STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Sun Valley Resort on Monday announced its intention to move forward with replacing the Lookout Express and Christmas chairlifts following the 2025/26 winter ski season.

Infrastructure upgrades on Bald Mountain will be subject to approval by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

The resort is also moving to allow e-bike access on its mountain bike trails, pending approval.

Sun Valley Resort wants to replace the Lookout Express with a high-sped detachable six-person lift. The resort has already installed six-person detachable lifts on the Warm Springs side of the mountain and on Seattle Ridge.

The resort plans to replace the previously scoped and approved Christmas lift with a high-speed detachable quad. Both new lifts would be in operation for the 2026/27 winter season.

“With today’s announcement, Sun Valley is embarking on another round of major investments in the mountain,” said Pete Sonntag, COO at Sun Valley Resort. “The replacement of Christmas and Lookout Express chairlifts will ensure fast, reliable access to some of Sun Valley’s best terrain for many years to come.

Sonntag added that other elements of the resort’ project proposal are intended to modernize critical infrastructure, as well as provide greater access to more of the mountain.

“Our goal, as always, is to maintain Sun Valley’s reputation as one of the world’s great mountain destinations while staying true to our roots of being a warm and welcoming family-owned business,” he said.

Project Highlights:

● Lookout Express Replacement: The detachable quad lift would be replaced with a new six-person detachable lift, increasing reliability, uphill capacity and improving loading efficiency.

● Lift Operations Facility: A new shared maintenance building near the top of Lookout is proposed to support the Christmas and Lookout lifts with centralized lift operations and infrastructure.

● Trail and Environmental Enhancements: The proposal includes improvements to the Cut-Off trail and a commitment to healthy forest management with minimal disturbance to terrain and vegetation.

● Utility & Infrastructure Upgrades: Snowmaking, domestic water, and electrical power system improvements are included in the project proposal and would be implemented on a future timeline to be determined, following necessary approvals.

● Future Lift Replacements: While the proposal also outlines potential replacements of the River Run and Frenchman’s lifts, there is currently no set timeline for these projects.

● Mountain Biking Access: Pending approval, Sun Valley intends to allow e-bike access on all mountain bike trails in the future, increasing accessibility and aligning with evolving rider preferences.

These projects are part of a comprehensive infrastructure proposal that has been submitted for environmental review. The full proposal can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth/projects/68477.

The resort and the U.S. Forest Service will host a community Open House and public comment session from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, July 21, at Ketchum’s Community Library.