Big Sky Resort to add fastest 6-seat chairlift in the country this season
BOZEMAN, Mont. — In a little over two months, workers will need to wrap up a major improvement as Big Sky Resort adds the fastest chairlift of its kind in the country.
“Big Sky Resort is building America’s fastest six-person chairlift. The former Swift Current quad, the ride time was about 12 minutes. This will be cut in half, so just about a seven-minute ride. This along with our other chairlift, Ramcharger 8, will completely revolutionize the way people are moving through the base area. It is really going to improve skier flow and get people skiing on the mountain a lot quicker,” Big Sky Resort public relations manager Stacie Mesuda said.
Upon completion of the two-year project, the Swift Current 6 chairlift will carry riders a whopping 6 1/2 yards per second.
Although the ride is quick, speed is just one feature of the new lift.
“It’s the world's most technologically advanced chairlift. The comfort you will feel while riding this is really unprecedented. You'll have heated seats, a weatherproof bubble, individual headrests and footrests, and it is a whisper-quiet, smooth ride,” Mesuda said.
The new lift is key to Big Sky Resort’s 2025 vision of having the most technologically advanced lift network in North America.
It will push the resort closer to becoming a world-class year-round mountain destination, while providing a comfortable ride.
“I would say Montana winters can feel pretty cold, so having a chairlift that has a bubble to keep you warm and heated seats to make your ride that much more enjoyable helps to have a little more enjoyable of a ski day,” Mesuda said.
With so many unique features and time-saving speed, this may be the first time a rider looks forward to their time on a chairlift.
The chairlift is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving day, the same day the mountain opens for the season.
