Powder Mountain Private Side Announces $157 Million Development Phase

Powder Mountain's Private Side Commits Another $157 Million to Member Infrastructure

Powder Haven, the private membership operation at Utah's Powder Mountain, has announced its second development phase - a $157 million investment that will add two more chairlifts, complete a 73,000-square-foot clubhouse, and launch new real estate neighbourhoods. The expansion continues the resort's unusual public-private split model, where paying members get exclusive terrain access at what was historically an entirely public operation.

Two Additional Private Lifts Planned for 2026-27

The expansion will bring two new chairlifts online during the 2026-27 season, bringing Powder Haven's private lift total to six. Half Pint will service gentler terrain with ski-in/ski-out access for residents, while Foxtrot will climb over 1,200 vertical feet and connect two existing private lifts - Raintree and Primetime. According to the resort, Foxtrot's service area consists mostly of advanced and expert terrain.

These additions follow two lifts that opened on the private side after Powder Haven launched its membership model in 2024. Raintree converted previously public terrain to private access, while Primetime opened a new zone of expert runs and glades. Members now have exclusive access to over 3,000 skiable acres - a significant portion of Powder Mountain's total terrain.

The Arclodge: A Resort-Scale Amenity Building

Scheduled for completion in 2028, the Arclodge aims to give members substantial off-mountain facilities. The 73,000-square-foot building will house an outdoor pool, fitness centre, rock-climbing wall, ski storage, retail space, spa, and dining options. It's the sort of amenity package you'd expect at a major resort village, but restricted to paying members.

New Real Estate Lots and Pre-Built Chalets

Powder Haven will open sales for its Prado neighbourhood lots beginning 1 May. The development includes 34 parcels ranging from roughly 1 to 4.5 acres, positioned near the planned Arclodge location.

For buyers wanting immediate occupancy, The Chalets at Shelter Hill will offer pre-built options in two sizes - approximately 3,600 and 5,400 square feet. These sit near the planned top terminal of the Half Pint chairlift.

Reed Hastings, Powder's CEO, characterised the development as responding to "tremendous momentum" in private ski memberships and the "public/private blended resort model" that combines member-only terrain with access to the existing 50-year-old public operation.

What the Split Model Means for Everyone Else

The expansion raises the obvious question: what does this mean for skiers and riders who don't have membership access? Powder Mountain has been adding infrastructure to its public side - four new lifts in recent years, expanded parking (now paid), reinstated terrain parks, and plans for the DMI terrain expansion with two more public lifts and a new Sundown base lodge.

Whether the public side improvements keep pace with what members get remains to be seen. The resort's model essentially creates two separate operations on the same mountain, with the private side now controlling six lifts and 3,000 acres. That's a substantial land grab from what was historically an entirely public operation known for low-key, uncrowded skiing.

The private club model isn't new in skiing - places like Yellowstone Club have operated this way for years. But converting significant portions of an existing public resort to private-only access represents a different approach, one that fundamentally changes the character of the place for anyone who remembers what it was before. How well this model works long-term for both member and non-member skiers will become clearer as these developments come online over the next few years.