As the resort prepares to welcome skiers in just a couple of years, it’s sharing a sneak peek into what the new terrain will be like.
Vice President of Mountain Operations Steve Graff said on Deer Valley’s podcast no other ski resort has expanded so much, so quickly. The expansion will boast a nearly 5-mile run.
“It’s 4.7 miles, so a very, very long beginner trail from the top of Bald Mountain to the bottom of our new East Village,” he said. “It’s incredibly long. Deer Valley’s current longest trail is 2.8 miles.”
Starting this summer, 10 new lifts will be constructed to serve about 3,000 acres of terrain – and that’s just phase one. By the end of the expansion, Deer Valley will increase its total skiable land from around 2,000 acres to over 5,700.
Graff said he’s most excited about one new chairlift in particular, currently called Chair 6.
“The terrain that Chair 6 accesses is as big as X Files, Daly Chutes, Daly Bowl, Empire Bowl and Lady Morgan combined,” he said. “Off one chairlift, just a ton of terrain.”
Graff said even though the acreage is more than doubling, the number of skiers allowed on the mountain each day will not double, so visitors can anticipate a less crowded experience on the slopes.
He said the resort is investing in the latest lift technology and more sustainable automated snow guns. Water for snowmaking on the expanded terrain will come from the adjacent Jordanelle Reservoir.
“Snowmaking water is considered non-consumptive, and 80% to 85% of it goes back to where it came from,” he said.
He said staffing is the biggest challenge for the resort as it looks ahead to opening the expansion.
“We’re starting this year,” he said. “Ski patrol is going to start going out there. Snowmaking, grooming: we’re going to start practicing on some of these areas so that we have a couple of winters to do this before we actually open it for the public.”
Skiers will be able to explore the new terrain in the winter of 2025-26.
