Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

Photo: Rob Bossi   C/O: The Canyons Resort

You don’t need to stay in Colorado to find serious new additions in the Rockies for 2009. New freestyle options, expanded lift access and some new runs abound at the resorts around Montana, Wyoming and Utah. Also, the wait is over and Jackson Hole is complete again.

December 20^th marks the awaited return of the iconic Jackson Hole Aerial Tram. The new tram will be double the capacity of the old tram carrying 100 passengers the full extent of Jackson’s no-nonsense 4139 feet of vertical. Trip time is just 9 minutes.

Creating broader appeal of the 500-acre SnowCat Reserve, Grand Targhee will begin grooming 2 cat runs daily, providing options for those who aren’t as comfortable in the deep stuff.

A new ¼ pipe and permanent skier/boardercross course will be added to Fishbowl Terrain Park. A second skier/boardercross course, aimed at beginners, will open on the beginner terrain served by Chair 6.

Schlasman’s Lift opens serving up access to 300 acres of terrain. This terrain will remain beyond the resort’s boundaries this season, creating an expert sidecountry experience that requires avalanche gear.

A 2.5 acre terrain park will be added to upgrade Discovery’s freestyle terrain.

Three new expert runs have been cut for this season. The runs will vary in length: <font color="#333333" style="color: #333333;">2000 vertical, 1500 vertical and 700 vertical.</font>

A new lift will make navigation around the wide resort a little easier. Timberline lift will connect Tombstone and Dreamcatcher, allowing guests an easier way to get back to Tombstone at the end of the day. Expanded glading will be added off of Peak 5 and Tombstone, and trees in Mystic Pines will be cut for a more open tree experience.

Crescent Lift, a new high-speed chairlift will provide enhanced accessibility to Crescent Ridge.  Mid-Mountain Meadows, a new run will also be added.

Powder’s daily snow cat trips Snowcat Powder Safari will gain access to an additional 1000 acres of terrain, increasing the area by a 100%. As if fresh lines here weren’t easy enough already.

Two new high-speed quads will revolutionize Solitude’s mountain access. The Apex Express and Moonbeam Express will replace older versions.