First Peak At Big Sky New Tram Cars

Michael Fulton28 June 2023

TL;DR

Big Sky Resort in Montana is set to enhance its ski experience with the introduction of upgraded gondola cars for the iconic Lone Peak tram. The resort recently unveiled the new cars on Instagram, showcasing their breathtaking design featuring decals of the surrounding peaks. The renovation also includes an all-glass viewing platform at the top terminal, offering panoramic views. Starting in 2023, the tram will charge skiers per ride, in addition to daily lift tickets and season passes. Capacity will be adjusted daily based on weather conditions and other factors. Unlimited access to the tram can be obtained through the Gold + Ikon Pass or Gold Pass, or with the Double Black Season Pass, which includes 25 free tram rides. The anticipated opening of the upgraded tram and new gondola cars is scheduled for winter 2023, promising an unforgettable skiing experience at Big Sky Resort.

Level Up Your Ski Day — Download SnowStash on the App Store

Skiing in Japan vs USA: Which Country Offers Better Value in 2024?

Brian Head, Utah Brian Head Resort Is Utah's First Ski Resort to Open for 2024-25 Season Brian Head, Utah Brian Head, Utah

Europe, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy Revolutionary New Ski Lifts in Europe 2024: 8 Game-Changing Mountain Transport Systems Europe, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy Europe, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy

Sun Peaks' New West Bowl Express: $12M Investment Triples Skiable Terrain In Zone

Sugar Bowl, Lake Tahoe, California New World-Class Terrain Park Training Facility Opens in Lake Tahoe Sugar Bowl, Lake Tahoe, California Sugar Bowl, Lake Tahoe, California

About the author

Michael Fulton

Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

50+ resorts visited15 years skiing

Keep reading

More from the SnowStash desk

View all news →

Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law

Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.

22 July 2026

South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena

South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.

22 July 2026

Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited

Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.

21 July 2026

La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts

La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.

21 July 2026

The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain

The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.

21 July 2026

Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow

Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.

21 July 2026

Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall

Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.

19 July 2026

Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May

Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.

18 July 2026