BIG SKY -- Big Sky Resort is ushering in the new year with a new gondola and the longest eight-person lift in the world, as it continues to expand Montana's biggest ski area in comfort and luxury.
On Friday, the Madison 8 lift and the One&Only gondola officially opened. The two significantly improve the Madison base area on the ski resort's northern edge and provide access to the new One&Only Moonlight Basin luxury resort.
The Madison 8 replaces the older Six Shooter lift, offering a high-speed eight-person option with heated seats and weather shields, which has become a resort standard.
"Our old but beloved Six Shooter lift was one of the coldest lifts on our mountain, if not in North America," Troy Nedved, president and COO of Big Sky Resort, said. "How fitting to have a lift of this style in this location, in this wonderful Moonlight Basin."
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Big Sky was able to remove the old lift and install Madison 8 in less than a year, which Nedved said was an impressive feat.
"Building a lift of this magnitude in one summer is almost unheard of," he said.
The lift spans 8,700 feet, with speeds up to 13 mph cutting down ride time by 30%. It is capable of transporting 2,745 skiers per hour.
Nedved said the Madison 8 will improve and surpass demand for the area, with the intent to support traffic growth for years to come.
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Directly near the Madison base area is the new gondola -- that will service the luxury One&Only Moonlight Basin resort -- which opened just after the Madison 8, also with a ribbon cutting.
The gondola spans some 3,500 feet, with 200 feet of elevation gain as it rises above the valley floor.
For now, the resort's new restaurant, the Landing, is open to the public and the hotel is expected to open in the summer of 2025. The resort is planned to feature 73 guest rooms and 62 private homes.
According to the Big Sky Real Estate Co. website, homes at the resort range between $8.8 million and $14.5 million. In July, Forbes reported that 65% of the resort's private homes were sold.
Big Sky Ski Resort opened in 1973 and offers 5,850 skiable acres. Since it launched its Vision 2025 plan, it's added numerous high-speed lifts, like last year when the new Lone Peak Tram began taking guests to the summit of Lone Mountain.
"We've now built, including aerial and surface lifts, 12 lifts in the last nine years," Nedved said. "These ceremonies, although extremely special, I'm happy to say that we have a lot of them and more to come."
The Lone Peak Tram replaced an old gondola and significantly increased capacity. Another gondola is expected closer to the main base area.
"We're working on the Explorer gondola replacement, that machine is enormous, and that's going to be ready for next winter," Nedved said. "Our 2025 vision was extremely bold, our next announcement in the coming year or so is going to be even more bold."
Laurenz Busch can be reached at 406-582-2633 or [email protected].
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