort.

The Eagle Express Lift will become be upgraded to a high-speed 6-person lift, and the much beloved Honeycomb Canyon will be the site for three new Wyssen towers to assist in avalanche mitigation on Fantasy Ridge.

The resort will also be making improvements to snowmaking infrastructure. For the mountain bike season, Gravity Logic will be finishing new downhill trails that can be accessed from Moonbeam Express.

Eagle Express was installed in 1989 and, for its time, was the first high-speed detachable chairlift installed in Utah. The goal for the upgraded lift is to reduce congestion and allow for quicker transit for skiers and snowboarders heading back up to do more runs.

In the past, there have been runs that would remain closed due to a lack of snow coverage. The addition of snowmaking improvements will help open more terrain as well as create a more efficient and suitable operation.

“Although we’re coming off a winter with exceptional snowfall, these improvements to our snowmaking system will be crucial as we work to open terrain early in the season and create a base that serves as our snowpack’s foundation when that natural snow comes,” says Amber L. Broadaway, Solitude’s President, and COO.

Wyssen towers are remote-activated avalanche control systems (RACS) that allow avalanche mitigation staff to denote explosives from a distance without having to resort to using hand charges. Installing these three towers across Fantasy Ridge will enable quicker terrain openings for the public to enjoy.

The new downhill trails are being designed and built by Gravity Logic, who also built Winter Park Resort’s Trestle bike park and Deer Valley Resort’s Bike Park. The trails will be varying in difficulty, with more advanced trails having jump lines. Opening of the new trails is expected to be mid-summer though the construction will be condition-dependent.

There will also be improvements in the Solitude Village, with Honeycomb Grill and St. Bernards receiving some renovations.

While not yet decided, part of the announcement concerned potential changes to the paid parking policy. While nothing is decided, a reservation system is one of the potential options being considered.

The Eagle Express upgrade isn't the only transformational project taking place at Solitude this summer. Improvements to our snowmaking infrastructure, three new Wyssen towers, and the completion of new downhill mountain bike trails by Gravity Logic will all be taking place. pic.twitter.com/8exHcayvSh

— Solitude Mountain Resort (@SolitudeMTN) March 29, 2023