TL;DR
Kelly Canyon in eastern Idaho is pushing snowmaking infrastructure to the top of its Goldrush lift this summer. The project aims to improve early season opening, snow coverage across the mountain, and overall season length ahead of the 2026-27 winter.
Kelly Canyon Is Extending Its Snowmaking System to the Summit This Summer
Kelly Canyon, the eastern Idaho ski area operating out of the Targhee National Forest, has announced a significant snowmaking infrastructure upgrade planned for this summer. The project will extend snowmaking coverage to the top of Goldrush - also known as Lift 2 - with the goal of having the system operational in time for the 2026-27 season.
What's Actually Being Done
The current snowmaking setup doesn't reach the top of Goldrush. This project changes that, running infrastructure all the way up Lift 2 so the resort can produce snow from top to bottom across that terrain.
For a mountain sitting at 6,600 feet with a 1,000-foot vertical drop, top-to-bottom snowmaking coverage is a meaningful operational upgrade. It means the resort isn't dependent on natural snow to open that terrain or keep it running through the season - which matters when you're sitting at a base elevation that can be marginal early and late in the winter.
