In an unprecedented move for the ski industry, Utah’s Powder Mountain announced this week that starting in the 2017/18 ski season, they will lower the day ticket cap from 2,000 to 1,500. Powder Mountain representatives say they are doing this to “further preserve the uncrowded, unspoiled, independent spirit of Powder Mountain.” They also say it will create a skier density less than 10% of what is found at comparably sized resorts. One could call it in effort on “powder preservation.”
In addition to the day ticket cap, Powder Mountain has a season pass cap set at 1,000. So if you want to purchase a season pass, better get on it as next year’s passes already went on sale April 5th.
This lowering of the day ticket cap comes at a time when visits to Powder Mountain are at an all-time high. Over 500 inches of snow fell on the resort this winter, and the addition of two new high-speed quads accessing new terrain generated excitement and renewed interest in this northern Utah resort.
Many changes are afoot in Powder Mountain’s future, as the owners move ahead with developing an entire new town at the foot of the mountain. Called Summit at Powder Mountain, it is described as the size of Telluride with the spirit of Aspen in its early days. This village will be located at 8,600 feet at the intersection of three mountain bowls.
“We bought Powder Mountain to preserve its magical skiing experience for generations to come and to save it from overdevelopment,” said Chairman Greg Mauro. “We are excited to have made good on the first part—preserving the skiing experience—and are focused on building a new urban village at 8600 feet, showing that by developing a portion of the mountain responsibly, we can save the entirety from overdevelopment.”
Owners also say the village will be like no other mountain development (read: no mansions) instead limiting square footage from 360-square-foot “treehouses” to 4,500 square-foot family homes.
“We are fans of the tiny house movement, and wanted to do our part to stop the spread of massive homes that have destroyed the hillsides in many mountain towns,” commented Elliott Bisnow, a co-founder of Summit at Powder Mountain.
According to a press release, Summit at Powder Mountain’s Main Street will embody an “appreciation for sustainability, social entrepreneurship, connection, and collaboration and will feature eateries, juice bars, shops, public art, hotels, and much more.” There are also plans to include micro-lofts and apartments, which will complement affordable housing for artists, social entrepreneurs, and researchers.
For more, visit powdermountain.com or summitpowdermountain.com