Powder Mountain Bets Big on the Public: $40M Expansion to Add 1,000 Acres, New Lifts and Lodge

Powder Mountain, the sprawling Northern Utah ski area known for its uncrowded slopes and cult following, is about to get a whole lot bigger — and a whole lot more accessible. The resort has announced a $40 million multi-year investment that will expand advanced terrain, upgrade lift infrastructure and redevelop one of its key base areas, all on the public side of the mountain.

The investment marks a significant milestone in Powder Mountain's vision of creating an independent public resort rooted in recreation, culture and community. And perhaps most strikingly, it puts the resort firmly on the map as one of the largest ski destinations on the continent.

The centerpiece of the expansion is a new, public lift to the area known as DMI — short for "Don't Mention It" — which will open up more than 1,000 acres of skiing and snowboarding that previously was reserved for guided tours only.

The titular lift is a new Skytrac fixed-grip triple chair that, starting in the 2026-27 season, will climb uphill just beyond Powder Mountain's current boundaries. The new lift will add 900 acres of lift-served and 147 acres of hike-to access, for a total of 1,047 acres of public advanced terrain.

"The terrain in DMI is some of the best in Northern Utah. As a skier, it's what you dream of: open glades, chutes, steep lines — it's the perfect expansion for us and it is all expert skiing," said Brandi Hammon, president of Powder Mountain. "We can't wait to hear the hooting and hollering as people drop in."

Resort officials said the lift will also be among the steepest that Skytrac has ever constructed. When all is said and done, the projects will push Powder Mountain's total skiable terrain to more than 6,000 acres.

Additional lift projects include replacing the existing Sundown lift with a Leitner-Poma high-speed quad, and installing a new beginner-focused lift called the Doodle lift, using repurposed infrastructure from the current Sundown chair.

Looking ahead to the 2027-28 season, Powder Mountain will break ground this summer on a new Sundown base area lodge. The planned 15,000 square foot facility, designed by GSBS Architects, will include a ski school, ski and snowboard rentals, food and beverage, annual lockers and skier safety services. Resort officials say the redevelopment will improve skier circulation and the overall guest experience while supporting the resort's long-term growth plans.

The investment is made possible in part by Powder Mountain's unconventional public-private hybrid model. Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who acquired a controlling stake in the resort in 2023, has been shifting Powder Mountain toward a model in which revenue from private memberships and real estate development helps fund improvements to the public ski area.

"The previous business model was failing. While we've historically been uncrowded and inexpensive, we've been losing money, not upgrading lifts or lodges, and building up debt. The rise of Epic and Ikon have made the independent ski resort business very challenging," Hastings wrote in a letter to local skiers.

Powder Mountain is one of the first mountains to offer both private and public terrain while continuing to prioritize expansions and upgrades for the general public.

Alongside the infrastructure projects, Powder Mountain said it will reduce youth season pass pricing starting at $249, and expand investment in ski school programming and instructor development. The resort will also restore military season pass eligibility to include veterans in addition to active service members.

Powder Mountain's big expansion 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 through a partnership with the Powder Art Foundation, creating what it says will be the country's first skiable art park. When complete, approximately a dozen installations will appear on the trail map.

"This development plan is a demonstration of our commitment to keeping Powder a thriving public ski resort for generations to come," Hammon said. "As a local and an avid skier, the team and I are committed to our community and season passholders, and will continue investing in their on-mountain experience."