If you've never skied or snowboarded at Big Sky Resort or if you haven't visited in a while, the resort might be looking pretty different to you this upcoming '25/26 winter season. Big Sky's "Big Sky 2025" vision, now entering its final phase, is rolling out sweeping changes, from base infrastructure to summit access and even dining options, the resort is completely transforming how guests experience the resort. So whether you're a first timer or a seasoned passholder, here's what to expect this 2025/2026 winter season!
A New Era of Mountain Access
One of the most dramatic upgrades under Big Sky 2025 is the replacement of the historic Explorer chairlift with a fully modern, two-stage gondola system. The old Explorer lift, in service since the resort's opening in 1973, was officially retired and the new Explorer Gondola put into production. This brand new gondola will link the base area all the way to the Bowl (just below Lone Peak), with a mid-station serving beginner terrain and a top terminal connecting directly to the Lone Peak Tram. The gondola's mid-station will also bring a new learning zone, complete with beginner trails, magic carpets, and a dedicated learning lodge making the mountain's beginner infrastructure more accessible for all ability levels.
While the Explorer gondola is perhaps the biggest headline grabber, it is not the only lift change you'll see next season! Madison 8, a new eight person lift will replace the old Six Shooter lift on the Moonlight Basin / North side. This new lift effectively doubles the uphill capacity on that side and cuts overall travel time. With its installation, Big Sky becomes the only North American resort featuring two eight-place lifts and three bubble D-line lifts. Way to go BIG SKY!
Other completed upgrades include:
• Improvements to the Lone Peak Tram's lower terminal. You'll see a dome-like glass enclosure that now shelters the tram cabins when they're off the line.
• The Bear Basin surface lift in Mountain Village was removed and replaced with a double magic carpet, which will allow instructors to accompany learners more closely during the instruction process.
• The Swift Current lift was also upgraded earlier (to Swift Current 6) to improve quiet operation and shifting skier flow.
Taken together, these lift investments greatly reduce waiting, improve skier circulation, and extend access to previously underutilized terrain. Win win win!
What It Means for You: Tips & Expectations for '25/26
With so many upgrades in motion, there are practical considerations you should keep in mind when planning your trip or returning for the new season. Here are a few ideas to help you get better oriented.
If you're visiting Big Sky for the first time, know that the mountain you see in maps today won't quite be the same by winter's start. Access patterns will shift: your first chair might be the gondola, not a traditional lift, or might a neighborhood access spot. Also, if you have kiddos in tow, the learning terrain will be more consolidated around the gondola at the mid-station point. Also, your dining options will be less scattered and more integrated with lift access. The idea is that once you arrive, you'll spend less time navigating between base and peak, and more time doing what you came for: skiing and snowboarding.
What's New: Winter '25/26 Cheat Sheet
Please feel free to use this map & additional guides to refer to the major infrastructure changes happening for winter '25/26 as Big Sky enters the final phase of Big Sky 2025. It highlights new lifts, terminals, gondola connections, dining options, and terrain access shifts to expect while traversing around the mountain. Always cross-check with Big Sky's official trail maps on opening day for final details.
It's one thing to replace a lift. It's another to rethink how all parts of the guest experience link together. From the moment you park your car, to how you traverse the mountain, to where you eat lunch, to how you unwind at day's end. The whole experience is being improved and revamped!
Read on to learn more detailed info about completed projects, projects that are currently in progress, and future projects on the horizon.
Completed Projects
Madison 8
Big Sky Resort unveiled the world's longest 8-place chairlift with the Madison 8 chairlift, furthering the resort's position as the home of North America's most technologically advanced lift infrastructure.
Big Sky Resort is now in a class of its own as the only North American ski resort with three bubble D-line lifts, and the only North American ski resort with two eight-place lifts. Madison 8, which replaced the Six Shooter lift, nearly doubled uphill capacity, and reduced ride time by 30%. Enjoy the 8-minute ride on the world's longest 8-place lift! Amazing!
Just for reference: Madison 8 replaces the former Six Shooter lift on the resort's Moonlight Basin side. It might be tough to get oriented the first time you come back!
Lone Peak Tram Lower Terminal Enclosure
At the bottom terminal of the Lone Peak Tram stands an architectural marvel: a sweeping glass dome that encapsulates true artistry. This remarkable structure, composed of over 400 panels of one-inch-thick glass, creates a protective canopy over the terminal's base. The semi-enclosed dome allows the tram cabins to be protected from the elements when not in use, keeping them both safe for visitors while also maintaining them for years to come.
The dome's design draws inspiration from the intricate beauty of snowflakes and the artistry of natural elements. Each piece of glass is meticulously shaped and placed to form a fluid, faceted surface that mimics the elegance of snowdrifts and ice crystals. So cool! The interplay of light, shadows, and reflections on the glass panels evoke the dynamic and evolving nature of snow and ice. Just as snowflakes vary in form and beauty, so does this structure shift in perception based on viewing angles and environmental conditions, turning every glance into a unique visual experience.
Mountain Village Learning Center Improvements
Big Sky Resort replaced the Bear Basin surface lift in Mountain Village with a double magic carpet. The double magic carpet will increase uphill capacity, allowing instructors to ride alongside guests, and improve teaching techniques and learning capabilities. Plus, this is one of the only three double magic carpets in the country, making it a really special place to learn to ski or ride!
Local's Take: Focusing on areas of the mountain where people of all ages start their skiing and snowboarding journey is crucial to developing a lifelong love of the sport. We all need to start somewhere!
Lone Peak Tram
Fifty years from Big Sky Resort's inaugural opening day in 1973, skiers, snowboarders, and sightseers boarded the new Lone Peak Tram, an engineering marvel positioned to serve as a gateway to experience one of North America's most spectacular summits on Lone Mountain.
The new tram is a complete replacement of the original gondola built in 1995. This state-of-the-art aerial tram technology is newly routed to carry up to 75 passengers spaciously and all the way up to 2,142 vertical feet in just under five minutes. Wowza!
The tram complex will evolve in the years ahead, with the addition of an observation deck/experience planned at the upper terminal in both the winter and summer. So watch out for that in the years ahead.
The new Lone Peak Tram is part of a base-to-summit lift network that will more fully come to life by the end of the decade, starting with the addition of the Explorer Gondola, scheduled to open in winter '25/26. This new lift network will create pedestrian access to the summit of Lone Peak for the first time ever.
Local's Tip: Read more about the Lone Peak Tram in "What's Up With The New Tram At Big Sky Resort?"
In Progress Projects
Coming Winter 2025-2026
Kircliff Scenic Viewing Platform
Kircliff, perched at 11,166 feet, is a two-story glass observation deck reaching out over natural geographical terrain shaped by millions of years.
For the first time ever, any guest, any age, either on foot or on skis can experience Lone Peak from this stunning glass enclosure. Here, the world opens all around you, the horizon stretches wide, and peaks rise endlessly in every direction. A very special experience for the whole family!
Explorer Gondola
For the Resort, they aim for every guest to be able to have the opportunity to experience base-to-peak connectivity in ultimate comfort and with state-of-the-art technology, skier or non-skier!
Coming winter '25/26, a new two-stage gondola will replace the existing Explorer chair, which has been in operation since the resort's opening in 1973. The new gondola will extend all the way to the Bowl, connecting to the lower terminal of the Lone Peak Tram.
This replacement will transform access to the Explorer and northern Swift Current terrain, with the new gondola will provide massive improvements for both guest's comfort and speed up the mountain. The Explorer Gondola is fitted with custom designed Omega V Cabins, produced by CWA, providing seating for up to 10 so families, friends, and groups can share just one gondola car. Additionally, floor-to-ceiling windows showcase sweeping vista, making it a great way to take in all the views. Also, convenient exterior racks and interior holders keep gear secure, and heated, ergonomic seats make for unexpected comfort that transcends ordinary lifts.
Local's Take: By linking directly to the Lone Peak Tram, the Explorer Gondola unlocks the 11,166-foot summit in a matter of minutes—bringing Big Sky's most iconic experience closer than ever before.
Future Projects
On-Mountain Food & Beverage Experiences
Transforming on-mountain food and beverage experiences is a core component of the Big Sky 2025 vision. A new food and beverage hub will be located at the connection point between the gondola and tram will be the marquee installation, featuring numerous outlets from fine dining to bars and family-friendly comfort options. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking out to panoramic views of Lone Peak and the surrounding ranges, guests will have the ultimate convenience and comfort to access the heart of Big Sky's terrain.
STATUS: In Progress
Gondola Mid-Station Learning Center
The new gondola's mid-station will expand the Big Sky Mountain Sports School with magic carpets and greatly improved learning terrain. The new mid-station will service the current Explorer terrain, which is ideal for beginner skiers and riders. Look for a new exciting dining experience here in the future!
STATUS: In Progress
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