Smugglers’ Notch, known for its family-friendly terrain and classic New England vibe, recorded 366 inches. Significantly above its average, the total represents an exceptional season for the resort, keeping its legendary glades and steeps well covered. Read more…
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The sun is shining, the mountains are alive with fresh green hues, and there’s a joyful energy in the air – it’s the perfect time to embrace all the fun and relaxation spring has to offer at Smugglers’ Notch Resort! Whether you’re teeing off at Woodland Mini Golf, soaking in the warmth at Courtside Pool & Hot Tubs, or enjoying live music and family activities at the Meeting House, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this week. With beautiful spring weather setting the scene, it’s a great time to get outside, explore, and make lasting memories with your loved ones. Plus, don’t forget to check out our shops and local adventures to round out your perfect Smuggs spring getaway!
Tips for Your Stay:Planning your week at Smuggs? Bookmark these two helpful links:
Weekly Activity Guide (PDF) – Find out what fun is happening every day! Current Hours of Operation – Know what’s open and when.
Want updates on the fly? Text Smuggs to 855-421-2279 for real-time info on schedule changes and more.
Woodland Mini Golf is OPEN for the Season! It’s time to dust off those putters and gather your crew – Woodland Mini Golf is officially open and ready for some springtime fun! With sunshine in the air and friendly competition on the greens, there’s no better way to enjoy a playful afternoon together. 
Pick up your putters and balls at the FunZone 2.0 lobby and tee off with the family!
Dive into relaxation! Our Courtside Pool & Hot Tubs are open daily from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm. Soak up some rays or unwind in the warm bubbles.
Don’t forget your towel – and your SmuggsPass to get in! Join our invigorating Aqua Fitness classes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:15 am. It’s a refreshing way to start your day!
Music, Laughter & Family Fun at the Meeting House – 
Check the Weekly Activity Guide for specific days and times!
Morning Treats & Essentials – Start your morning right with a latte and fresh pastry from The Perk (open daily until 2:00 pm).
Need snacks or supplies? The Country Store has you covered! Looking for outdoor gear or a cool Smuggs souvenir? 3 Mountain Outfitters has everything from hiking gear to resort apparel – perfect for your next adventure or to bring a piece of Smuggs home!
Vermonter Summer Daycation Pass – Buy NowWe’re thrilled to welcome our fellow Vermonters to experience all the fun of Smugglers’ Notch Resort this summer with our exclusive Summer Daycation Pass! Designed especially for local families, this pass is your ticket to a full day of unforgettable adventure and relaxation, right here in your backyard.
Whether you’re making memories with the kids or enjoying a peaceful day outdoors, the Daycation Pass offers something for everyone. Special Vermont Resident Rate – because community matters to us.
Vermont Maple Festival – Just a Sweet Drive Away!Celebrate Vermont’s Maple Magic This Weekend in St. Albans! Looking for a sweet adventure this weekend? Head to St. Albans, just a scenic drive from Smuggs, for the Vermont Maple Festival – a cherished annual tradition that brings families together to enjoy all things maple! This weekend-long celebration showcases Vermont’s world-famous maple syrup with fun for all ages. Whether you’re visiting us or a local planning a day trip, the Maple Festival is the perfect way to soak up some local flavor.
When: Friday to Sunday, April 25-27
Where: Downtown St. Albans, VT
More Info: vtmaplefestival.org
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Phase 1 of Deer Valley’s Expanded Excellence brings 19 new trails across 316 skiable acres, with several overlooking the massive Jordanelle Reservoir.
This year, Utah’s Deer Valley opened the first phase of one of the biggest multi-year ski resort expansion projects in recent memory.
The ski-only resort, which is one of just three left in North America to prohibit snowboarding, added three new lifts for this season. The new lifts include the Keetley Express high speed six-pack, the Hoodoo Express high-speed quad, and the Aurora fixed grip quad. All of these lifts reside at or near the new Deer Valley East base area, which is south of the current Jordanelle base on US-40. This base area will eventually offer an entire base village and the country’s largest “ski beach”, but for this year, the base added 500 parking spaces—which currently require a shuttle to get to and from—and a Grand Hyatt hotel.
The new Keetley Express lift is Deer Valley’s first high-speed six-pack and first-ever bubble lift, extending from Deer Valley East to the base of the Sultan Express. The neighboring Hoodoo Express directly serves the beginner slope at Deer Valley East, running parallel the first 15% of the Keetley Express lift line. The final lift, the Aurora Quad, allows skiers to get out of a drainage near the base area back to the main part of East Village.
Complementing these new lifts is 19 new trails and 316 acres of terrain. As of the 2024-25 season, all of the new trails are rated beginner or intermediate, although several blue trails were consistently left ungroomed this winter (advanced-level trails will follow in future expansion phases). Notably, while the majority of new trails sit in lower-elevation areas near the new base, a handful extend from the top of Bald Mountain, providing a continuously skiable vertical descent of over 3,000 feet at Deer Valley for the first time in the resort’s history.
While multiple additional new lifts and trails are expected to open as part of Phase 2 next winter, we decided to check out the Deer Valley experience as it existed this season. So how do the new investments stack up? Let’s take a look.
The new Deer Valley Expanded Excellence terrain for the 2024-25 season, with the three new lifts highlighted in red. The nearby terrain shaded in light green is expected to open for the 2025-26 season.
While it was explicitly designed with real estate in mind, the first phase of Deer Valley’s Expanded Excellence brings some surprising benefits. The new terrain offers a beautiful natural aesthetic, providing a welcome contrast from the built-up, artificial vibe that plagues much of the rest of Deer Valley. Views of the Jordanelle Reservoir are incredible, and the new trails feel thoughtfully designed for the topography, with some being very lightly gladed. As of the 2024-25 season, the new terrain might be the most scenic anywhere at Deer Valley—so we’re crossing our fingers that it doesn’t get overwhelmed by luxury real estate in the future.
Thanks to this year’s terrain expansion, Deer Valley offers continuously skiable terrain of over 3,000 vertical feet for the first time ever.
While this year’s expansion won’t be the most exciting for thrill-seekers, the terrain itself is still a big win for the Deer Valley in a number of ways. Previously, the resort’s on-paper 3,000-foot vertical drop didn’t translate into long, continuous runs; the rolling mountains elsewhere at the resort broke things up, requiring mid-mountain lift rides to complete a full top-to-bottom descent. However, the new trails from the top of Bald Mountain to the bottom of East Village offer a full 3,050-foot vertical descent, creating some of the longest uninterrupted ski runs in all of Utah and finally making Deer Valley an enjoyably skiable mountain for those who prefer long runs. While everything in the new zone is rated for beginners and intermediates, several of the blue trails were consistently left ungroomed this winter, offering a bumpy, more advanced experience.
As for the lifts: the Keetley Express is the clear highlight. With its bubble chairs and heated seats, it’s the first enclosed chairlift at Deer Valley (and second enclosed lift in total following the Jordanelle Gondola), making for an especially comfortable ride on frigid days. The Hoodoo Express runs alongside the Keetley lift throughout beginner zone, providing access to a much more logistically practical and isolated learning environment than that of the Snow Park base. Due to the layout of the trails, the Hoodoo lift provides the only access to this learning area; it is discontiguous from the upper mountain runs, meaning guests will not need to worry about more aggressive skier traffic from elsewhere at the resort.
The Keetley Express, which provides the primary access to this year’s expansion terrain, is both Deer Valley’s first bubble chair and its first six-pack. The neighboring Hoodoo Express (pictured left) provides access to an isolated lower-mountain learning area.
Finally, it’s worth touching on the Aurora lift, which is a fixed-grip quad. But while fixed-grip chairs are known for their slow run speeds, the Aurora lift is so short that the slower speed doesn’t really detract from the experience. In fact, the entire ride takes less than two minutes.
But for all the promise, the East Village area is still very much a work in progress. Construction is ongoing, with at least three lift terminals still unfinished and the base village in a fairly rudimentary state by Deer Valley’s normally polished standards. That said, we have to give credit where it’s due: the porta potties might be the nicest we’ve ever seen at a ski resort.
The unfinished lift terminal of the Galena Express at Deer Valley this February. Later on this season, quad chairs were added to the line.
There are also a few logistical quirks that will likely be resolved in future years, but created some headaches this winter. The Sultan Express area is a bottleneck right now, with all guests coming from the East Village base needing to funnel through that lift to get elsewhere on the mountain (there will be redundancies built in future seasons). And while the East Village parking is plentiful, having to take a shuttle to the base makes for a less-than-seamless experience. Thankfully, future development includes a more direct connection between the parking and the lifts. Another funny circumstance resulting from this multi-year expansion: a few signs currently point toward trails that haven’t officially debuted yet, including some black-diamond trails that are expected to be quite a bit harder than anything that debuted this winter.
As the only lift providing access out of the East Village terrain area, the Sultan Express chair was a huge chokepoint this winter. New lifts for the 2025-26 season are expected to address this bottleneck.
But perhaps the biggest issue with Deer Valley’s expansion terrain might be snow reliability. With most of the new terrain sitting below 7,500 feet and facing east, natural snow retention is quite a bit less reliable than most other parts of the resort. While strong snowmaking kept this year’s trails in reliable shape throughout the bulk of this season, it was clear that the areas just off the marked trails were hurting for cover throughout certain parts of the season. Some of the non-groomers were quite icy when we visited, but higher-elevation bump runs stayed soft.
Overall, this first phase is a strong leap forward for Deer Valley. It doesn’t exactly cater to the most advanced skiers out there, and natural snow reliability could be better—but for intermediates and those seeking scenic, comfortable laps (i.e. Deer Valley’s typical clientele), it’s an exciting addition. And with exponentially more terrain and infrastructure expected to come next winter (the resort claims it is opening an astounding 91 new trails across approximately 2,900 acres of terrain next winter), this year may only be a small taste of what yet to come.
Considering a ski trip to Utah next winter? Check out our comprehensive Utah ski resort rankings, as well as our Deer Valley mountain review from this past season. You can also check out our analysis on the ski patrol strike and other compounding factors facing the Utah ski scene in our video analysis below.
Looking to stay busy after the snow melts? Give these ski areas with disc golf a shot. Smugglers’ Notch is chock-full of disc golfing opportunities. The crown jewel, Brewster Ridge, is an 18-hole course named the seventh-best in the world by UDisc. The eighth spot on that list goes to the ski resort’s other course, Fox Run Meadow—an additional testament to the quality of disc golfing at Smuggs. Brewster Ridge is the more beginner-friendly of the two. Read more…
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Spring has gently arrived at Smuggs, and with it comes a slower pace—it’s time to enjoy the little things that make vacation memories last a lifetime. Here’s what’s happening this week:
It’s Opening Day at Woodland Mini Golf! Grab your crew and get ready to tee off—Woodland Mini Golf is officially open for the season! It’s the perfect place to soak up some spring sunshine and friendly competition.
Swing by the FunZone 2.0 lobby to pick up your putters and balls—then hit the greens and see who comes out on top! Courtside Pool & Hot Tubs are open daily from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm. Don’t forget your towel—and your SmuggsPass!
Aqua Fitness splashes in on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:15 am. Live acoustic music, Musical Bingo, and the ever-charming Friendly Pirate Sing-along bring fun and family vibes to the Meeting House. Check the Weekly Activity Guide for exact days and times!
Feeling creative? Jewelry-making workshops are happening daily for ages 9 & older at the Vermont Jewelry School. Pre-registration is a must!
For the brave and curious, Haunted History on Wednesday is full of spooky tales rooted in local lore. Pre-registration is a must!
Grab a morning latte and pastry from The Perk (open daily until 2:00 pm) and stock up on essentials at The Country Store. Just a heads-up: Both will be closed April 21–23 for inventory.
Tips for Your Stay (April 18 – 25):Planning your week at Smuggs? Bookmark these two helpful links: Weekly Activity Guide (PDF) – Find out what fun is happening every day! Current Hours of Operation – Know what’s open and when. Want updates on the fly? Text Smuggs to 855-421-2279 for real-time info on schedule changes and more.
From Powder Turns to Pool Days: Thank You, Locals!Thank you for making this winter one to remember—your energy, smiles, and snow-loving spirit made Smuggs feel like home all season long. As we look ahead, now’s the perfect time to lock in your 25/26 Season Pass at our lowest pre-Labor Day rates and get ready to do it all again next winter! But don’t go far—we’ve got a summer full of local fun headed your way, from Daycation Passes and adventure-filled camps to disc golf memberships and sunny days by the pool. Whether you’re staying for the season or just stopping by, we can’t wait to share the sunshine with you!
Ready for Round Two? Our 25/26 Season Passes are on sale now at 2024-25 pre-Labor Day rates—your best deal of the season! Lock it in early and make more mountain memories together next year. Vermonter Summer Daycation Pass – Dive into unlimited pool time, waterslides, hikes, and more! Vermont residents get a discount when they bundle with a Season Pass. Choose Your Own Adventure Camp (Ages 7–12): From sports to crafts to nature, kids customize their experience! Book by Memorial Day, and Pass and badge holders save 50%.
High Adventure Specialty Program (Ages 10–15) – Zip lines, rock climbing, paddling, and more daily excitement. Pass & Badge holders save 50% with early sign-up!
Disc Golf Memberships – Access two championship-level courses all season long, home to the Green Mountain Championship, and a fully stocked Pro Shop. Don’t miss your chance to plan ahead and save big. More details online or swing by the Welcome Center—we love helping our locals gear up for fun!
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The PeakHouse program has grown more than I could have ever anticipated over the past 12 months—and we have you to thank for that.
Well, this post is going to be different.
Taken on Day 2/46, picking up groceries for PeakHouse Colorado!
Starting today, I’m going to be writing you a little more personally from time to time—pulling back the curtain on what’s happening behind the scenes at PeakRankings and what’s coming next. At the heart of all this is community. PeakHouse exists because of the connections we’ve built together, and I want to make sure we’re creating space to keep those going outside of the mountains. (If you haven’t already, you can join our growing Circle community space here!)
I’m writing this after being away from home in Brooklyn for 46 straight days, leading PeakHouse trips across Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Austria, and Switzerland—without a single break to see friends or family in between. It was an absolute whirlwind. Interest in the PeakHouse program exploded after our original Utah trip in March 2024. Naturally, my instinct was to meet that demand head-on. We went from hosting one winter trip in 2024 to running six this season—a massive leap, but one we felt was worth it.
Personally, this season also marked a big shift. As someone used to solo travel for ski reviews and content, having a group along for the ride made the time pass by so much faster. There’s something transformative about experiencing an adventure with others instead of going it alone.
There were so many standout moments this season that it’s hard to pick favorites—but a few will stick with me for a long time.
In the Dolomites, Rick led us on a mission to a hidden, horse-drawn surface lift he remembered from a prior trip. It took nearly four hours of skiing from our base village just to reach it, but the journey (and the throwback lift) was 100% worth it.
These horses dragged about 50 of us up the slope at a time. It was absolutely sick.
In Colorado, Jacob—who happens to be a professional baker—whipped up fresh focaccia bread for the house one night. It made its way into everyone’s lunch pack the next day and set a new bar for PeakHouse meals going forward.
Jacob’s focaccia before it made it into hungry PeakHouse Colorado mouths.
And the entire Northern Rockies crew? Absolute savages.
Every single day, they took on the steepest hike-to terrain we could find—and did it with the kind of energy and stoke that reminded me why this program exists. I can’t think of another time where a group of 20 was ripping it up the bootpacks and sending it down the chutes.
Some of the PeakHouse crew at the top of the Jackson Hole Headwall hike! Everyone here did at least five more hikes before the end of the trip.
Finally, I want to give a personal shoutout to some of the people who’ve come back for their second trip: Sean, Will, Josh, Grant, Adi, Oscar, Brian, and Bill. And an extra huge shoutout to Steve, who came back for round three. Your continued trust and support means the world, and you’ve helped shape this community into what it is today.
But let’s be real: being on the road for a month and a half isn’t easy. I missed birthdays, family moments, and the rhythm of daily life in New York. That’s why we’re already investing in more trip leaders—so the program can grow without me needing to be everywhere at once. Huge shoutout to Sam Daley, who led the Mammoth trip this March. It was the first PeakHouse I didn’t personally attend, and based on feedback, he absolutely crushed it.
The PeakHouse Mammoth crew!
While the ski season in North America might be winding down, this is just the beginning for what’s ahead. I invite you all to join us on an international ski trip to New Zealand in August and our first ever National Park trip to Banff in July.
To the 100+ of you who’ve joined us on a PeakHouse trip so far: thank you. Your support means the world. I can’t wait to see what we’ll build together next.
Talk soon,
Sam
Founder & CEO, PeakRankings
P.S. I’d love to hear from you. Whether you’ve been on a PeakHouse trip, are thinking about joining one, or just have thoughts on where we should take things next—hit reply and let me know. I read every message.
The 2024 – 2025 Winter Season is now behind us, but it is still fresh in our minds. The season had a slow start and then it took off! We received 70 inches of snow in December. The two months that were over the top were January and February. The total snowfall for January was 96 inches and the total snowfall for February was 101 inches! The totals are impressive, but the best part was the consistent cold temperatures that kept the snow conditions perfect. March brought us 53 inches of snowfall and April is currently sitting at 19 inches. Our season total is 366 inches of snowfall! I would like to thank all of the Smuggs employees for all their hard work to make this past season the best it could be! I would also like to thank all of our guests for visiting us and being a part of the Smuggs Family. I know that I’m already looking forward to November, 28th when we start the 2025 – 2026 Winter Season!
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When you visit a ski resort, one of the most critical aspects of your skiing or riding day is how you get up the mountain. Ski lifts are the workhorses of these resorts, providing skiers and snowboarders with access to the slopes. However, not all uphill transportation at ski resorts is the same.
Mountains employ various types of transportation contraptions, each with its own unique features, advantages, and drawbacks. In this video, we’ll take a closer look at the different types of lifts commonly found at ski resorts, including their capacities, speeds, and the pros and cons of each one. Let’s jump in.
Surface lifts, such as T-bars, are often used in more wind exposed areas, such as areas above the treeline.
Let’s start out with the most rudimentary of all ski lifts, the surface lift. These were the first motorized lifts to make their way into the ski world when the sport was born in the early 20th century. Many of you probably haven’t even thought of surface lifts as real lifts, but they play an important role in uphill transportation in several circumstances.
There are three main types of surface lifts:
T-bar and platter lifts consist of a horizontal bar or platter attached to a moving cable. Skiers or snowboarders grab onto the bar, and it pulls them uphill. Platters typically accommodate one rider, while T-bars typically accommodate two.
Rope tows are similar to platters, but use a continuous loop of rope instead of a bar. Skiers and riders hold onto the rope as it moves uphill, providing tension for the ride.
Magic carpets are conveyor belt-like lifts that are often used in beginner areas. Riders stand on a moving carpet that takes them uphill, meaning that unlike T-bars, platters, and rope tows, riders do not have to exert real physical energy to ride them. They are particularly user-friendly for beginners and small children, but they are also the slowest of the bunch, and as such, really only get used for very short distances.
Carpet lifts are often found in beginner areas, or bunny slopes, and provide an easy way to get up the mountain.
Surface lifts have a couple of notable advantages despite their simplicity. First, they are easy to operate and require minimal infrastructure, making them far more cost-effective to install and maintain than chairlifts or gondolas. Their simple design allows them to be used on sensitive terrain, such as glaciers, where full-size towers would be infeasible. In addition, surface lifts are often easier to unload than chairlifts, especially in beginner-oriented areas, and some variants can operate at faster speeds than certain chairlifts, making them faster alternatives to get up the mountain. Finally, surface lifts offer far better wind and weather resilience than traditional lifts, as their lighter, ground-oriented footprint creates more stability when storms roll around—and allows riders to hypothetically get off the lift at any time in case of an emergency.
But with a lift type this rudimentary, you run into some limitations. The biggest drawback might be capacity; since surface lifts can only carry one or two individuals at a time, guests will experience longer wait times during peak times at busy resorts. In addition, surface lifts become a lot less practical as ski slopes become longer and steeper, with the physical toll of riding platters, rope tows, and T-bars growing substantially more burdensome as the gradient and ride time increase. In today’s world, you probably think of a ski lift as an opportunity to relax and recharge—but what if it actually becomes the most exhausting part of your day?
Surface lifts are about as straightforward as ski lifts get, but there’s a reason why ski resorts that can afford to have moved onto more complex and higher-capacity uphill transportation.
Fixed grip lifts are incredibly common at more regional ski areas, and their incredibly long lifespan means you could be riding on lifts that are up to 70 years old.
When it comes to the actual chairlifts you probably picture at a ski resort, fixed-grip chairlifts are arguably the most basic and traditional form. These lifts feature chairs that are permanently attached to the cable. Passengers load onto the lift while it’s moving at a constant speed, meaning the lift does not slow down at the bottom or top terminals. Fixed-grip chairlifts are cost-effective to install and maintain, making them common at smaller resorts and beginner slopes. Most often, resort guests will find them in two-to-four passenger configurations, although variants ranging from single occupancy to six-pack exist.
Some newer fixed-grip chairlifts are now paired with loading carpets, which help regulate passenger entry by slightly accelerating riders before they reach the chair. This makes the loading process a bit smoother and sometimes allows the lift to run at a slightly higher speed than a traditional fixed-grip chair, although other more complex types of lifts are still usually easier to load and faster.
Thanks to their lower cost and easier maintenance, fixed-grip lifts are often used for shorter lift routes, as backups for more popular lifts, or in terrain areas with variable opening schedules where a higher-cost lift wouldn’t be justifiable. Lower-capacity fixed-grip chairs, typically doubles or triples, are often employed in expert-oriented areas to subtly discourage less-experienced guests from riding them. In addition, fixed-grip chairlifts have smaller terminal footprints than their higher-end counterparts, meaning that they can be fit into far more complicated or space-constrained areas.
But fixed-grip chairlifts come with significant drawbacks, the biggest of which is arguably their speed. Because they must run slowly enough for safe loading and unloading, fixed-grip lifts maintain a leisurely pace on the way up the mountain. In fact, a standard fixed-grip lift ride typically takes more than twice as long as a more modern experience. However, because fixed-grip lifts have to operate at a reasonable speed to maintain acceptable transport times, their loading and unloading process is much quicker than on modern lifts, which can be a challenge for less-experienced guests. This can make the ride even slower, as lift operators often slow down or stop the lift to assist struggling passengers. While some skiers and riders may find the slower ride time okay as a chance to recover between runs, other guests will find it frustrating—especially on cold, windy days when prolonged exposure to the elements makes for an uncomfortable experience.
While fixed-grip chairlifts may not offer the convenience and speed of detachable lifts, they remain a fundamental part of many ski resorts. Even the fanciest ski resorts still employ them in some capacity, with these simple lifts providing a reliable and affordable means of getting skiers and snowboarders up the mountain.
Detachable lifts, also called high-speed, or express lifts, are some of the most common lifts you’ll find at a destination ski resort.
For most guests at a ski resort, the first lift they’ll truly look forward to riding is a detachable chairlift.
Detachable chairlifts, also known as high-speed or express lifts, are designed so that their chairs can detach from the moving cable at the base and top terminals. This allows for much slower loading and unloading while the cable itself continues moving at high speed. As a result, these lifts not only transport skiers and snowboarders uphill significantly faster than fixed-grip chairlifts, but they also make for a much more convenient loading and unloading experience, enabling quicker mountain laps and greatly improving the experience for the average guest. In beginner and intermediate-oriented areas, having a high-speed lift can greatly reduce misloads, resulting in fewer lift stoppages throughout the day. Some of the highest-end detachable lifts even feature heated seats and protective bubbles to shield passengers from wind and cold temperatures—comforts rarely, if ever, found on fixed-grip or surface lifts. Detachable chairlifts typically come in four-to-six-passenger configurations, although variations range from doubles to eight-packs.
Thanks to their speed and efficiency, detachable chairlifts have become essential for any ski resort hoping to stay competitive. However, because of the mechanics of their terminals, the chairs must be spaced farther apart than on fixed-grip lifts. This means that unless a detachable lift has a higher-capacity chair (i.e. a six-pack versus a quad), it won’t necessarily move more people per hour than a fixed-grip lift, notwithstanding the misload benefits we mentioned earlier. Another drawback is that detachable chairlifts have a shorter lifespan than their fixed-grip counterparts. While fixed-grip lifts can remain operational for many decades with proper maintenance, most high-speed chairlifts have required replacement after 30 to 40 years due to mechanical wear. Finally, detachable chairlifts are more susceptible to ice and wind-related downtime than fixed-grip and surface lifts. Gusty wind conditions can interfere with safe and properly-aligned grip engagement at terminals, while any ice buildup needs to be cleared from the cable, grips, and terminal interiors to ensure the chair detachment and reattachment process functions smoothly.
High-speed chairlifts may not be perfect at everything. But as uphill transport for an activity that revolves so much around cold weather, they provide an ideal and efficient solution.
Gondolas provide exceptional uphill capacity, and are often used for out-of-base lifts at destination resorts.
But what if you want to shield yourself from the cold weather entirely? That’s where gondolas come in. Gondola lifts are characterized by wholly enclosed cabins that are suspended from an overhead cable, allowing for what’s essentially full isolation from the elements. Not only do gondolas offer a more comfortable ride than non-bubble chairlifts, but they are often warm enough to help visitors regain body heat—rather than lose it—before their next run, providing a much more efficient alternative to warming up in a lodge on a cold day. Traditional gondola cabins can typically fit more people than a chairlift, with most coming in six-to-ten passenger configurations, although variations ranging from two-to-fifteen passengers exist as well.
Thanks to their enclosed design and smoother ride, gondolas are often used for longer uphill spans where a chairlift ride—even a detachable one—might be too exposed and uncomfortable in cold or windy conditions. Their enclosed cabins also make them preferable for routes with high spans or downhill sections, which can be unsettling for guests with a fear of heights. At resorts that have them, gondolas are especially popular as transport from base areas, allowing skiers and riders to board before strapping on their equipment.
But while gondolas offer a highly comfortable experience, they come with tradeoffs that make them less practical in certain situations. Unlike chairlifts, where guests can simply ride up with their gear on, passengers must remove their skis or boards before boarding a gondola and either carry them inside or place them in designated exterior racks. This extra step makes gondolas less desirable for shorter rides or terrain zones that are frequently lapped, as the time spent removing and reattaching gear can offset the benefits of the enclosed cabin. In addition, some smaller gondola cabins can feel a bit claustrophobic, especially at the handful of resorts that still have four-passenger models.
Despite these drawbacks, gondola lifts remain a staple at high-end ski resorts, offering a comfortable, high-capacity alternative for accessing terrain where chairlifts may not be ideal.
Cabriolet lifts are basically open-air gondolas, and they are typically found in base areas. The lack of seating makes long rides uncomfortable.
A rare variation of the gondola is the cabriolet lift, which functions similarly to a gondola but features open-air cabins instead of enclosed ones. Cabriolet lifts are most commonly found in ski resort base areas, transporting guests from parking lots or village centers to the main ski area before they’ve had a chance to put on their skis or snowboard. Unlike gondolas which have seating, cabriolet lifts are designed for standing only. Because they lack the full enclosure and seating of traditional gondolas but still have the same practical drawbacks, they’re not really ideal for truly riding up the mountain, but they provide an efficient and scenic way to move guests around resort villages.
Another rare lift variation is the chondola lift, which consists of both chairlift and gondola carriers on the same ropeway. These lifts provide unique versatility, allowing guests to choose between the convenience of a chairlift and the comfort of a gondola cabin. However, due to their complexity, chondolas are expensive to install and come with a few drawbacks. Guests need to choose between separate loading lines for chairs and gondola cabins, which can lead to uneven wait times, as there are usually fewer gondola cabins than chairs. Additionally, because gondolas require slower speeds for loading and unloading, the entire lift must run at a lower terminal speed than a traditional detachable chairlift.
Finally, perhaps the least-known and least-understood type of gondola lift is a pulse gondola. Unlike a standard detachable gondola, where each cabin moves continuously along the cable, a pulse lift operates with groups of cabins that are fixed to the cable but move in clusters or “pulses.” These odd-looking lifts slow down at loading areas before speeding up again to a regular detachable speed once the journey starts. However, because multiple cabin clusters operate along the ropeway, pulse lifts need to slow down to a crawl whenever other cabin clusters reach the terminal to load or unload passengers. On longer applications, this can happen multiple times mid-ride. This makes pulse lifts incredibly impractical for anything more than short travel distances or very low demand applications where the resort can get away with only a handful of clusters.
While not as seamless as a fully detachable system, pulse lifts provide a practical compromise for resorts that need a high-speed lift but are okay with trading intermittent stops and capacity for minimized cost. In extremely rare cases, pulse chairlifts exist as well.
Aerial tramways can carry a large number of passengers at once, but the long headways between cabins mean the actual uphill capacity is quite low.
But for some of the world’s most intense ski resorts, regular circulating ski lifts won’t cut it. That’s where aerial tramways come in.
Trams are a unique type of lift system that consists of large cabins suspended from thick cables, transporting passengers up and down the mountain in a single, continuous trip. Unlike gondolas, which have multiple cabins that circulate along a continuously moving cable, trams typically operate with just one or two cabins traveling back and forth on a fixed cable. Most trams can accommodate substantially more people per cabin than a gondola, typically carrying between 50-150 people per cabin, although variations between 5 to 200 people exist as well. In the craziest applications, even some double-decker cabins have been used.
Because of this design, trams are known for their ability to traverse extremely steep and rugged terrain with minimal support towers, making them an excellent choice for ski resorts that need to move guests over dramatic elevation changes or across deep valleys. Many of the world’s most iconic ski areas, including Jackson Hole, Snowbird, and Chamonix, have trams that provide access to their highest and most extreme terrain. Trams tend to provide some of the most scenic rides of any lift type, as their dramatic terrain spans lead to stunning views of the mountains they ascend.
One of the other primary advantages of aerial trams is their stability in high winds compared to gondolas or chairlifts. Since most tram cabins are connected to thick track cables rather than relying on a single haul rope for support, they sway less in strong gusts, allowing them to operate in conditions that might shut down other lifts. Finally, aerial tramways can move at significantly faster speeds than even high-speed chairlifts and gondolas, with the fastest trams able to achieve operating speeds of up to 26 mph (12 m/s), which is over twice that of its circulating ropeway counterparts. This can be of significant benefit for particularly long lift route stretches.
However, despite these advantages, aerial tramways have significant downsides—the biggest being their low capacity. Since most trams can only carry between 50 and 150 people per trip and operate on a fixed schedule rather than continuously, they tend to involve long lift lines, especially at peak hours. Unlike gondolas or high-speed chairlifts, which continuously load passengers, trams require all guests to wait for the next scheduled trip, meaning a single missed ride can result in an extended delay.
Another disadvantage of trams is that, like gondolas, passengers must remove their skis or snowboards before boarding—although the headways between each tram car make this somewhat of a secondary issue. Finally, tram rides can feel crowded and less comfortable, especially when cabins are packed to full capacity on busy days.
Despite these drawbacks, aerial tramways remain a staple at many major ski resorts due to their ability to access extreme terrain, their durability in high-wind conditions, and the unparalleled mountain views they provide. While they may not be the most efficient lift type for moving large crowds, their ability to reach rugged, high-altitude terrain—and gatekeep crowd levels on extreme terrain—ensures they remain an important part of big mountain ski resort infrastructure.
Tricable gondolas, or 3S gondolas, have all the upsides of Aerial Tramways, but much higher capacities. However, their incredibly high cost makes them a rare sight at ski areas across the world.
But what if a chairlift or gondola isn’t sufficient to navigate the terrain a resort might need to cover—and you also need higher uphill capacity than a tram? That’s where specialty lifts like tricable ropeways and funitels come into play. Both systems offer significantly improved wind resistance and tower span capabilities over traditional lifts without the practical drawbacks of a fixed tramway. Thanks to their reinforced cable systems, these lifts can also support larger cabins than traditional gondolas, typically carrying between 20 and 30 passengers per cabin, although the presence of multiple cabins on the rope means they aren’t as big as trams.
Tricable gondolas, also called 3S lifts (from the German word for “three cables”), use two stationary support cables and a third moving haul cable. This particularly stable design allows these lifts to span significantly longer distances with fewer towers, making them ideal for ski resorts that need to move large numbers of guests between far-apart resort areas or over rugged terrain where tower placement is impractical. While incredibly complex to construct, these lifts dramatically improve guest flow and provide access to terrain that would otherwise require multiple conventional lifts or an inconvenient detour.
Funitels utilize two moving haul ropes, which provide reduced cabin sway and incredible wind resistance.
Unlike a tricable ropeway, which features two fixed support cables and one haul cable, funitels use two parallel haul cables that grip the cabins at two points instead of one. This double attachment system creates outstanding wind resistance, reducing cabin sway and allowing these lifts to function in wind speeds that would almost certainly shut down everything else. This has made funitels especially popular in high-alpine terrain with significant exposure. Because funitels prioritize wind resistance over long-span capability, they are less commonly used in areas requiring exceptionally wide tower spacing.
Like traditional gondolas, 3S and funitel lifts have trade-offs, though their challenges differ slightly. Guests will have to remove their equipment to ride them, and because their cabins are so big, exterior equipment racks rarely exist. Also, these lifts sometimes lack seating for all passengers, meaning at least some guests will have to stand up if the cabin loads to capacity—this is especially the case when it comes to funitels.
But the biggest drawback for these specialty lifts is arguably their price tag. These lifts cost exponentially more than a traditional gondola, and there’s a reason why only a couple dozen of each exist worldwide, almost exclusively at the world’s highest-end mountains. Even the most cash-rich resorts are incredibly particular about where and when they install these lifts, making sure they put them in the places with the highest winds and most difficult terrain layouts where conventional lifts simply wouldn’t suffice.
A few ski areas, most notably in Europe, have rail-based uphill transportation.
But sometimes, ski resorts face such exceptional circumstances that using a cable-driven system just doesn’t make sense. This is where mountain railways come in. These distinctive uphill constructions are found almost exclusively in Europe, although a handful do exist at resorts elsewhere around the world. The two main types of mountain railways used as ski lifts are cog railways and funiculars, each serving a distinct role in transporting skiers and riders efficiently and reliably.
Cog railways, also known as rack railways, are a unique type of train system that uses a toothed rack rail between the running rails to help trains climb steep inclines that regular trains cannot handle. Because they run on fixed tracks and achieve much higher speeds than any other type of ski lift, cog railways are incredibly efficient, with individual trains far exceeding the capacity of any chairlift or gondola.
A funicular railway is another form of cable-driven mountain transport that operates on fixed rails, typically using two counterbalanced train cars moving in opposite directions. Unlike cog railways, which use a toothed rack for traction, funiculars rely on a pulley system to pull one cabin up while lowering the other down. They are particularly valuable in avalanche-prone or high-wind areas, where traditional chairlifts and gondolas might be unreliable.
Funiculars vary widely in design. Visitors can find installations ranging from short-distance, 4-person lifts that are basically just glorified elevators to massive resort transport systems capable of moving up to a whopping 440 people per trip at speeds comparable to cog railways.
Due to their incredibly fast travel speeds, mountain railways can be just as efficient as circulating ropeways, even with longer headways between departures. Additionally, alpine railways provide a comfortable, enclosed ride with no exposure to the elements, making them an attractive option for skiers and riders looking to stay warm on the way up.
However, the biggest limitation of mountain railways is their reliance on dedicated tracks. This either reduces usable ski terrain, requiring careful placement to maintain skier and rider access, or demands expensive tunnel construction to avoid interfering with slopes. Additionally, unlike chairlifts or gondolas, which continuously load passengers, cog railways and funiculars operate on a fixed schedule—meaning a missed departure could result in a long wait.
Ski trains are far from the most practical option for most ski resorts, but they’re among the most comfortable and novel forms of uphill alpine transportation. For many, riding one of these railways will be just as unique of an experience as visiting the ski slopes themselves.
While they’re typically used for grooming slopes, Snowcats can be found at a few ski areas being used for uphill travel, though they often come with extra costs.
But in certain cases, ski resorts face terrain where operating a lift or railway does not make practical or financial sense—but they still want to offer a way to transport guests uphill. That’s where snowcats come in. While primarily designed for grooming ski slopes, snowcats are also used as a specialized form of uphill transportation in certain scenarios. Cat skiing operations, typically found in remote resort areas or organized as guided experiences in true backcountry areas, transport small groups of skiers and snowboarders to seldom tracked terrain that is otherwise inaccessible by traditional ski lifts. In rare cases, some ski resorts utilize snowcats as alternative transportation when lifts are closed due to mechanical issues, avalanche mitigation, or extreme weather.
Since most cat skiing operations rely on a single snowcat carrying just 5-15 passengers per trip, uphill capacity is by far the lowest of any type of ski resort transport, with untracked powder being a common sight at the top of these rides. Due to their high operating costs and extremely low capacity, resorts often charge an extra-cost add-on for guests to ride these cats, although this is not the case 100% of the time. If a snowcat isn’t at the loading area when they arrive, guests may have to wait quite a while to ride it.
While snowcats are far less efficient than traditional ski lifts and offer limited capacity per trip, they provide a rugged, adaptable solution for reaching terrain that would otherwise be off-limits without hiking—and often has some of the best powder that’s accessible in-bounds within the resort.
So that’s our comprehensive breakdown of every type of ski lift you’ll see on your next ski trip. From basic rope tows to engineering marvels, alpine transportation is almost as fascinating as skiing and riding themselves, with an almost unconscionable number of solutions developed over the past several decades. Next time you go on a ski vacation, we hope you’ll have plenty of fun thinking about why your resort decided on a specific lift in a certain place—and whether you think they made the right decision.
Le Massif de Charlevoix has become the third Eastern Canadian ski resort to join the Ikon Pass.
Eastern Canada’s Le Massif de Charlevoix will be joining the Ikon Pass for the first time for the 2025-26 season, according to a press release put out by Ikon’s owner Alterra this week. This Quebec ski resort, which directly overlooks the St. Lawrence River, will become the second provincial ski resort to join Ikon following Tremblant. The resort will also join the much smaller Blue Mountain, Ontario in Ikon’s Eastern Canada suite.
Full Ikon Pass holders will have access to seven days at the mountain, while Ikon Base and Base Plus Passholders will have access to five days with holiday blackouts. The resort will also be included on the 2, 3, and 4-day Ikon Session Pass products.
The Ikon Pass is a multi-resort ski pass that gives access to dozens of destinations around the world. You can learn more about the Ikon Pass suite and how it stacks up to the similar Epic Pass here.
In Quebec, the Epic and Ikon Passes have historically put up reasonable fights against one another, although we’d argue Ikon has always had the slight upper hand. Ikon offers unlimited access to Tremblant, which is one of our highest-rated resorts in the region. However, the full Epic Pass offers limited access to Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham, the former of which is a quite competitive regional option as well (Stoneham is a bit smaller and less competitive). That said, the Epic Local Pass does not include access to either mountain.
But while it was already arguably the stronger choice of the two, the addition of Le Massif scores Ikon a big win for East Coast skiing and riding. Thanks to its breathtaking views and well-rounded footprint, Le Massif is our top-ranked ski resort East of the Mississippi. Its presence on the pass is likely to attract more folks in the Quebec City region, who are less than an hour away from the resort—and may have previously leaned towards the full Epic Pass thanks to Mont-Saint-Anne’s proximity to that city. It’s also entirely possible some Quebec City residents move to Ikon and away from the two-day Mountain Collective Pass, which was previously the only multi-resort pass product to include Le Massif.
However, some questions remain about the impact on crowding at Le Massif. The resort has historically been one of the less crowded East Coast resorts, with lift ticket caps playing a role there. Since reservations will not be required for Ikon Pass holders, some locals may be left wondering whether the resort could see a substantial increase in traffic next winter.
That all being said, Le Massif is likely protected somewhat from a deluge of new crowds thanks to its incredibly out-of-the-way location. While it’s quite close to Quebec City, the resort is annoyingly far from most other major Northeast metropolitan areas, including Boston, New York, and to a certain extent, even Montreal. From those cities, Ikon Pass holders have access to much more convenient mountains that offer experiences that are almost as good (or, depending on snow conditions, even better).
We’ll be keeping a very close eye on how the new Ikon access impacts Le Massif—and the rest of the East Coast—over the upcoming season.
Considering a trip to Eastern Canada next season? Check out our comprehensive Le Massif de Charlevoix and Tremblant mountain reviews.
If all goes according to plan, ski resorts across the U.S. and Canada will be getting a lot more… Great.
In a move that has sent shockwaves across the ski industry, the Trump Organization has announced its acquisition of Vail Resorts, marking the biggest shakeup in ski resort ownership since the invention of the Epic Pass—or, as it’s now being called, the “Most Epic Pass, Possibly Ever.”
As part of the rebrand, several iconic Vail-owned mountains are undergoing immediate name changes to better reflect the new ownership. Vail itself will become “Trump Mountain Colorado,” while Park City has been rebranded “Trump Utah: The Greatest Ski Resort In The West (According To Many People).” Whistler Blackcomb will now operate under the name “Trump International Resort & Golf Club: Glacier Edition,” despite having no golf course and being located in Canada.
Cafeterias across the newly rebranded resorts will now feature exclusive Trump-branded food options, including:
Trump Steaks (“The World’s Most Presidential Ribeye”)
Melania’s Signature Goulash (available only in Whistler, for legal reasons)
Gold Leaf Nachos (only at Trump Mountain Colorado, market price)
Additionally, a new slogan will be prominently featured across all resort signage, trail maps, and grooming reports: “MASA — Make America Ski Again.” This replaces the former slogan, “Experience the Epic,” which executives deemed “low energy.”
Sources tell us that all lift towers will soon be painted gold, and all blue square trails will be renamed “Red Trails,” due to branding conflicts. In a bold media policy shift, press credentials will now only be issued to journalists who agree to adhere to the new branding—a change justified by “correcting the color bias” in ski trail nomenclature.
And in what some are calling a “preemptive hostile ski resort merger”, insiders report that the Trump Organization is eyeing Deer Valley for annexation, citing the existence of a trail named “Trump” as “clear legal precedent” for eminent domain. Lawyers familiar with the case declined to comment, though one was overheard asking if “this is really happening” multiple times.
While some skiers and riders might be alarmed by the sudden transformation of their favorite mountains into politically branded snow playgrounds, it’s not the first time the ski industry has flirted with… bold decisions. From the rise of resort consolidation to $30 parking fees at the base of a three-chairlift hill, nothing should surprise us anymore. That said, this move cranks the dial up to 11.
On the one hand, the Trump Organization has a knack for branding, real estate, and lavish experiences—three things the modern ski industry seems increasingly obsessed with. Expect high-end luxury upgrades, more exclusivity, and potentially a golden gondola or two. On the other hand, the MASA slogan might alienate the more neutral or apolitical nature of the ski world, where the only red vs. blue debate should be about trail difficulty, not voter affiliation.
One industry insider noted: “If you thought the Epic vs. Ikon discourse was heated, just wait until this season’s parking lot arguments.”
Ultimately, whether this is the greatest business move in ski history remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: the slopes just got a whole lot more… Trumped.
Editor’s Note: If you’ve read this far and haven’t realized it’s April 1st, we hope you’ve at least enjoyed your brief descent into alt-ski reality. No, the Trump Organization has not acquired Vail Resorts. Yet.