Nordic Valley Plans to Triple Ski Terrain

In August, Nordic Valley Ski Resort announced the largest expansion project in resort history. The ski resort is installing a new high-speed detachable 6-person lift before opening day of this upcoming ski season. The resort has not installed a new chairlift in over 20 years, making this project a huge upgrade for the mountain. 

“The pioneers who started Nordic Valley dreamed of sharing this amazing terrain,” said Brandon Fessler, Nordic Valley general manager, in a press release. “Our team has worked hard to realize that dream, and we cannot wait to share it with our guests, our friends, and our neighbors this winter.”

The new high-speed chair will serve an additional 300 acres for skiers to experience Nordic Valley’s 300 inches of annual snowfall and 1,700 feet of vertical. The added skiing terrain is owned by the resort, but has remained undeveloped since the ski area was established in 1968. Fessler expects 50 of the 300-acre expansion will be ready for skiers to enjoy this winter, including new trails for all types of skiers.

The major capital improvement project will make Nordic Valley one of only three Utah resorts offering this type of chairlift. The lift manufactured by Leitner Poma will be 4,213 feet long with a vertical rise of 1,400 feet. With the new lift’s ability to bring 2,500 people up the mountain each hour, it will be an exciting season at Nordic Valley.

Nordic Valley Ski Resort lies in the Wasatch Mountains near Eden, Utah, about 25 minutes from the city of Ogden. In past years, Nordic Valley skiers could find 31 trails, a terrain park, a rental shop, and a ski and snowboard school. Nordic Valley boasts Utah’s largest night skiing operation, with lights covering 100-percent of their mountain.

“Right now, our focus is on the installation of the lift and Phase 1 of trail development,” Fessler said. “This expansion will eventually more than triple our skiable acres. Today we’re creating trails to service and support the new lift.”

Development continues as lift terminals recently arrived at the resort and concrete is poured to finish up the top terminal. Mountain crews are working hard to prepare for skiers, including the creation of new trails, plus annual pre-season projects.

Nordic Valley is one of eight Power Pass resorts owned and managed by Mountain Capital Partners (MCP), based out of Durango, Colo. Other resorts on the Power Pass include Purgatory Resort, Colo., Arizona Snowbowl, Ariz., Brian Head Resort, Utah, Hesperus Ski Area, Colo., Pajarito Mountain, N.M., and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort, N.M. The pass also includes access to Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas. These locations make up the largest collection of ski resorts in the Southwestern United States.

The Managing Partner of MCP, James Coleman, has invested more than $65 million into Powder Pass resorts since 2014. Arizona Snowbowl’s installation of a high-speed chairlift gondola combination—along with new lift construction at Nordic Valley—constitute one of the largest lift installation projects in North America for the 2020-’21 winter season. 

Aside from the Powder Pass, Nordic Valley will offer additional pass options and for the first time ever, pass purchases will be available on a no-interest payment plan. The new “My Weekday” pass provides access for the 2020-’21 season for as low as $75 right now. Check out more info on the Nordic Valley website.

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