Mineral Basin Chairlift Repair Delays Access to Popular Snowbird Terrain

Snowbird's Mineral Basin Closure: Mechanical Issues Halt Operations Until Late Week

Update 08/03/25: The repairs for Mineral Basin are taking longer than anticipated due to poor weather conditions. Snowbird now aims to reopen Mineral Basin next week.

With heavy snowfall in the forecast, this week was looking promising for Snowbird Resort. Unfortunately, skiers and riders will have to navigate the mountain without one of its most popular terrain areas for several more days.

Snowbird Resort announced last Friday that Mineral Basin will remain closed through Thursday or Friday this week. The closure stems from mechanical issues affecting the Mineral Basin chairlift that require repairs. As a result, the Mineral Basin and Baldy Express chairlifts, along with the Alta Connection, will be inaccessible during this period.

The summit station of the Mineral Basin lift. Credit: Snowbird Resort

While technically possible to operate the Baldy chairlift in Mineral Basin independently, closing the Mineral Basin chairlift creates logistical challenges for lift operators who would struggle to return to Snowbird's base areas after their shifts. Since this chairlift primarily serves intermediate runs, it's unlikely that many Alta skiers would make the journey specifically for this lift.

Looking ahead, Snowbird has plans to upgrade the Mineral Basin chairlift. The US Forest Service approved a replacement project in early 2024, which would see the 1999 detachable high-speed quad replaced with a modern detachable high-speed six-pack chairlift. The proposed design would position the new top terminal closer to the Summit Restaurant, improving access to this facility.

Mineral Basin trail map at Snowbird. Credit: SnowStash

However, with no official announcement from the ski resort regarding implementation, the timeline for this replacement remains uncertain. Snowbird has been managing numerous development projects recently, including the new Wilbere chairlift (which opened this winter) and the upcoming Mid-Gad Restaurant (scheduled to open next winter), making it unclear where the Mineral Basin chairlift upgrade stands on their priority list.