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RED resort announces new ski lift

Topping lift will add new ski area to resort, reduce bottleneck on Motherload chair
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The new Topping ski lift (in the yellow area) will add several new runs and reduce bottleneck on Motherload chair, the resort says. (Submitted photo)

RED Mountain Ski resort is expanding.

The resort says its new chairlift and ski area, called the Topping Chair expansion, will bring new intermediate-level runs, expand the skiable acreage at the resort, and make access to the top of Grey Mountain easier.

“This new triple chair is exciting on its own,” said RED CEO Howard Katkov in a news release. “But what’s truly exciting is how the Topping Chair continues our dedication to ‘improving the adventure’ for our guests. With everything we do around here, we always try to keep that in mind … and this new chair streamlines skier traffic around the resort beautifully.”

A company spokesperson declined to say how much the expansion will cost.

RED president and general manager Don Thompson said the project would add about six jobs to the hill, including lift operations, ski patrol and grooming.

The Topping Chair construction covers a total of 300 additional acres and boasts six new intermediate runs with stellar tree-skiing, “squirrel trails” and “slots” on all facets, the resort said.

Resort officials say skiers will be thrilled by 1,000 vertical feet of what can sometimes be some of the best snow on the resort—thanks to its southeast facing aspect.

The Rossland resort says the new lift brings the total acreage to 3,840, putting it firmly in the ranks of the top 10 largest resorts in North America. RED recieves about 160,000 visitors annually.

A company official said the new lift is part of the mountain’s long-term growth strategy.

“It’s great watching our master plan unfold,” says RED spokesperson Christine Andison. “We’ve been working on it bit by bit, with the addition of Grey Mountain and the cat skiing on Kirkup, now with the implementation and installation of the Topping Chair, we are knocking off the items on our master plan one-by-one.”

The new lift now allows access to Grey Mountain from the top of Silverlode and should alleviate the occasional powder day bottleneck on the Motherlode Chair.

The new lift should be operating by opening day next year, Andison said.

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A view of Mount Roberts from the RED resort. (Photo by: Betsy Kline)
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The lift up Grey Mountain at RED Resort; the new Topping lift will add a new skiable area and reduce wait times on busy days for the Motherlode lift. (Photo: Guy Bertrand)