Park City Mountain recently refiled permit applications to upgrade Silverlode Express, Eagle and Eaglet chairlifts.
The plans include replacing the 6-passenger Silverlode Express with an 8-passenger chairlift, and replacing the Eagle and Eaglet chairlifts with one 6-passenger detachable chairlift and midstation.
Park City Mountain Vice President Deirdra Walsh told KPCW both lifts will be entirely replaced as they require different engineering. The new Eagle lift would let skiers off above the King Con lift.
“What's really great about that is it gives optionality for guests that start their day at Eagle to be able to get off the top and choose between Silverlode, King Con or Quicksilver as where they want to move on from there,” Walsh said Thursday.
Over 80 locals attended an open house Wednesday to learn more about the lift plans. Most expressed support, including Jan Patterson.
“I think it's wonderful. It's been needed for a very long time. We've been coming here for 30 years, and I certainly hope it passes,” she said.
Patterson and her husband live in Phoenix, Arizona, but spend part of their summers and winters in Park City. The couple has always skied at Park City Mountain and were hoping to see new lifts when the resort submitted its first applications in 2022.
The planning commission normally votes on chairlift upgrades. But in 2022, the plans were OK’d via an administrative process as the resort said the applications fell under its mountain upgrade plan. That opinion was based on an agreement between the city and Park City Mountain’s then-owners.
However, four locals claimed the former Park City planning director failed to follow the city’s development code. The Park City Planning Commission granted the residents’ appeal, which sent the issue to court.
In August 2025, the Utah Court of Appeals upheld the 3rd District Court decision.
Now, Park City Mountain is following the normal chairlift upgrade approval process and has applied for a conditional use permit. The resort is also hosting informational open houses, like the one on Wednesday.
Terri Brelin was excited to see the new plan. She owns a condo in Snow Flower, which connects to the Eagle chairlift base.
“We're a little concerned about where the new base is going to be and how it's going to gel with First Time,” Brelin said. “But other than that, we feel that lift needs to be upgraded.”
Brelin said replacing Silverlode is also a no-brainer as it needs more carrying capacity.
One issue with the previous lift upgrade applications was an adequate parking plan was required to lessen the impacts of lift upgrades. But Brelin said with the new paid parking plan and Park City Transit, parking isn’t as much of an issue.
Not everyone was excited about the upgrades. David Sturgi, a 38-year local, said he feels neutral, but worries about overcrowding on Utah slopes in general.
“These lift improvements may move more people faster and to different parts of the mountain, but they're also going to put more people on the mountain,” he said. “My experience as a local skier is probably not being enhanced.”
Walsh said the Park City Planning Commission is reviewing the two projects. It’s unclear when they will be up for discussion and approval.
