Deer Valley Resort is preparing to open the most significant terrain expansion in ski industry history, transforming the Utah icon into one of North America’s largest ski destinations when the lifts start spinning for the 2025/26 winter season.
The upgrade, part of the resort’s multi-year “Expanded Excellence” initiative, will more than double the skiable terrain and bring a host of modern amenities designed to improve access, flow, and the overall guest experience.
When the snow flies this winter, skiers will find nearly 100 new runs, ten additional chairlifts, and one of the most advanced gondola systems in the country. The year’s expansion adds over 2,000 acres of terrain, bringing Deer Valley’s footprint to 4,300 acres – over double the terrain previously offered.
“This is a once-in-a-generation transformation, and it’s going to reshape the way guests experience Deer Valley,” said Todd Bennett, the resort’s president and chief operating officer. “Our focus this year has been delivering this terrain expansion at the highest possible standard.”
East Village Becomes a New Gateway
At the heart of the expansion is the debut of Deer Valley East Village, a new base area located off U.S. Route 40. Designed as both a skier’s gateway and a future year-round destination, East Village offers direct access to the new terrain and will feature 1,200 day-skier parking spaces this winter.
The new base provides an alternative arrival point for those coming from the Heber Valley or US HWY 40, bypassing the main roads into Park City and helping ease congestion in town. Amenities for the 2025/26 season will include lift ticketing, ski rentals, complimentary storage, and a streamlined shuttle connection between parking and the slopes.
Future phases will see the Deer Valley East Village grow into a fully developed resort hub with hotels, residences, restaurants, and retail space, but the priority this winter is skier access.
East Village Express Gondola
The flagship of the expansion is the East Village Express, Utah’s first 10-passenger gondola and one of the fastest in the nation. Spanning nearly three miles from East Village to Park Peak, the system covers a vertical rise of 2,570 feet and will make the trip in just 15 minutes.
The gondola features heated seats, floor-to-ceiling windows, and cabins arriving every 12 seconds, offering an uphill capacity of 3,000 guests per hour. Powered by whisper-quiet direct drive motors, the ride is designed to be as smooth and scenic as it is efficient.
The East Village Express opens up direct access to a broad range of terrain, from high-alpine bowls to groomed cruisers, and serves as the main artery between the new base and Deer Valley’s existing slopes.
Pinyon Express Connector
Another key piece of lift infrastructure, the Pinyon Express, will bridge the gap between the new terrain and the resort’s established network. The high-speed six-pack lift runs from the East Village side toward Flagstaff Mountain, linking beginner-friendly trails with higher-elevation zones.
Like the Keetley Express, which opened last season, Pinyon Express features enclosed bubble chairs with heated seats, providing weather protection and comfort on colder days. This link allows skiers of all levels to move easily between different parts of the mountain without long traverses or bottlenecks.
A Redesigned Mountain Experience
The expansion is not just about adding acreage — it’s about creating a better on-mountain flow. New trails have been built with progression in mind, offering everything from gentle groomers for first-timers to challenging steeps for experts.
Deer Valley’s snowmaking capacity has been upgraded with a new automated system and a dedicated pumphouse, ensuring consistent early-season coverage and reliable conditions across the expanded footprint.
The resort’s trail count will climb to approximately 238 runs once the project is complete, with four new peaks joining the map. The goal, Bennett said, is to maintain Deer Valley’s reputation for quality while offering more room to explore.
Phased Growth, Strategic Focus
While the terrain expansion and Deer Valley East Village debut will headline the 2025/26 season, not every element of the resort’s master plan will come online at once. Deer Valley has postponed construction at its original Snow Park base area to concentrate resources on completing the lift and trail work.
Snow Park is slated for a future overhaul, transforming it into a reimagined base village with additional lodging, dining, and après-ski options. In the meantime, guests can expect the same high-touch service and attention to detail that have made Deer Valley a perennial award-winner.
A Year in the Making
This season’s changes are the result of a concentrated, year-long construction effort that has involved everything from helicopter-placed lift towers to extensive earthwork for new runs.
In July, spectators gathered at the top of Bald Mountain to watch helicopters ferry steel towers into place for the East Village Express and Pinyon Express lifts, part of a public “Future in Flight” event that offered a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at mountain infrastructure in the making.
Since December 2024, Deer Valley has installed 10 new lifts, many of which have already improved access to intermediate and beginner terrain in the expansion zone.
Looking Ahead
The 2025/26 winter marks the second significant step in a multi-year project. Upon completion of the final phase, Deer Valley will span more than 5,700 acres — a size leap that places it among the continent’s largest resorts.
The East Village development will also continue to grow, with luxury hotels, private residences, and public amenities planned in collaboration with Extell Development Company. The Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, which opened in late 2024, is already anchoring the village with slopeside accommodations, dining, and conference facilities.
Future additions will include more five-star lodging, expanded dining, and year-round recreational offerings to cement East Village as a destination in its own right.
Staying True to Its Roots
For all the change, Deer Valley’s leadership is keen to emphasize that the resort’s defining features — ski-only terrain, capped daily ticket sales, and a service model patterned after five-star hotels — aren’t going anywhere.
“This expansion is about giving guests more of what they love,” Bennett said. “It’s about variety, ease of movement, and new experiences, all while keeping the quality that has defined Deer Valley for decades.”
When lifts start turning this December, skiers will have a whole new side of the mountain to explore — and the experience promises to be both bigger and better than ever. From high-tech lifts to thoughtfully designed trails and an entirely new base area, the 2025/26 season promises to mark a new chapter in Deer Valley’s history.
Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel.