New Lifts 2024/2025 in Canada
Whistler Blackcomb: Jersey Cream Express
Started last year and set to be finished this year the Jersey Cream Express is becoming a reality. It will be replacing an aging high speed quad that serves mostly blue cruisers. It will be transformed into a high speed six seater. This is Whistlers fourth new high speed lift in three years.
Grouse Mountain: Blue Gondola
Vancouver's premier tourist destination is receiving a major upgrade: A new 8 person Leitner-Poma gondola. This is replacing the blue skyride/tram and bringing them back up to full capacity. It will lessen lines from the parking lot to get onto the mountain. In addition, it will make it easier to get to the bottom parking lot.
Banff Sunshine: Angel Express
A Leitner-Poma 6 person bubble at Banff Sunshine is poised to be the first six person bubble in Canada. It will be replacing the old Angels Express Quad (one of the first express quads in Canada). The bubble will be a welcome addition on the cold slopes of Banff. That’s not all after this round of modernization all lifts at Banff Sunshine will be under 30 years old. Despite no set opening date they say it will ready for 2024-25
Sun Peaks: West Bowl Express
One of the only additions on this list is the West Bowl Express at Sun Peaks. It will be built in the West Bowl of Mt. Tod replacing a T-Bar that previously served these mellow blue powder runs. The high speed quad will serve new trails and be more vertical for the 2024-25 season without opening more acreage. I assume this means more named runs and less glades.
Lake Louise: Upper Juniper Chair
Lake Louise, one of the most beautiful resorts in Canada, is receiving a new 6 person heated bubble, perfect for those cold Canadian days! Lake Louise’s Upper Juniper Chair will start just below the end of the Lower Juniper Express chair and will improve access to bottomless upper mountain powder as well as reducing congestion around the lower mountain.
Alpine Ski Club: Arrowhead
Situated in the Blue Mountains of Ontario, the Alpine Ski Club has revealed its fourth lift: the Arrowhead fixed grip quad chairlift. This new addition marks a significant upgrade for the club by adding a newer more modern design into their aging fleet. Its fixed grip design ensures a steady and reliable ride for beginners looking to increase their confidence on the slopes.
Lakeridge: Riekys Express
Minutes from Toronto Lakehead Ski Resort is planning to debut their newest lift, the Riekys Express detachable six-person lift. This modern Leitner-Poma lift is designed to speed up ride time to under 2 minutes. A huge improvement from the time of the old fixed grip quad. It also promises to add a huge boost to uphill capacity adding 3,600 people per hour.
Tremblant: Homeowners Quad
Tremblant has been booming recently and people want to ski there, because of that a private development called "L'Hymne des Trembles" is being added. This ski on ski off luxury development will be serviced by a fixed grip quad. This will be Mont Tremblant's fifteenth lift, further cementing its status as the biggest resort in eastern Canada.
Mont Grand-Fonds: High Speed Six
As Soon as the ownership transferred from Mont Grand-Fonds to the company Compagnie des Montagnes de Ski du Québec they announced a splurge of new developments from ski on ski off housing to a brand new high speed six. While this may seem shocking for this mountain with 1,000 vertical feet and one fixed grip quad and 2 tee-bars to be able to have the capacity to need this, it’s a necessary step for them in order to expand and generate more draw to their local hill.
Sommet Morin Heights: Élévation
Sommet Morin Heights is receiving a new fixed grip quad. It is the latest of spending splurge by its owner Les Sommets being the fourth new lift in six years. Élévation will replacing the Dynastar chairlift. It will feature 91 chairs moving at 450 feet per minute. It will be open for the 2024-2025 season.
(the lift being replaced is the second to the left)
Mont Rigaud: Used Fixed Grip Quad
Mont Rigaud recently acquired its second chairlift. A used fixed grip quad coming from Bromont (Quebec). This new chairlift will have a loading carpet and is being installed to “meet the growing demand of the region's ski community and meet the mountain's development objectives.” Sadly this 2 million dollar investment will not increase terrain. It will be aligned parallel to the other fixed grip quad, essentially making a fixed grip eight.
Let me know if I missed any, as it's hard to find all the little resorts too. I hope I can get the west and east coasts done soon.
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