Bozeman, MT – Montana’s non-profit Bridger Bowl ski area will replace one lift this summer with two, at a cost of $4.1 million.

Bridger Bowl will replace its current Alpine lift , a 1967 Riblet double chair, with two SkyTRAK triple chair lifts with ChairKid loading carpets lifts to better serve the ski area’s Alpine terrain pod, with the primary goal of providing increased lift capacity, reliability and comfort to access some of Bridger’s best intermediate, lower intermediate and beginner terrain at the northern end of the ski area. The combined lifts will have an uphill capacity of 3,300 skiers per hour, an increase over the current 1,100 riders per hour carried by the old Alpine double. Both of the new lifts will originate from the same general location as the current Alpine Chair but will head in dramatically different directions.

The ski area’s new Alpine Lift #1 will veer to the south of the current Alpine lift line and terminate below the north end of the North Bowl. This lift will serve intermediate terrain such as Powder Park Run, Powder Puff, Powder Hog and Baby Bear. The new Alpine Lift #2 will veer to the north of the current lift and terminate at the top of Montagne’s Meadow. This lift will provide easy access to some of Bridger’s best beginner, lower intermediate and intermediate terrain including Montagne’s Meadow, Porcupine Run, Limestone, and Bobcat.

One of the primary reasons for the positioning of these two lifts is to move the lifts, as well as beginner and intermediate skiers and boarders, away from the avalanche paths found at and around the top terminal of the resort’s current Alpine lift. The current lift lines have already been cut for these two new lifts.

The loading carpets to be installed with both chairs will be similar to those found on several of Bridger Bowl’s other lifts. The installation of the new lifts will have no impact upon Bridger’s proposed 247-acre expansion into Bradley Meadows, to the north of the current ski area boundary.

Work on the two new lifts will commence as soon as conditions permit this spring and their opening will be planned for the fall of 2013.