Red Lodge Mountain Announces Multi Year, $2.25m Lift And Learning Area Upgrade.

Red Lodge Mountain begins a two-phase improvement plan to upgrade lift service to lower mountain and learning area terrain.

Phase One of Red Lodge Mountain’s multi- year improvement plan will begin in the Summer of 2022 with the acquisition of a high-speed triple chair purchased from Alta Ski Area in Utah. As part of phase one the upper Miami area will be transformed with the installation of an additional carpet conveyor lift and the relocation of the yurt from the base area. Phase Two is planned for the Summer of 2023 with the removal of the current Miami Beach lift and the installation of the new lift in time for the 2023/24 ski season.

“This is an exciting and significant investment into the ski experience here at Red Lodge. Upgrading to this high-speed triple chair will be a transformation of the beginner experience.” said Jeff Schmidt, Red Lodge Mountain’s General Manager.

The lift being purchased is currently operating as the Sunnyside Lift at Alta and is a Garaventa built CTEC high-speed triple chairlift. The lift will replace the current Miami Beach double chairlift with a modified lift alignment to better serve the terrain. Installed in 1973, the Miami Beach lift has served as access to beginner runs and the Miami Beach Terrain Park. “The Sunnyside Lift has the perfect horsepower and capacity for the Miami terrain.” said Jeff Schmidt.

This spring the Sunnyside lift will be disassembled and 15 semi-loads will transport the equipment to Red Lodge while the Red Lodge Mountain team plans for the upgrades needed to install the lift in the summer of 2023. “Putting together a team to install this lift will be a massive effort and when we finish this project in the fall of 2023 it will be a great accomplishment for our ski area.” said Jeff Schmidt.

Red Lodge Mountain is an alpine ski area in the western United States, located in south-central Montana along the eastern front of the Beartooth Mountains, west of the town of Red Lodge.

In the late 1950s, an enthusiastic group of Red Lodge and Billings skiers formed Grizzly Peak, Inc. The group raised $250,000 through stock sales to develop a ski area. Red Lodge Grizzly Peak opened on January 2, 1960, with one double chair, three trails, and a small lodge.

Over the next few years, the ski area continued to expand, adding lifts and more trails. The Grizzly Peak Chair was added in 1971 and the Miami Beach Chair in 1973. The word was spreading throughout the region that Red Lodge Mountain was a fun place to ski and the old mining town of Red Lodge was full of western hospitality and colorful characters.

The ski area continued to grow with the addition in 1983 of the Winter Sports Center and the Triple Chair and the replacement of Midway Lodge in 1986. In the spring of 1994, Red Lodge Mountain purchased the Red Lodge Golf Course and it became the business complement for the ski business. This 18-hole championship golf course and substantial real estate development has offered more and varied work opportunities for seasonal and year-round employees.

In the summer of 1996, the ski area undertook the largest expansion in its history and opened the Cole Creek area which included two high-speed detachable quad chairlifts, 18 new slopes and trails, a complete overhaul of the mountain’s snow-making system and other improvements to the skiing experience.

Red Lodge Mountain opened its first snowboard park in 1996. This park attracted so many snowboarders that it was expanded and opened to skiers in 1999.

JMA Ventures, owners of Homewood Mountain Resort, bought Red Lodge Mountain in 2007. Elevation at Red Lodge Mountain is 7,016 ft (2,138 m).